Turn your story into the masterpiece it was meant to be.
Ready to level up your writing career?
Get expert editing, coaching, and copywriting services for indie authors from the Author Alchemist, Talena Winters.
Learn to transform your words into gold, and start writing better stories today.
Are you ready to transform your storytelling?
Youβve poured your heart into your bookβbut you know somethingβs missing. Your characters arenβt landing. The plot feels soft. Or you just need someone who gets it to help you shape whatβs already thereβ¦ or what you canβt quite put on the page.
Thatβs where I come in.
As a developmental editor, writing coach, and author myself, I help authors like you clarify your vision, strengthen your craft, and turn rough drafts (or rough ideas) into powerful, publishable stories.
Whether youβre working on fiction or memoir, Iβll meet you where you areβand help you take your writing where it needs to go.
Ready to take the next step? Explore my editing and coaching services below.
Ready to get started?
Want to learn more?
βShe didnβt just help my story become stronger, but the improvements in my writing skills have been significant.β
Hire An Editor Who Understands Your Needs
I still remember the magic of working with an editor on my first manuscript. She took that lumpy piece of clay and helped me shape it into a story I was truly proud ofβone that has since delighted thousands of readers.
I fell so in love with the transformation that I became an editor myself.
Over the past twenty-five-plus years, Iβve studied story structure, voice, and character across genres, and published multiple novels of my own. I understand not only the craft of writing, but also the unique challenges indie authors faceβfrom creative self-doubt to production and marketing pressures.
I bring that perspectiveβand passionβto every project I take on. I love helping writers develop their stories into a work they are proud to send into the world, and giving them the tools and confidence to do so.
βYour detailed notes were great! After I applied your suggestions across my manuscript, I decided to query again and had a request for a partial from an agent. Those changes were beyond helpful!β
βIβve been poring over your wonderfulβamazing, in factβreport and want you to know how helpful your work is. Itβs obvious to me that you devoted effort and thought and β¦ heart β¦ to my novella, and that means the world to me. Iβm sure you know how important it is to have someone actually care about your work. It makes me glad I chose you to edit my story. β
Getting Started
Feeling a little nervous about reaching out to an editor? Iβve been there, and I get it. Sharing your writing can feel riskyβbut Iβm here to make the process simple, supportive, and tailored to your needs.
Whether youβre looking for guidance on your storyβs big-picture structure or a detailed polish of your prose, I offer flexible editing and coaching options that fit your goals and budgetβincluding coaching calls, structural assessments, manuscript critiques, and line or copy editing.
Hereβs how it works:
Fill out the short form below to tell me about your project.
Iβll complete a free, no-obligation sample assessment.
Youβll get honest, encouraging feedback and clear recommendations for your best next stepsβalong with a quote tailored to your project and priorities.
Youβre always in control. Every suggestion I make is just that: a suggestion. Your voice comes first.
Options include:
Pre-packaged partial edits and bundles β fixed, affordable rates for focused feedback
Full-project edits β custom quotes based on word count and level of editing needed
(Not sure what to expect? Use my instant estimate calculator to get a ballpark range.)
Want more details? Explore my services below.
Specialty Genres:
Fantasy & Science fiction
Suspense & Thriller
Adventure
Romance
Womenβs fiction
Contemporary or Historical
Memoir
For audiences in:
Middle Grade
Young Adult
General
These elements arenβt a good fit:
Graphic, gory horror
Erotica & heavy steam (4/5+ chili peppers)
Dark romance
Ready to Make Story Magic?
Or read on to learn more about the different types of editing I offer.
βWords cannot express how excited I am to receive these edits! Your work has blown me completely away. The report itself is incredible, and then to have detailed notes within the manuscript. WOW. Everything is spot on and so helpful. Itβs so exciting for me to get edited by someone so skilled in the craft - already my mind is churning with how to make these adjustments, and I can feel in my bones how your feedback will have a huge impact on the story.
I feel like Iβm about to get an unofficial MFA in writing with all Iβm about to learn. This is going to take the work to another level entirely. You have made a path through the dark forest of editing for me, and I canβt wait to get going on it.β
Services
FAQs
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Absolutely. A strong editor helps you elevate both your story and your writing skills. Most authors tell me the clarity and confidence gained from editing ripples into every future draftβand future books too. You even have the option to start smallβlike a coaching call or partial assessmentβif you're on a budget.
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Almost every story benefits from editingβand often, from more than one kind. Even seasoned authors (and editors!) need a second pair of eyes to spot what they canβt.
If something feels offβeven just a littleβit likely needs some form of developmental feedback. That βsoft plotβ or βunrealized characterβ usually comes from deeper structural or craft-level issues that are hard to see from the inside.
A Structural Assessment or Manuscript Critique can help pinpoint those areas before you invest in a full line editβso you get the most value at every stage of the process.
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It depends on your manuscriptβs length, polish, and how much of each type of editing is needed. You can get a ballpark quote instantly with my Editing Quote Estimator tool. Then weβll follow up with a free, zero-pressure sample assessment to give you a personalized quote.
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I completely understand. Editing isnβt cheapβbut there are meaningful, lower-cost paths:
A coaching call to brainstorm plot, character, or craft dilemmas.
Partial Manuscript Editing packages focusing on your opening pages to highlight patterns, then apply the feedback yourself.
Structural Assessment to pinpoint big-picture fixes.
These options will give you powerful insights and clarity without the full commitment.
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You can reach out anytimeβeven before your draft is complete. Need structural feedback while youβre writing? Book a coaching call or structural assessment early. Finished a draft and need polish? A manuscript assessment, line edit, or copy edit fits best. Iβll also help you choose the right path in our free sample assessment.
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Thatβs a great questionβand one I hear all the time. Whether your manuscript needs big-picture structural help, line-level polishing, or something in between, I can guide you toward the right path.
When you request a free sample assessment, Iβll review your pages and give you honest, encouraging feedback about what your story needs most. And if your manuscript isnβt quite ready for editing yet, Iβll let you knowβand include suggestions for how to get there. My goal is always to meet you where you are and help you take the next best step for your story.
You can also read this blog post about the stages of editing to better understand each stage of the process.
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I specialize in developmental editing and story coaching for:
Fantasy & science fiction
Suspense & thriller
Adventure
Romance
Womenβs fiction
Memoir & narrative nonfiction
β¦ for middle grade, young adult, and general audiences
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Never. My role is to help you shine. Your story, voice, and vision stay front and center. All changes are suggestionsβyouβre always in control.
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Yes. I welcome manuscripts that incorporate AI. But AI doesnβt replace craftβyou still need strong characters, structure, pacing, and more. I help you elevate your craft regardless of how the draft began.
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It varies, but most projects take 4 to 8 weeks from start to finish, depending on word count and level of editing. Weβll discuss timelines and deadlines before you hire, so everything fits your schedule. You can get a rough timeline estimate for your project by using my Editing Quote Calculator.
Ready to explore your next step?
Not sure what you need? Start with a free sample assessment.
On a tight budget? Check out my coaching call or structural assessment + partial editing bundles.
Want to price out a full edit? Get your instant quote today, then reach out to get your full quote.
The Indie Publishing Process
If youβre not familiar with the stages a manuscript needs to go through after you finish writing, check out my Indie Publishing Process blog post series. The first post discusses the stages of editing.
βWow! Wow! Wow!
Youβre really something, Talena.
Just finished reading the whole critique (for the 2nd/3rd time) and canβt get over your thoroughness, insight and clarity.β
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Other Author Resources
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Explore curated author resources to guide you on your author journey.
Work With Me
Ready to unlock your inner word wizard? Working with me is easy:
Fill out the form below to get the ball rolling.
Iβll get in touch within one business day.
We schedule your coaching call, book description project, or no-obligation free sample edit/mini-assessment and go from there.
I look forward to hearing from you!
(Psst⦠If you want to see if my services are within your budget, you can calculate an instant estimate here.)
βRevision is where the magic happens.β