Book Coach
SWENSON BOOK DEVELOPMENT LLC can help you while you work on a manuscript as the guardian and champion for your efforts toward a book. Developmental editor, educator, mentor, book-birthing doula, and writer’s advocate. Jill Swenson creates customized coaching programs for her clients and meets them where they are on the path to publication.
Book Proposal
Whether you have a finished manuscript or the kernel of a good idea, begin the path toward publication with a plan. We can help you craft a profile to establish your author brand, identify your audience, strategize on building your platform, craft a synopsis and chapter summaries to hook a reader, analyze comparable titles in the marketplace, develop a marketing strategy, and polish your writing sample.
If you are just beginning to work on your book proposal, you may find it useful to start by answering these questions.
Classes, Workshops & Retreats
Winter 2022 Schedule
If you are interested in registering for a class, workshop or retreat, please email Jill at Swenbooks dot com
Generative Writing Workshop
Saturdays January 8, 15, 22 at 10-11:30 am
This creative writing workshop is intended for writers at every level and in every genre. It is intended to get your creative juices flowing. Whether you have never done any creative writing or have something you are currently working on, this is a place to generate new copy. There will be an in-class writing assignment and a weekly writing prompt. The writing exercises offer constraints to help you enter your story through side doors and get to the more profound truths. This is not a workshop for critical feedback, but encouragement to take risks. Limit of 8. $125
Weekend Writing Intensive for Nonfiction and Memoir
Friday February 4, 7-9 pm, Saturday February 5, 10 am-noon, 1-5 pm, Sunday February 6, 10 am-noon
Do you have a work-in-progress and seek constructive criticism, inspiration and encouragement? This weekend long writing retreat will focus on you and your writing project. It will allow you to gain valuable feedback and advance your writing craft.
Participants will each submit 20 pages by January 20 for everyone to read before the weekend begins. Limit of 4. $350
Two Tuesdays at Two: Nonfiction Writing Workshop
January 11, 25, February 8, 22, March 8, 22, April 5, 19, 2-3:30 pm
Two Tuesdays each month, a small group of writers who seek constructive criticism on their work-in-progress will gather to submit their own pages (1,000 word limit), read and respond to written submissions. Open to writers at all levels who are working on a nonfiction manuscript.
If you have a book manuscript in progress, this workshop is intended for you. If you are a debut author who is close to having a first full draft, or already published and working on your next book, this is an ideal writing workshop. Limit of 6. $350
Editorial Services
SWENSON BOOK DEVELOPMENT LLC offers a variety of editorial services
Query critique – Do you need a second look at your query letter to an agent or publisher? Or someone to guide you from first draft to a polished pitch?- Manuscript critique – Do you need professional editorial feedback and constructive criticism on your book manuscript?
- Professional assessment – Is your manuscript ready to submit for publication, and if so, what are the most likely paths to publishing?
- Developmental editing – Focus on approach, narrative arc, perspective, voice, development of characters or arguments, and other substantive editorial matters
- Structural editing – Focus on organization and coherence of the narrative, argument, or subject material
- Line editing – Focus on the flow of ideas and arrangement of editorial content. Identify content that is misplaced, missing, or extraneous. Look for errors in sentence structure, unnecessary words, spelling, punctuation, grammar, style, and usage.
- Fact-checking, copyright permissions, bibliographies
Literary Consultant
Do you want advice on the business of being an author? Do you seek guidance in finding the right agent or publisher for your project? Are you looking for a second opinion? Schedule a consultation with Jill Swenson.