Story Clarity Mini Edit

Wondering if your opening is strong enough? We provide focused editorial feedback on your opening pages and synopsis, helping you build a stronger foundation before continuing your novel.

Is this service right for you?

At its core, a Story Clarity Mini Edit answers one important question: Are you building your story on a strong foundation?

This service is designed for authors who are still writing—or who have only recently completed the opening chapters—and want professional editorial feedback before investing months writing the rest of the manuscript.

Rather than reviewing your entire novel, we'll focus on your opening pages and synopsis to evaluate whether your story is creating the strongest possible foundation for the journey ahead.

Think of it as an early editorial checkpoint—helping you strengthen your foundation before you continue building.

Ideal for authors who haven't finished their manuscript but want professional editorial guidance before continuing to write.

Our expertise, cost, and turnaround time

Genres:
Fantasy, romance (including paranormal), young adult (romance, dystopian, fantasy), and thrillers

Cost:

$349 USD

What you'll receive:

A detailed review of your first 3 chapters (or up to 7,500 words)
In-line comments highlighting clarity, flow, and readability, as well as repetition, filter words, and sentence structure
An opening editorial assessment covering:
- opening strength and hook
- character introduction and engagement
- narrative momentum
- whether the opening delivers on the promise of the synopsis
- early signs of structural or pacing concerns
- the strongest opportunities to strengthen the foundation before continuing
A 30-minute call to answer questions

This service does NOT include:

review of the full manuscript
scene-by-scene feedback beyond the submitted pages
developmental editing
beta reading
revision planning for the entire novel

Best suited for authors who:

are early in the drafting or revision process
want to strengthen their opening before continuing
feel something “isn’t quite working” but can’t pinpoint why

If your opening is already strong, but you're looking for feedback on the reader experience of your complete manuscript, Beta Reading may be your next step

If this review uncovers larger structural questions you'd like to explore, a Manuscript Assessment or Developmental Edit may be a better fit.

Turnaround:
1 week

Quick Quote

Do you need this?

Questions?

What authors say about us

“Helped make me a better writer”

“Working with Alexa not only improved the quality of my story, it also helped make me a better writer. She caught the things that didn’t work and gave ideas on how to improve them and pointed out the good things, too. This not only helps my confidence but also shows me what I’m doing right. I highly recommend her expertise and opinions and can’t wait to send her another job to work on.”

Brianna Cash

Author of the Stars in the Sand romance trilogy

IMPORTANT NOTICES

Pricing

Pricing is in US dollars and is subject to change. Manuscript length and complexity can lead to additional charges. We will always contact you before proceeding in such cases.

English Proficiency

We do not accept manuscripts with a poor mastery of the English language. If you are unsure, please send us the first chapter of your work. Any misrepresentation of the complexity of your novel will lead to your order being cancelled.

Turnaround

Unless otherwise specified on your invoice, turnaround for the majority of our packages is 3-4 weeks. We can accommodate urgent requests, but there will be an additional rush fee. Please contact us in advance.