Where to Start
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Chart the Edits for Your Story’s Expedition
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Have a finished manuscript but not sure where to head next?​
Heading to Editing to embark on your journey from draft to polished masterpiece
Embark Your Story Journey Without the Overwhelm
Have a spark of an idea but unsure how to chart your course? Stuck along the journey?​
Then the Story Compass
is for you.​
Story Compass
Transform your inspiration into a fully Mapped out first draft
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Crafting a fantasy novel starts with a call to adventure, but turning it into a complete and compelling story can be overwhelming. Beyond developing realistic characters and their arcs, you must build an entirely new world.
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Just like navigating uncharted lands, you need the right tools, a clear direction, and a steady hand to guide you. Having a book coach at your side is like having a seasoned adventurer joining the party, offering guidance, support, and expertise to navigate your story's journey.
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Even if you prefer to navigate by instinct, understanding your story's map will help you avoid getting lost, save time, and steer clear of obstacles before they derail you. With a clear sense of your adventuring party and the mountains they must climb, you'll chart your course with confidence and direction.
Compass Outline Evaluation Package
$300
Rediscover your Guiding Stars
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Are you lost in the middle of your draft, unsure how to move forward? Or deep in revisions but struggling to see if your story is on the right track? This package is designed to be your guiding star, helping you shape and refine your story’s foundation before you invest time in drafting or editing.
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A strong outline is your story’s map, showing the clearest path from beginning to end. Through this package, we’ll assess your outline for weak points, plot holes, and structural missteps. We’ll analyze character arcs, narrative flow, and potential roadblocks—ensuring a smoother writing and revision process.
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Why Revise an Outline?
A well-structured outline allows you to see the big picture of your story in just a few pages. By evaluating it early, we can catch and correct structural weaknesses before they become major rewrites. With feedback from a developmental editor, you’ll gain clarity and direction—ensuring your story stays aligned with its true purpose.
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What’s Included?
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A digital copy of Blueprint for a Book by Jennie Nash
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A companion Blueprint Workbook to develop your story’s foundation
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In-line comments on your workbook with targeted feedback
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One (1) 60-minute coaching call to discuss insights and next steps
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A detailed editorial letter outlining key feedback and a clear action plan
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With this package, you’ll gain confidence in your story’s structure, ensuring your journey towards a finished draft is as smooth as possible.
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Want to add a World Building Guide and Evaluation?
Add on my world building guide and workbook to ensure that your magical world is well defined and realistic. Plus an addition 30 mins to our call to discuss world building feedback for only an additional $100
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Laura Huie, Fantasy Author
Because of the work with Sarah, I went into writing my story with ease and confidence. I already knew who the market would be and having trouble shoot my worst areas of my writing–before I even started writing the story. She was a compass, and I got to be the cartographer of my story. Even when my life became extremely busy, I had the compass and map to come back to when I had time to write the story, like I never put the draft down in the first place.
Let the story compass guide you from idea
to fully mapped adventure.
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The Story Compass package is your ultimate guide for crafting a compelling fantasy story. Starting with the first glimmer on the horizon of your story idea, this package helps you define your guiding stars, to ensure you never get lost along the way, and create the compass that will guide you.
We will build a robust and realistic fantasy world that will become your map. Creating the captain and crew to embark on this journey, your protagonist(s), and defining the storms they must weather and the mountains blocking their path, your antagonist. With your map in hand, you'll plot a clear course through a structured outline, transforming your vision into a story ready to write. Let the Story Compass lead you from imagination to creation.
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Story Compass Workbooks
Embark on a guided journey to chart the course of your fantasy story with these five foundational workbooks:
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Laying the Groundwork: Map out your story’s core with the fundamentals, covering every essential detail to create a strong foundation for your journey.
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Crafting the Captain: Develop your protagonist from their background to their strengths, flaws, and arc of change. Discover what drives them and uncover the heart of your story, guiding your narrative’s purpose.
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Forging the Obstacle: Every journey needs challenges. Create a compelling antagonist who will stand in your protagonist’s way, pushing them to their limits and propelling transformation.
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Building the Map: Expand the world where your story unfolds. From geography to culture, create a vibrant, believable setting that anchors your characters and their journey.
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Plotting the Course: Bring it all together by outlining your story. Combine your character arcs and world-building into a clear and cohesive structure, charting the path that will guide your narrative to completion.
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What is included in the Story Compass Package:
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Five Detailed Workbooks: Each workbook focuses on a crucial step of story development, guiding you from the foundational elements to a fully plotted outline.
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Weekly or Fortnightly Deadlines: Stay on course with structured milestones, supported by constructive coaching feedback at each step.
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90-Minute Coaching Calls: At the end of each deadline (five calls in total), we’ll discuss your progress, review feedback, and collaborate to refine ideas and tackle challenges—totaling 7.5 hours of live coaching.
By the end of this package, you will have a fully charted course for your story, including well-developed main characters, a vivid and realistic fantasy world, and a detailed outline. With this map in hand, you'll be ready to embark on your writing journey, guided by a clear direction, a solid plan, and the confidence to bring your vision to life.
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Writing a series?
If your story is part of a series, mapping the overarching arc is key to staying on course. Knowing your destination from the beginning ensures a cohesive journey. Upgrade your package for an additional $300 to include supplementary workbooks and a 90-minute call dedicated to laying the foundation of your series and charting the path for the books to come.
Story Compass Package
$1500
LIMITED TIME
$1300
Story Compass Ongoing Support
$225/month
Finished the story Compass but want more guidance?
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Navigating the writing journey alone can feel overwhelming. Having a guide to hold you accountable, set deadlines, and provide support can make all the difference in staying motivated and on course.
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What this includes:
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Weekly or fortnightly deadlines with virtual check-ins to keep you on track
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Monthly developmental edits for up to 10k words to refine as you go
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A 60-minute coaching call to review progress, discuss feedback, and set new goals for the road ahead
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This package is available for as long as you need, with the ultimate goal of helping you complete a polished first draft that has already undergone preliminary developmental edits.
Let’s continue your journey with clarity and purpose.
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Plotting your Next Steps: Editing
Do you have a full manuscript that you're ready to take it to the next level? Choose one of the various packages below to find what you need.
Wayfinder Evaluation
$225
LIMITED Time
$175
Completed your first draft but uncertain if it’s ready for the next leg of the journey?
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Charting the course after finishing your draft can feel overwhelming. This package takes the guesswork out, providing a clear, step-by-step strategy to navigate your manuscript’s next phase.
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What this includes:
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A thorough review of the first 50 pages of your manuscript to assess its strengths and areas for growth.
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A concise editorial letter summarizing key feedback, recommended next steps, and a tailored strategy to guide your progress.
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A 60-minute coaching call to discuss the feedback and refine your approach for the road ahead.
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By the end of this package, you’ll have a clear understanding of your manuscript’s current state, if it's ready to move on to edits or if it need more self revision, and a mapped-out plan to elevate it to the next level.
Let’s navigate the next stage of your story’s journey together!​​
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Manuscript Evaluation
Navigate the Next Stage of Your Story’s Journey
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A manuscript evaluation will provide a clear map of your story’s strengths and weaknesses, detailed feedback, and a strategy to guide your next round of revisions.
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What this includes:
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A thorough read of your manuscript to uncover structural issues, plot inconsistencies, and opportunities for deeper character development.
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A comprehensive editorial letter (10+ pages) summarizing insights and outlining actionable next steps for your story’s evolution.
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An evaluation of key elements and fundamental issues in your manuscript such as structure, narrative drive, character growth, point of view, and a believable world to ensure your story is on a solid course.
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A 90-minute coaching call to review feedback and set a clear direction for your revisions.
By the end of this package, you’ll have a roadmap to navigate revisions with confidence, ensuring your story is prepared to reach new heights.
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Pricing for a Manuscript Evaluation is:
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Up to 85,000 words, $1,400 USD LIMITED TIME ONLY $1,200 USD
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85,000-100,000 words, $1,600 USD LIMITED TIME ONLY $1,400 USD
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Over 100,000 words, $1,600 USD LIMITED TIME ONLY $1,400 USD plus $20/1,000 additional words
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Standard turnaround time for this service is four week.
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Let’s chart the course to your manuscript’s full potential!
AJ Alexanders, Fantasy Author
Sarah ... provided not only productive, but insightful critique. She took care in considering not only the vision and voice of the prose, but also the genre audience I was writing for. I was and have been so inspired and encouraged by her diligent and timely feedback. Working with Sarah has made not only Not Your Bargain, but many other of my projects, so much cleaner, more concise, and ultimately more successful than they would have been otherwise. Thank you, Sarah!
Developmental Edit
$0.025/word Limited Time Only $0.02/word
Chart the Depths of Your Story’s Essence
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Every story needs a steady hand to guide it toward its destination, as even the most experienced writers can find themselves lost, unable to see the hidden obstacles in their own work.
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With a developmental edit, we’ll steer your manuscript through uncharted waters, addressing key areas to ensure your story stays on course toward its full potential.
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What this includes:
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A thorough read of your entire manuscript to identify areas for improvement
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An evaluation of fundamental issues such as structure, narrative drive, character growth, point of view, and world-building
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In-line comments to address specific issues and inconsistencies
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An editorial letter (10+ pages) summarizing feedback and outlining actionable next steps for development
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A 90-minute coaching call to discuss the feedback and develop a strategy for your revision
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By the end of this package, you will have a deeper understanding of your story and a clear roadmap for moving forward into the revision process.
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Standard turnaround time for this service is four to five weeks.
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MJ Lindsey,
Science Fantasy Author of A Distortion of Fate
I had the pleasure of working with Sarah on my sci-fantasy novel, and I can't recommend her highly enough. From the very beginning, Sarah provided the perfect blend of insightful critique and encouraging support, helping me identify what was working in my manuscript and what needed improvement.
Her feedback was both developmental and detailed at the line level, offering layered insights that elevated my story while maintaining its core essence. What truly stood out was her ability to deliver honest critiques with kindness and tact, creating an environment where I felt empowered to grow as a writer.
Sarah’s one-on-one attention was exactly what I needed to bring my vision to life. She listened deeply, asked thoughtful questions, and provided actionable advice that made my novel stronger at every stage. Her dedication and passion for storytelling are inspiring, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her. If you’re looking for a book coach who will meet you where you are and guide you toward your best work, Sarah is the one to call.