Writing & Publishing

Getting Started

with Allen R. Kates, MFAW 

 

 See free sample edit below


   As a writing coach and book editor, I work with you at any stage of your writing, from inception of the idea to a polished work you can sell.

   Contact me and, as they say in Hollywood, Let's take a meeting. They also say Let's do lunch, but if you are in Wichita, Kansas, or Paris, France, that may not be practical. A phone call or an email will get us started. 

 


Kinds of writing 

  • all genres, nonfiction or fiction
  • books, screenplays, short stories, essays, journalism, memoirs, life stories, family histories, autobiographies, oral histories, novellas, plays, biographies, novels, storytelling, psychology

 

What I do first

  • read your manuscript and analyze its structure, qualities, techniques and your use of scenes, description, characterization, language, action, dialogue, location, mood, atmosphere, and so on
  • write an analysis that describes the good parts of your story and what needs more work
  • determine who your reader is and your manuscript's market potential
  • if your manuscript is not ready for editing, we discuss what changes you may need to make and how to make them
  • the analysis saves you a lot of time and money

 

What I do next 

  • when your manuscript is ready, I begin editing
  • apply fiction techniques to nonfiction work to make it more exciting
  • make notes directly on your manuscript, either on your hardcopy or into your electronic file
  • revise, rewrite, smooth out transitions between sentences and paragraphs, improve word choice, fix punctuation and grammar problems, make suggestions

 

I help you 

  • rearrange the order of scenes so they build on each other with more intensity
  • enrich the characters 
  • heighten conflict
  • apply literary techniques such as humor, irony, foreshadowing, mystery and suspense
  • design the narrative flow 
  • refine the dialogue
  • create setting, imagery, and description

 

After your manuscript is finished, I help you

  • search for a literary agent, publisher, film or television producer
  • assess multiple ways of publishing such as Print on Demand, self-publishing, e-books

 

"Allen taught me pacing and timing. Most important, he taught me to keep it simple and believable and not overwrite; embrace the reader, make him a partner in your endeavor. As an editor, Allen Kates is the real deal."

     —David Platt, novelist, author of The Sculptress and The Girls' Club

 


Free Sample Edit of your first 10 pages
  
   Send me your first 10 pages (about 3,000 words) and I'll edit them for free. I want you to feel comfortable and confident that I'm the right editor and coach for you. 



Submitting Your Manuscript

   I prefer receiving your manuscript as an MS Word electronic file attached to your email, but a CD or hardcopy are fine, too. Please give me a call or email to figure out what's best for you.

Allen R. Kates, MFAW
PO Box 399, Cortaro, AZ 85652 USA
(520) 616-7643

allen@writingpublishing.com
allen@ghostwritingmaster.com

www.writingpublishing.com
www.ghostwritingmaster.com
www.holbrookstreetpress.com