Open for Manuscript Edits June 1-15 CLOSED

What I can help you with is pacing, likability of main characters, setting up genre chapters correctly, and seeing the over and over again habits you write into your manuscript. I can help you write a page-turner.

Why do you think you're any good at this at all?

I've been beta reading since forever, not only for unpublished authors but for agented and published ones as well. Quite honestly, I was a terrible reader for the first ten years or so. I was worried about hurting people's feelings, and didn't say when a passage stunk or when something made me go what? Now I do. This is what you need to improve your writing.

Also, I remember thinking, "I wish someone would just tell me what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it." Seriously, some of you guys are wonderful writers, you have a voice, and your sentence structure is strong. But your pacing sucks or you just can't quite make your characters come alive for the reader. I can help you with that.

Why would you want to use your time like this when you could be watching Westworld or Avengers?

Quite honestly, I have six kids. Four are in college, and one is in grad school. I'd like them to stay there. Also, we like food. Food is a good thing.

Why would I want to pay for a critique when I can get one free from my own critique group?

Unless your beta readers are published or are working with a traditional agent or editor, they don't have the experience to help you. I do.

What do I get for my money?

I'll post notes throughout the manuscript using Word and Track Changes. I'll tell you where, when, and why you're messing up. I'll tell you what you're doing right, and what you shouldn't change. I'll also provide a detailed letter of what I think will improve your work.

Every writer is at a different stage of development. All writers (including me) have problems actually seeing their story because what they've written is colored by what they see in their own mind. The reader doesn't have the benefit of your imagination.

What won't you do?

I don't critique erotica. (I could be doing it wrong.) I have friends who are experts at critiquing erotica and romance. Email me and I'll recommend an editor.

I don't offer edits on picture book manuscripts because I am not qualified to do so. 

I will not correct your punctuation. You need a line editor for that. I will be happy to recommend someone to line edit.

What does this cost?

First Chapter (up to 20 pages) $50.00 (If you’ve never had a critique group or writing partners, do this one as it will save you money and give you what you need to rewrite your manuscript).

First Three Chapters (up to 50 pages) $100.00

Entire Manuscript Critique is $1.50 a page.

These prices are for Times New Roman 12pt double-spaced Word documents.

How do I contact you?

You can email me at juliebutcheredits@yahoo.com

Please Help Students Be Fit

Do you remember college when ramen was a delicacy and also all you could afford? I do. This was back when you could push cars out of ditches with no backache the next day. This was probably when I should have learned how to exercise instead of now, when I am way older.

We’ve tried to do better with our kids. We’ve paid for team sports and karate lessons. We supervise bike rides and hikes—all of the healthy stuff. But when they go to college, we stop.

 This is my oldest daughter, Emily. She wanted to do cross fit, even though the membership to the cross fit gym was pretty darn expensive, so she found a way, turning babysitting for the gym into a membership. Unfortunately, her friends couldn’t do the same so she went through miles of paperwork and meetings at her college to get cross fit accepted as a student program. Now it is and the kids need start-up money for some equipment.

If you can even spare one dollar, I assure you it will be appreciated more than you know. Students will be able to do the new, cool, workout. They’ll blow off stress and be happier and healthier. I know that college takes (or took) a heck of a lot of your money. But these kids just want to be healthy. They’re not the athletes who have trainers and paid scholarships. They’re regular kids getting degrees in computers and business. They don’t have the frills.

Please help. https://www.gofundme.com/missouri-state-crossfit

Open for Content Edits

I will begin doing content critiques again in the month of October. This means that you have from now until October 1^st 2016 to get your manuscript and payment to me. (I've been told that I need to give some of you more notice so here you go). 

Anyone who sends their manuscript and payment by October 1^st will have their critique back before Thanksgiving.

How can I do this and why would you want to be told horrible things about your manuscript?

Maybe, because you want to find an agent or editor?

Why do you think you're any good at this at all?

I've been beta reading since forever, not only for unpublished authors, but for agented and published ones as well. Quite honestly, I was a terrible reader for the first ten years or so. I was worried about hurting people's feelings, and didn't say when a passage stunk or when something made me go what?! Now I do. This is what you need to improve your writing.

Also, I remember thinking, "I wish someone would just tell me what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it." Seriously, some of you guys are wonderful writers, you have a voice, your sentence structure is strong. But your pacing sucks, or you just can't quite make your characters come alive for the reader. I can help you with that.

Why would you want to use your time like this when you could be watching Dr. Who or Supernatural?

Quite honestly, I have six kids. Five are in college, and one is in private high school. I'd like them to stay there. Also we like food. Food is a good thing.

Why would I want to pay for a critique when I can get one free from my own critique group?

Unless your beta readers are published, or are working with a traditional agent or editor, they don't have the experience to help you. I do.

What do I get for my money?

I'll post notes throughout the manuscript using Word and Track Changes. I'll tell you where, when, and why you're messing up. I'll tell you what you're doing right, and what you shouldn't change. I'll also provide a detailed letter of what I think will improve your work.

Every writer is at a different stage of development. All writers (including me) have problems actually seeing their story because what they've written is colored by what they see in their own mind. The reader doesn't have the benefit of your imagination.

What won't you do?

I don't critique erotica. (For all I know I could be doing it wrong.) I have friends who are experts at critiquing erotica and romance. Email me and I'll recommend you.

I don't offer edits on picture book manuscripts because I am not qualified to do so.

I will not correct your punctuation. You need a line editor for that.

How do I contact you?

You can email me at juliebutcheredits@yahoo.com
You can check out recommendations and *like* my editing page at https://www.facebook.com/JulieButcherEdits
On twitter you can find me at https://twitter.com/Julie_Butcher

What does this cost?

First Chapter (up to 20 pages)  $50.00

First Three Chapters (up to 50 pages) $100.00

Entire Manuscript Critique $1.00 a page minimum of 200 pages.

These prices are for Times New Roman 12pt font double-spaced Word documents. Nothing else.

I look forward to working with you.

Need New Eyes on Your Manuscript?

I will be accepting clients for manuscript critiques from now until May 1st. So what this means is that if you get your payment and manuscript to me by then you can get a critique. If it is not here by that time, I will be starting a new manuscript myself.


Why do you think you're any good at this at all?
I've been beta reading since 1990, not only for unpublished authors, but for agented and published ones, too. Quite honestly, I was a terrible reader for the first ten years or so. I was worried about hurting people's feelings, and didn't say when a passage stunk on ice, or when something made me go WTF?! Now I do. This is what you need to improve your writing.
Also, I remember thinking, "I wish someone would just tell me what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it." Seriously, some of you guys are wonderful writers, you have a voice, your sentence structure is strong. But, your pacing sucks, or you just can't quite make your characters come alive for the reader. I can help you with that.
Why would you want to use your time like this when you could be watching Dr. Who or Spiderman?
Quite honestly, I have six kids. Five are in college, and one is in private high school. I'd like them to stay there.
How much will this cost?
First Chapter (up to 20 pages)  $50.00
First Three Chapters (up to 50 pages) $100.00
Entire Manuscript Critique $1.00 a page minimum of 200 pages.

For anything else, email me at juliebutcheredits@yahoo.com
For more information please go here.
I look forward to working with you.

I Dare You to be Kind

The internet was once a fun place. There were colors and opinions and every once in a while a knot that soon smoothed itself out.

For the last week it looked like this—frazzled and angry and full of hate. Yes, lives matter. But so does the quality of the life you live. Random acts of kindness are lovely and if we could make them more common, everyone’s quality of life would change for the better. #KindnessMatters

People of Earth, I would like to challenge you to make anyone’s day a little better, and I am starting here at home. We had a big storm last night and my kids have packed up brooms and rakes and are off into the neighborhood to help the elderly. They’re stopping at every house where they see an old person trying to clean their yard. They’re stopping everywhere they see a handicapped plate on a car. #KindnessMatters

You may not be physically able to clean yards but you can post something inspiring or adorable on the internet. You can comment on a post in a helpful manner. You can tell someone Good Morning or to Have a nice day. You can complement someone’s nails or tell them they have pretty hair. It isn’t hard, it only takes a few seconds.

We come together when there’s a disaster. We only need to start a little bit at a time and kindness will snowball. What good is it to live when rage is the only emotion we feel? Step out of your anger for two minutes. We have a beautiful life to live. #KindnessMatters.

Writing Teenagers and Food

Okay people let’s get something straight. Teens eat more than burgers and fries and pizza. They don’t drink only fizzy drinks. In fact, they eat pretty much what you do.

Coffee is a big thing now. There’s a Starbucks almost everywhere. Maybe you weren’t allowed to drink coffee as a child, but that isn’t the same as other people. Kids have favorite brands of coffee. They like flavored coffee, and regular, and have a special creamer they prefer. My kids are allowed to drink coffee or tea when they turn 10. A lot of my friends have kids who drink coffee. IT IS A THING. Give it up that they sound too old because they drink coffee. It isn’t liquor. Geez.

When my kids go to the bookstore, they get a coffee. It isn’t only adults who drink coffee. Just like you adults eat pizza and burgers. There isn’t an age limit on food, okay?

My children’s grandmother didn’t drink caffeine for years because there were rumors that it wasn’t good for you. You know how the health waves go. One year a certain thing will kill you, and the next it is good for you and you should have it every single day. You need to keep up and not date your writing with what you were taught as a child. (I didn’t know what gluten was as a teen—now everyone knows.)

The point is that you need to pay attention to the changes and trends in society as a whole. Gluten is bad now, so you’re going to have teen characters who don’t eat gluten. Coffee is cool now so you’re going to have middle grade and young adult characters who drink coffee. You’ll also have kids who don’t eat processed food, and characters who read every label for peanut allergies.

Food is a thing, guys. Pay attention to the world.