fix plot, character, structure, & more
Developmental editing
for fiction and memoir authors
clear roadmaps for revision
Developmental editing and manuscript critiques
Struggling with redrafting your novel or memoir? Looking for constructive feedback on plot, character and more?
I’m Karen McKellar and I work with indie authors and those submitting to agents. I also provide support between drafts.
This developmental editor just does a fantastic job, every time. I've worked with her three times now and every time she just nails it. - S.G.
How we can work together
Opening Chapters
The opening chapters of your novel are your chance to grab a reader or agent’s attention. I offer a standard 15,000 word package.
Manuscript Critique
Get a detailed report on your entire novel. My manuscript critique package consists of an editorial report with actionable advice.
Developmental Edit
Dig deep into your manuscript with a full developmental edit, complete with track commenting and a comprehensive editorial report.
Let's Chat
Ready to get some practical and actionable feedback from a professional?
Writers are too close to their work to see it clearly. Worse, there can be a yawning gap between what you as an author thinks is on the page and what a reader sees.
For obvious reasons, you will know more about your characters and plots than your future readers. But sometimes there are holes in the plot that you’ve missed.
Perhaps it was there in a previous draft. Your writer’s brain still fills in those missing details now absent from the page. But to your reader, there’s a plot hole, or a character who has mysteriously vanished, or a sudden reference to an event that is not in the book.
In cases like these, your readers are left bemused or even confused.
Whether you’re an indie author or someone intending to submit to an agent, you need a pair of fresh eyes on your manuscript. You’re looking for more than a beta read – you want detailed and honest feedback that takes you seriously as a professional.
And this is where I can help. I’ll analyse your novel or memoir, offering insights, suggestions and a practical course of action for you to follow. I’m also here for you if you need additional support between edits.
Rewriting and redrafting can feel overwhelming. Having a plan of action makes all the difference. You don’t have to do this by yourself.