Tutorials

Story Editing

You love your story. Sadly, only you -- and maybe a few supporters -- do. You've gotten vague rejection letters, or you have friends who say "it's nice." You love it, but it just ... lays there. Is your manuscript malnourished with too little action? Overfed with too many characters? Is the emotional heart hard to hear or the dramatic pulse erratic? Story editing looks at the macrocosm of what you've created: the believability of it, the dramatic ebb and flow, the emotional impact. A story edit can point out the sections that are flat, the characters that are one-dimensional and the errors in reasoning or effect. Includes a review of plot, structure, character development, dialogue, overall tension and dramatic impact, a five-page written analysis and an hour-long meeting. Up to 85K words: $550; 85-150K words: $850; 150-200K words: $1300. For more information, please call 214-768-9044 or send an email to smuthink@smu.edu.

Story editing is deal for students unable to participate in the SMU Continuing Education Creative Writing Program or for SMU students who seek additional, intensive input about their story. Fiction and non-fiction editors available. Does not count as a prerequisite for the SMU Writer's Seminar in New York; for more information about the SMU Writer's Seminar in New York, please visit smu.edu/newyork. No line editing.

Manuscript Evaluation
Individuals who have completed a novel or nonfiction work and are seeking a professional assessment may apply for Manuscript Evaluation. An SMU Continuing Education Creative Writing Program instructor will review accepted manuscripts, make written notations as to strengths and weaknesses, suggestions for improvements, and potential for publication. Following this review, notes will be shared at a two-hour conference with the author, allowing for one-on-one conversation. $1,995. For more information, please call 214-768-9044 or send an email to smuthink@smu.edu.

Manuscript Editing
Individuals who have completed a novel or nonfiction work and are in need of professional copy-editing may apply for Manuscript Editing. An SMU Continuing Education Creative Writing Program instructor will edit accepted manuscripts in terms of sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, spelling, word usage and overall manuscript presentation. $2395. For more information, please call 214-768-9044 or send an email to smuthink@smu.edu.

Chapter Revision
This service is designed for individuals who wish to refine a section of their work or have a chapter edited before submission. An SMU Continuing Education Creative Writing Program instructor will edit accepted manuscripts in terms of sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, spelling, word usage, and overall manuscript presentation. $395-$695. For For more information, please call 214-768-9044 or send an email to smuthink@smu.edu.

Private Tutorials in Fiction or Nonfiction
The tutorial is intended for a writer who has a manuscript near completion and wishes to have the guidance of an experienced author and Instructor for revision. Tutors, assigned according to availability and interest in a particular subject or manuscript, provide six private, one-hour sessions. Time and location will be arranged with the tutor. $2,495. For more information, please call 214-768-9044 or send an email to smuthink@smu.edu.

Manuscript Development
For the student who has the story and characters in mind, and the earnest commitment to produce a full-length publishable manuscript within a limited period of time, this course is for you. Intense, one on one meetings will help you outline, profile and produce the pieces required for a manuscript. Students must have completed Novel: The Story. This offering covers the content of Novel: The Plot and parts of All Tracks: Revision, on an individual basis, with a flexible schedule. $2,395. For For more information, please call 214-768-9044 or send an email to smuthink@smu.edu.