You've finished your draft! 

You're so excited, you post your progress to social media, tell your author friends and family. And then the excitement wears off and you're left wondering. Now what?
You have some options. You can and should let it rest for a while. Work on something else or take a break. Then you can reread and rework it. Never really knowing if it's what it should be. You could ask a trusted friend to be a critique partner or beta readers and hope they don't ghost you halfway through the project, or you can hire a professional editor to help you take your story to the next level and improve your craft as you do.
Every time you work with a good developmental editor you don't just improve that story. You grow as an author and your future drafts will show all you've learned. 

Hi, I'm Marissa Frosch

As an author with a knack for story and reader expectations, I jumped into developmental editing as a way to improve my craft and help others. I started officially working with authors in 2019 but have been helping authors as a friend and colleague since 2011. I started my journey as a critique partner and then a beta reader before training to be a developmental editor. 

As a developmental editor...

My job is to take your story from "doesn't work" to "works" OR from "works" to "this is freaking amazing!". My favorite part of this process is working with motivated individuals who will do whatever it takes to get the best version of their story to their readers. 
If you're ready to elevate your story apply now. 

Looking for line edits?

I've got you covered there too! Just apply and at the bottom of the form, you can indicate which type of editing you're looking for. 

Looking for something more involved and personal?

I also offer story coaching. This is an extremely competitive program and I only work with those who truly want to be authors. If you think you've got what it takes to work one on one with me and take your story to new heights, Apply below. Note, this is a different form than the regular developmental edit. 

Editing Services

Just need a little help?

Book a one hour consult with a professional editor to get yourself unstuck and those creative juices flowing again!
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One hour Consultation: $750 USD

Looking for more detailed help?

With a simple edit, you hold the reins on your story. I'll provide all the feed back and detailed information about your story, your genre, your characters, so you can take your story to the next level. This is for more independent authors who want to go at a faster pace. 
Sound like a good fit for you?
Developmental edits are between $3750 and $5000 for full length novels. And a Minimum of $750 for short stories.

Have you finished your draft and need help with what comes next?

Revisions are often overlooked and yet are so important to making a book better than you ever dreamed. This program, gives you the roadmap to make your book the best version you can create. You'll receive a detailed analysis with step-by-step instructions to create the book you dreamed of from the beginning. And you wont even have to do it alone. 
The Elevate Your Story program starts at $5000 USD with VIP options up to $10,000 USD. No short stories are accepted into this program. 

Unsure what to choose?

if you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure what the best path is for you, fill out this form and I'll point you in the right direction. 

FAQ


​What kind of training do you have?
While my degree is in Marketing, my passion was always helping authors fix plot knots and holes and get unstuck. As well taking a completed work and making it even better. It’s like when you’re skating with a pencil. Once you have the basic shape and shading done, you can really make the image pop if you go in and lighten the lights and darken the darks. Stories are just like that. So, in 2019, I made my way to Nashville to be trained in the story grid method by its creator. Shawn Coyne. After getting my certificate, I took what tools were helpful for me and went out on my own. 

Are you still associated with Story Grid?
No, while you can still find some of my analyses on their site, I am no longer associated with Story Grid. The short version of that being, I was no longer getting as much as I was putting into Story Grid and decided to not recertify. 

How many books have you worked on?
So many! While my favorite genre to work in is romantic suspense, I have worked on women’s fiction, science fiction, holiday romance, contemporary romance, chick lit, horror, paranormal romance, and even hacker fiction. When I signed up to be an editor on Reedsy I had to have had ten and I’ve worked on quite a few since then, so more than ten is a safe answer haha. 

How did you get into publishing?
I started out helping a friend and then, when my own books were ready, I decided the indie route was the one for me. As a result, I went back to school for business and marketing. Learned that traditional marketing doesn’t really do much for books and found book marketers to take courses and learn from. Through which I also found the Stroy Grid method for editing, and I haven’t looked back since. Throughout all the above, I co-founded a publishing house and eventually left to start my own. Though I haven’t published anyone but myself yet through Raven’s Quill Publishing, I have big plans for the future. 

What is a manuscript evaluation?
When I say “manuscript eval” I’m talking about the analysis I do on your novel. The purpose of which is to take your draft to the next level. For some, that means going from a story that doesn’t “work” to one that does, while for others it will mean taking a story that “works” to one that blows your readers mind! Its all based on where the story is when you come to me. 

What makes a story “work”?
Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and the characters were flat and the plot uneventful? Those stories don't work. Early Netflix originals come to mind. A story that works leaves readers satisfied and looking for more. Which is good for everyone right? You have a reader for life, and they have a new favorite author. 

Obviously, your book won't be for everyone, nothing an editor does can make it, the goal is to know what your target audience wants, and deliver on that.  

Do you offer coaching through the first or even a later draft?
I don’t coach through the first draft of a first-time author, but if you’ve completed a book before you’re welcome to apply for coaching through the second draft or your next novel which can be daunting even after the success of finishing your first. 

Why don’t you coach through a first novel?
Writing a book is a very personal and empowering experience that each author should experience on their own first. It gives you a sense of confidence that’s necessary in this line of work to be successful. You need to know that you can do it on your own.  Also a vast majority of people who want to write a book never will. I don’t want to waste my time if you don’t have what it takes to see it through.