Manuscript Consultations

I provide detailed professional consultations on fiction and non-fiction manuscripts, including single short stories and/or creative non-fiction essays, novellas/novelettes, short story/essay collections, novels and memoirs. These consultations include a careful read-through of the manuscript in question, with an extensive end-comment and, if requested, in-text line edits.

But what do I mean by a manuscript consultation, really?

I am willing either to brainstorm and develop ideas for a developing large-scale writing project, or edit early and late drafts of an existing project with an eye for making it as publishable as possible. For projects that adhere to the conventions of fiction and creative non-fiction, this amounts to discussing and critiquing style, structure, point of view, tone, characterization, and argumentative rhetoric, among a host of other issues. Many of my consultees have gone on to become published authors as a direct or indirect result of my services.

Since I am a firm believer in positive reinforcement, I provide affirmative as well as critical feedback. I organize my comments from broadest to narrowest to best expedite the revision process. And I always seek to critique a writing project on its own terms, advancing the notion of what the writing project wants to be ahead of any notion of what I would prefer it to be. As mentioned in my biogrpahy, I am the author of two books of fiction (The Man Who Noticed Everything, a story collection, and Shadows in Summerland, a novel), and have published short stories and essays in venues such as Black Warrior Review, Conjunctions, VICE, Slate, BOMB, The Believer, and The New Yorker. I have taught writing in the past at Columbia University, Boston College and Boston University, and offered manuscript consultation services for organizations such as Black Lawrence Press and Grub Street Writers.

Client Blurbs

“I have an M.F.A. and a Ph.D. in creative writing (fiction) and have worked with several consultants to revise my manuscripts for publication. Adrian's detailed, positive, and knowledgeable comments have been the best I have received. I was able to re-envision the short story and novel he critiqued, seeing them with fresh eyes and fresh ideas which made revision an exciting, creative process. I look forward to crediting his insights when they are published and working with him again. I highly recommend him.”
—M. Kaat Toy, author of In a Cosmic Egg and Disturbed Sleep


“Adrian Van Young was recommended to me as a possible editor for a manuscript.  On a whim, I asked him to take a look, not expecting much.  For a very small fee, too small, I received three type-written pages of response.  It took my breath away.  Every single short cut I took in the writing he put his finger right on!! It was painful but once I started breathing again it became illuminating.  I will always be grateful.  Not only is Adrian an excellent editor, he is a great teacher.”
—Linda Mornell, author of Forever Changed


"Adrian’s editorial comments were extremely helpful: intelligent, perceptive, to the point, and based in a clear understanding of what I was trying to do. As an editor he was insightful, supportive, and unafraid to say what needed to be said. I benefitted greatly from his comments and recommend him with great enthusiasm.”
—Roger S. Gottlieb, professor of philosophy and author of eight books, including an award-winning story collection


“Rush, hurry, before Adrian is swamped. His wise, investigative, delicate critique of my fiction was, and remains still, a constant, and major, assist to my writing.”
— Judith Shaw, M.A, author of Raising Low-Fat Kids in a High-Fat World


Packages

PACKAGE 1: A read-through and 2-4 page single-spaced written end-comment on a single story and/or creative non-fiction essay of up to 30 pages in length w/ 1 follow-up phone call or email: 250.00

With in-text line edits: 400.00

Or: one hour-long brainstorming/development session for a large-scale writing project over the phone or by Zoom w/ 1-2 page single-spaced follow-up written end-comment: 200.00. This would amount to one "Writing Coach Session," which is something that can be made into a long-standing arrangement, depending on need. 

PACKAGE 2: A read-through and 5-7 page single-spaced written end-comment on a full manuscript of fiction or creative non-fiction of up to 350 pages in length w/ 1 follow-up phone call or email: 1,700.00

With in-text line edits: 3,000.00


STIPULATIONS: The above rates and prices apply to manuscripts of up to 350 double-spaced pages, as stated. Any manuscript over 350 pages will be prorated in a mutually satisfactory agreement between author and editor. Manuscripts should be submitted in Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced, with pages numbered. For non-fiction texts that are not creative non-fiction essays or memoirs, i.e. an academic, business or medical-oriented text, please contact me to discuss.