Anna Quinn

Services Offered

Step-by-step guidance in writing a novel or memoir from start to finish.
 
Techniques to:
  • shape and structure your novel or memoir.
  • layer and deepen the elements of voice, emotion, point of view, exposition, dialogue, setting, sensory imagery, theme exploration.  
  • self-edit and revise
           
Coaching to navigate doubt and uncertainty and become a more confident writer.
 
Strategies to:
  • navigate doubt, imposter syndrome, rejection and perfectionism.
  • build self-trust, self-confidence and risk-taking.
  • encourage writing from a loose, unrestrained, joyous place.
 
Working Style
I deeply understand the exciting, messy, absorbing, confusing, vulnerable, fascinating journey of writing—it’s extremely emotional and intellectual work. My whole intention in working with writers is to encourage their unique voice and style, draw out the essence and strength of their writing, and to offer compassionate, constructive feedback to further deepen their writing skills and experiences.
 
Availability
I’m available year-round, for either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly meetings. I can meet in-person, on zoom, phone or email. Prior to our or our initial consultation, I offer a free fifteen-minute phone or zoom conversation.

Rates: $75/hr

Anna Quinn is the author of The Night Child, (Blackstone, 2018) listed as #1 Best Real Psychological Fiction on Goodreads, and Ingram’s 2018 Best Book Group Book. Her second novel, Angeline, (Blackstone 2023) is a 2024 Foreword Review Winner and was nominated for a Washington State Book Award. Her work has garnered blurbs from Meg Waite Clayton, Luis Alberto Urrea, Elizabeth George, Pam Houston, Melissa Febos, Lidia Yuknavitch, Library Journal, and more. Quinn’s writing has appeared in Psychology Today, New York Times Book Review, Medium, Writer’s Digest, and the Alone Together Anthology. She’s been a writing instructor for three decades and is the former co-founder of The Writers’ Workshoppe.
    

Samantha Ladwig

I'm currently available for one-on-one essay consultations that involve writing, editing, and/or pitching. Below is a breakdown of services, rates, and a bit about my working style.

Connecting with a writer and their work is essential to a consultation. Before committing to a project, I will ask you a few questions to find out more about you, your work, and what you're hoping to gain from our time together. Depending on the type of consultation, I might also ask for a writing sample to get a better sense of the writer.
​
Services Offered
  • Essay Identification
  • Developmental Editing
  • Pitching and Submission Guidance
  • Career Advice/Motivation/Accountability

Essay Identification:​ ($40 per half hour): Or, finding the essay within the experience. Our time together will be spent cracking open the experience(s) you'd like to write about to reveal the essay within it as well as your unique perspective.

Developmental Editing: ($80 per essay, up to 8 pages double spaced; $45 per half hour, one-on-one consultation to discuss feedback): Rates are flexible depending on needs. This consultation is for those with a work in progress, whatever stage it may be in. I will provide comments throughout your draft, a letter of feedback on the overall work, and if you'd like to add it, the half hour, one-on-one meeting.

Pitching and Submission Guidance: ($35 per pitch; $40 per half hour, one-on-one consultation): Help with identifying publications and pitching your proposed or completed piece. We'll go over best practices, strategies, and how to write about your work.

Career Advice/Motivation/Accountability: ($40 per half hour): This consultation is for writers of all levels and can involve anything from how to write through a rut, how to break into publishing, general accountability work, reformatting your essay for different publications, maintaining motivation, etc.

Samantha Ladwig is an essayist, creative writing instructor, and book reviewer based on a small island in the Salish Sea. Her work has been published by The Cut, Literary Hub, Vulture, Bustle, Vice, Real Simple, HuffPost, and Vox, among many others. Find her at samanthaladwig.com.

Faith Pray

Services Offered (customized to your goals & timeline):
  • Creativity coaching 
  • Picture book writing critique (1 picture book text, up to 600 words)  
  • Illustration / portfolio critique 
  • Picture book writing + illustrating critique (for 1 picture book with text + illustrations)

I’m happy to meet with you about your children’s book writing, illustrating, or just about your creative journey. After we connect about your needs, I will offer advice, critique, helpful tools, or ideas to help you work on your creative goals. 

​Working Style:
As an art maker, tactile learner, and mom of four, I take a playful approach to writing. I want to be a voice of courage and creativity for writers, and for illustrators, especially those interested in making children’s books. Thanks to my own experience of finding a way through post-traumatic writer’s block, I can offer tools and creative ideas to hopefully help you break through stagnant writing spaces. I am available to meet with you at any stage of a project, especially related to picture books - early-stage ideas, drafting, revisions, and preparing for submission. 

Before we get started, I’ll ask for information on what you are hoping to receive, and depending on what you need,  I'll ask you to assemble text, or art, a list of goals, etc, and we will go from there.   

Rates: 
  • $50 per critique (via email)     
  • $90 per 1 hour meeting (in person, zoom, or phone) 

Faith Pray (yes, that’s her name, by marriage) is an award-winning children’s book author-illustrator from Port Townsend, Washington. After a stroke left her struggling to find her writing self again, Faith set out to tell stories through art as a form of therapy, and has since written and illustrated six books, plus more in the works. Faith is the author-illustrator of PERFECTLY IMPERFECT MIRA, THE STARKEEPER, THE DAY WE GOT LOST, and the illustrator of FINDING GRATEFUL by Dianne White, ONE DAY by Joanna Ho, and ONCE UPON A TIMELY by Lynn Parrish Sutton. Faith’s latest book THE DAY WE GOT LOST is set in the Pacific Northwest woods and is an ode to free spirits and adventure lovers everywhere.

Lilah Clay

Services Offered
 
Manuscript Consultation:  All stages, whether you're at the concept, or in-progress, or the work is complete.  Full-length reading of work and editorial support.  I focus on content, structure, pacing, emotional depth, dialogue, character development, and so forth. 
 
Editing for Shorter Projects:  Essays, short stories, poems, screenplays, etc.
 
Freelance Writing: Tell me about the creative writing assignment you have in mind.
 
Availability
My schedule is fairly open to assist you longterm.  I'm happy to meet up in person in Port Townsend, or via zoom, or email.
 
Rate:  $45 / hour. 
 
Working Style
 Less is more.  I like to help simplify, help you reach the heart of the matter on paper,  sharpen and shine your wondrous work.  The writer's life—we're all in this together.
 
Lilah Clay is a poet and writer.  Her poetry has been published in several journals including World Literature Today, Chicago Quarterly Review, The Bitter Oleander, with work forthcoming from Amsterdam Review, Panorama, and others.  She has lectured in creative writing classes at UHMaui College and has spent the last twenty-five years writing and editing manuscripts of poetry, memoir, and literary fiction. ​

Tirzah Goldenberg

I'm a sensitive, compassionate, and meticulous editor, specializing in editorial assessment, copyediting, and proofreading for poetry and nonfiction manuscripts. I have copyedited and proofread manuscripts for Milkweed Editions, the Cultural Society, Verge Books, and the Feminist Press, as well as for individual authors. I have also copyedited the Transcending Trauma Project's archive of interviews with Holocaust survivors, their children, and grandchildren, which is now housed at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, and Gratz College in Philadelphia.

Services Offered

Editorial Assessment: I'll give you big-picture feedback on your work in the form of a letter, noting strengths and weaknesses and offering advice for developing your manuscript. I'll provide comments within the manuscript as well. This service does not include any direct edits of your work.

Copyediting: I'll provide detailed mechanical edits (spelling, grammar, punctuation, word usage, etc.) via the Track Changes feature in Word, ensuring that your text follows Chicago Manual of Style's style guidelines. I'll add comments and queries in the margins of your manuscript as well. 

Proofreading: I'll closely read your manuscript to catch any lingering errors before you send your work out into the world.

Availability
My schedule is flexible. I can meet in person or talk on the phone or on Zoom to discuss what you're looking for and how I can help. 

Rates: $40/hour

Tirzah Goldenberg is the author of two collections of poetry, Aleph and Like an Olive, both published by Verge Books. Her poems and essays have appeared in numerous journals, including Luigi Ten Co, West Branch, CutBank, Etcetera Poetry, Flag + Void, and LVNG. She has worked for many years as an editor, analyst, transcriptionist, and researcher for the Transcending Trauma Project and currently works as a freelance editor in beautiful Port Townsend. She holds a BA in English from the University of Exeter, UK, where she was awarded the Gamini Salgado Prize "for the undergraduate dissertation that best communicates the qualities of imagination and intellectual flair"; an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) from Colorado State University; and a Copyediting Certificate from the University of California, San Diego. Find her at tirzahgoldenberg.com.

Nicole J. Persun

​Services Offered:

Coaching and editing for short story writers, novelists, and long-form memoirists.
​
Coaching: This is my favorite way to support you. One-on-one, personalized accountability coaching, with craft and publishing advice that’s specific to you. This service is great if you…
  • struggle with motivation, writer’s block, and/or confidence and want to cultivate healthier writing habits.
  • feel alone on your writing journey and need a knowledgeable cheerleader.
  • want to improve your craft with personalized tips, resources, and feedback.
  • need solid publishing advice based on your project, publishing goals, and wildest dreams.
 
Big-Picture Manuscript Reviews: I offer high-level editing services for authors looking to “gut check” their manuscript before they send it out to agents or publishers. With this service, you’ll receive feedback based on craft and genre, plus suggestions for how to stand out in today’s competitive publishing market.
 
Query and Synopsis Reviews: Need help writing a query letter and one-page synopsis in your pursuit of a publishing deal? Do you want to learn more about the publishing industry, the pros and cons of traditional versus self-publishing, and how to submit your manuscript for publication? After a decade of working directly with agents, editors, and other industry professionals, I deeply understand the ins and outs of publishing. I look forward to sharing my insider knowledge with you!
 
Working Style:
I wholeheartedly believe that every writer has the capacity to achieve their dreams, and this belief is what fuels my passion for coaching writers. When coaching, my goal is to inspire, empower, motivate, and—most importantly—provide you with practical tools to cultivate a healthier relationship with your creativity. When reviewing manuscripts, I offer kind, thoughtful, and constructive feedback to elevate your unique voice and storytelling; my advice comes from a deep knowledge of craft and extensive industry experience. Wherever you are on your writing journey, I’ll provide personalized support to help you reach your highest aspirations. I’m here to remind you to dream big!
 
I’m available to talk on the phone, via Zoom, and face-to-face in Port Townsend.
 
Rates:
$130 per 1-hour coaching session. This includes check-ins and feedback via email between sessions to keep you on track, plus light track-changes for ongoing story coaching.
 
Query and synopsis reviews are $165. These include a 1-hour call, along with two rounds of track-changes via email.
 
Manuscript review rates vary by project—please inquire!
 
Nicole J Persun is an award-winning and bestselling novelist with a master’s degree in creative writing and instruction. For over 10 years, she has helped aspiring writers pursue their writing dreams through keynotes, classes, one-on-one coaching, and editing. Nicole is also a former board member of the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association, where she worked directly with agents, editors, and other publishing professionals. For more information, please visit nicolejpersun.com (and her pen name, jennifergoldauthor.com).

Sonya Lea

Services Offered

Book Proposal Development: Three to five meetings with assignments | Includes research assistance, notes on each section, recommendations.

Query Letters: One to three meetings with assignments | Includes examples, advice and support.

Manuscript Consultation: I read your manuscript and observe the work as a whole. My work is with the broad direction of your book, helping you form a vision for the book. Sometimes the writer prefers to work chapter by chapter to ensure that the vision is successfully executed. Our focus together is on your story’s perspective, narrative style, characterization, dialogue, language and style, and any other areas that call for attention. | Estimates provided.

Note
It’s important that I’m the right mentor for your work. I’ll often ask questions and read a brief sample of your work to determine whether I'm a good fit for you. I work mostly in creative nonfiction though I have edited fiction. I'm not a fit for humor, self-help, mystery or romance genres. I don't do line editing, copyediting, or proofreading.

Working Style
After my partner forgot his life in a surgical accident, I moved toward writing as a form of being curious about his memoryless experience. I think narrative is liberatory. If you have a manuscript, an essay, or even notes to begin a project, I can meet your work where it is, protecting your vision and voice. Writers remark that my gift is looking deeply into the work, and then reflecting back what is moving through the piece. I believe in writing as mystery, a consciousness inseparable from the body and artmaking.

Availability
I take on a limited number of full manuscripts each year, and book about three months in advance. I can schedule weekly, bi-weekly or monthly meetings. I can meet on zoom, or phone or in person in the Pacific Northwest, where mutually convenient. Prior to our initial consultation, I offer a free fifteen-minute phone or zoom conversation.

​Rates: $125/hour

Sonya Lea’s memoir, Wondering Who You Are, was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. Wondering has won awards and garnered praise in a number of publications including Oprah Magazine, People, and the BBC, who named it a “top ten book.” Her essays have appeared in Salon, The Southern Review, Brevity, Guernica, Ms. Magazine, The Prentice Hall College Reader, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and more.
 
Lea’s forthcoming book, American Bloodlines: Reckoning With Lynch Culture, is a story about the last public execution in America, a legal lynching in Owensboro, Kentucky, where she was born. She’s also at work on a novel. Lea is the recipient of an Artist Trust Award, two Canada Council Awards, and a grant from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. As a writer and marketing professional, Lea has been working with clients as a mentor and a freelance developmental editor since 2016. She teaches nonfiction at Corporeal Writing, Hugo House, and Imprint Books, and she developed a pilot project to teach writing to women veterans through the Red Badge Project. Lea also offers writing retreats throughout the Pacific Northwest and western Canada.

Grant Faulkner

SERVICES OFFERED
  • Manuscript Assessments and Editing
  • One-on-One Coaching: Writing Motivation, Creative Process, and Accountability
  • Pitching and Submission Guidance
  • Special Flash Fiction Consulting
  • Book Proposal Assistance
  • Ghostwriting

Manuscript Assessments and Editing: A manuscript assessment is a full read and evaluation of your manuscript with detailed written feedback about what’s working and what’s not. I read your manuscript and reflect on  the work as a whole, considering your aesthetic and storytelling goals, the broad direction of your book, and then I work to help you more precisely form and execute your vision for your book.

One-on-One Coaching: Writing Motivation, Creative Process, and Accountability: Are you just starting out and looking for accountability to complete your book? Are you struggling with an inner critic who is telling you you’re not a real writer or that your idea isn’t original? I coach writers in all genres, with the goal of helping you reach your writing and publishing goals. It’s not an easy task because every book doesn’t have a single “muddy middle,” but multiple muddy middles—not to mention obstacles that are both internal and external. Obstacles are just part of the writing journey (and every story … hello, Inner Critic, daily to-do list, and life demands!)), but there are remedies, tips, and strategies to overcome any creative obstacle. We will work together to finish your work-in-progress and create a publishing path for your book.

Pitching and Submission Guidance: I’ve been an editor and I’ve worked with agents and editors for decades as a writer, so I can help to identify agents and publications and work on your book pitch. We'll go over best practices for query letters, practice elevator pitches, and form a strategic plan to get your work published.

Special Flash Fiction Consultation: Are you writing flash or micro fiction that you’re unsure of? Do you wonder if your story has a plot—or if it really needs a plot? Have you given enough context—or too much? How do you create a story with the “art of omission”? Or maybe your story is near perfect, but you just want an extra reader to see if you need to revise it … one more time. As the author of The Art of Brevity, the founder of 100 Word Story, and an award-winning flash writer, my work with you will have the foundation of a flash fiction craft that has been honed over the years. My critiques will give you a deeper perspective on the creative possibilities of flash, and we can also focus on possible places to submit for publication. 

Book Proposal Development: To write a book proposal is to … write a book (almost). There’s an art to communicating your idea for your book, showing your chops as a writer, proving your credibility, and positioning your book for agents and editors. You can enter this process with as little as an idea, and I’ll help you exit with a fully developed book proposal with edited sample chapters.

Ghost Writing: When you hire a ghostwriter, you’re asking that person to write a book for you—but that doesn’t mean the process isn’t highly collaborative. The goal of a ghostwriting project is to tell your unique story, share your insights, and give you a voice that feels authentic. Achieving those objectives requires your involvement and creativity every step of the way. My process will include one-on-one interviews, brainstorming, and then writing itself. While I am prepared to write as much of the manuscript as you’d like, I encourage you to be as involved in content creation and revision as you want to be.

Working Style: I am not a snob. I believe that everyone is a storyteller because telling stories is how we make meaning in the world, so I work with writers to help them find their stories, believe in their stories, and confidently put their voices in the world.

This is my life’s mission—from my time at the National Writing Project, where I helped teachers teach writing better, to my time at National Novel Writing Month, where I worked to help thousands and thousands of people overcome creative obstacles to write their story, their way.

Writers remark that I’m an attentive listener and that I’m able to help them find purpose and joy in their writing. I meet you where your work is, and I work with you to realize your vision, not mine. I believe that our stories transform us individually in powerful, mysterious ways. Writing is, in short, my religion.

Availability 
I can schedule weekly, bi-weekly or monthly meetings. I can meet on Zoom or phone. Prior to our initial consultation, I offer a free fifteen-minute phone or Zoom conversation to set up a plan.

Rates: Sliding scale depending on the project and the person’s income: $100 - $150.

​Grant Faulkner is the former Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), the co-founder of 100 Word Story, and an Executive Producer on the upcoming TV show, America’s Next Great Author. He recently published The Art of Brevity: Crafting the Very Short Story. He's also published Fissures, a collection of 100-word stories; All the Comfort Sin Can Provide; Nothing Short Of: Selected Tales from 100 Word Story; and Pep Talks for Writers: 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo. His stories have appeared in dozens of literary magazines, including Tin House, The Southwest Review, and The Gettysburg Review, and he has been anthologized in collections such as Norton’s New Micro: Exceptionally Short Fiction, Flash Fiction America, Best Small Fictions, and Best Microfiction. His essays on creativity have been published in The New York Times, Poets & Writers, Literary Hub, Writer’s Digest, and The Writer.

​Find Grant online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Listen to his podcast Write-minded and subscribe to his newsletter Intimations: A Writer's Discourse.