Does Your Fiction Need First Aid?
Get Fiction Writing Help

Plot got you down? Characters running awry? If you need help taming your novel, get fiction writing help.

You know you have a great idea, but it won't mold into a novel. Or you characters just don't behave the way they should. Maybe your book is complete, but it's just not quite right.

Getting help with your fiction isn't admitting defeat. On the contrary, it's a smart idea. Even best-selling authors need help sometimes.

But how do you figure out what kind of help you need?

Here's a checklist of things to consider and look for.


Making a List

Before you go shopping for writings services, look closely at your manuscript to see what sorts of fiction writing help you need. If any of the following aspects of your novel aren't up to snuff, find a reputable editor or writer who can help you make them shine.

1. Characters: Are they "real"? Can you sympathize with them? Do they have motivation for their actions?
2. Plot: Does the plot flow from beginning to end? Is it believable? Does it evolve through the main characters throughout?
3. Setting: Does the setting fit both plot and the main characters? Does it enhance or detract from the story? Is it vividly described?
4. Style: Does the overall writing style fit the genre and theme? Are descriptions vivid and interspersed throughout the story, not written in large blocks of prose?
5. Point of View: Have you kept your POV consistent throughout? Is the story told best through the POV character(s) you chose? Is
   each scene written from the POV character who has the most to gain or lose?
6. Structure: Does each scene or chapter end where the reader will want to keep reading? Are there any scenes that need to be deleted or added? Do any scenes or chapters need to be rearranged into better order?
7. Basics: Are grammar, spelling and punctuation correct throughout? Are all your "facts" correct? Are all your verbs and nouns strong and specific? Have you weeded out as many adverbs and adjectives as possible? Do the words flow well out loud?

Use this list to decide which parts of your novel would benefit from outside help, then research services until you find one that offers help in your areas of need.


Checking the Service

Once you've decided where you need assistance, here are some things to look for when hiring your fiction writing help.

1. Do they offer a sample critique or edit? If you can't test their services on a short sample of your writing for free or inexpensively, you may not get what you need from it.
2. Will they help with the entire manuscript? Most writers benefit from at least one other pair of eyes going through the entire novel to help improve it.
3. Do they give suggestions for improvement, rather than just telling you what 's wrong? If you don't get feedback on how to fix the weak spots, you won't learn how to write it better next time.
4. Exactly what do they offer with their service? They may offer manuscript critiques, copy editing, line editing, proofreading, substantive editing, or even rewriting aid. Find out what your money gets you and what options you have.
5. Can you pay as the work is completed (by the chapter, for example), rather than all up front? (This may not be available through many services, but it doesn't hurt to ask.) This is a better way to utilize what you'll learn from the service's feedback. Once you've had a chapter or two throughly edited, you can improve later chapters before sending them. Their time editing will go down, and so should your cost.

So, before you search for fiction writing help, be sure you know exactly what help you need and what kind you can get for your money.