Story Advisor

Your personal guide from first sentence to published book.

You have a story worth telling, even if it's only to yourself. And somewhere between the first idea and the finished book, there's a lot of territory to navigate: structure, drafts, feedback, editors, cover designers, publishing platforms. It's a lot to figure out alone, especially when your time is limited.

Story Advisor is author coaching for the whole journey, not just the writing. I work alongside you as your guide from first idea through to a published book. You stay in full control of your story and every decision along the way. I'm here to make sure you always know what to do next.

Everything happens by email, on your schedule. No Zoom calls, no fixed sessions, no video call fatigue, no writing lessons or homework, no performance anxiety. You write when you can. I respond within 2 business days.

This is for you if:

• You're working towards a finished, publishable book and want a steady guide through the parts you haven't done before
• You think in structure and systems, and you want clear answers rather than more general advice
• You'd rather have one person who knows your project than piece it together from scattered sources
• You prefer to work on your own schedule, by email, without calls or fixed sessions
• You want to stay in full control of your story and every decision about it

This is NOT for you if:

• You'd rather hand the work off than do it yourself, whether that's solving your own story problems with my guidance, doing the actual writing, or dealing with beta readers, editors, and designers directly (I show you the way; I don't run things on your behalf)
• You want classes, a writing community, or someone whose check-ins are what make you sit down and write (I'll be in touch and ask how it's going, but the momentum is yours to keep)
• You're expecting me to double as your line editor or copyeditor (the guidance here is structural and advisory, not sentence-level correction)
• You're expecting a finished, published book within a few weeks (real writing takes longer, unless you're publishing pure AI-generated work)
• You just want a clear read on what you've got right now, rather than ongoing guidance (the Story Framework Audit is likely the better fit, and costs less)

A note on AI: I use AI-assisted tools as part of my analysis. The tools I use do not train on what you send, and your material stays confidential. Your story stays yours.

There's a second way AI matters here, and it's one most author coaches won't help you with. There's a real difference between AI-assisted and AI-generated content, and it is important if you're considering commercial publication, particularly on platforms like Amazon KDP. I can help you understand that distinction and stay on the right side of it, so it never trips you up at publication.

The engagement includes guidance on:

• Story structure and outline development
• Feedback on your work at any stage: first pages, mid-draft, or complete manuscript
• Finding and working with beta readers
• Finding and working with developmental editors and proofreaders
• Incorporating feedback from beta readers and editors
• Book cover direction and finding the right designer
• Self-publishing, including getting your book onto Amazon KDP

And anything else that comes up along the way.

You manage your own relationships with any third-party services. I make sure you always know what to ask for, what to expect, and what to do with what you get back. You stay in control of what happens with your story.

My focus is self-publishing, including getting your book onto Amazon KDP. I don't work in traditional publishing, so if your goal is landing a literary agent or a deal with a publishing house, I'm not the right guide for that part. If you're self-publishing, or still deciding, you're in the right place.

If you don't yet have a story outline or plan, my Story Framework Audit is included at no additional cost.

One honest note: Story Advisor gives you steady, expert guidance and a clear sense of what to do next. It can't promise publication or commercial success. What you do with the guidance, and how the market responds, stays in your hands.

Investment: A four-week sprint suits a focused challenge: deepening your characters, lifting a sagging middle, working out of a plot hole. Some writers take one sprint and have what they need. Others continue with a further sprint as the work develops. You decide as you go, and you can change your focus at any time. Everything works around your schedule.

Four-week sprint: $2,500 USD

On refunds: Each sprint is paid in full before it begins, and it's non-refundable once I begin work. So take your time deciding before you pay. Once we're underway, our energy goes into the book, not into whether to continue.