You’ve written something. Something that matters to you. Something that feels necessary. And you want to share it with the world, but you think it first needs another set of eyes to help refine it. To make it feel necessary to other people. Now what? Read on, fellow laborer!
My Approach to Developmental Editing
I read manuscripts the only way I know how to do it: with genuine curiosity about what you’re trying to do, not what I think you should be doing. I believe (strongly) in reading stuff on its own terms. I’m not here to make your work sound like mine. I’m here to help you see what your work is trying to be.
My teaching philosophy centers on what I call “personal sovereignty and consent” — your work (like your body, mind, and spirit) is yours, and you get to decide what to do with my feedback. I’m not here to fix your manuscript. I’m here to help you see it more clearly.
For Poetry Manuscripts
You just go on your nerve. If someone’s chasing you down the street with a knife you just run, you don’t turn around and shout, “Give it up! I was a track star for Mineola Prep.” — Frank O’Hara
People use language for two reasons: to be understood and to not be understood. — Dean Young
When I read poetry, I look at these foundational elements:
- Intention: What’s the governing intelligence of this work? What are you after?
- Form: How does the structure serve (or undermine) that intention?
- Sound: Where does the language sing? Where does it go slack?
- Image: What are we seeing? What patterns emerge?
- Language: Line-level precision — every word earning its place.
- Voice: The consciousness animating the work.
For Narrative Prose & Hybrid Manuscripts
There are foundational elements for narrative prose too:
- “So what?” Good stories leave you feeling like you can answer that question, like you know why you just read them. Sometimes there’s a specific, tangible reason and you can summarize it in a sentence or two. My favorite stories tend to be those that leave me with just an intuitive sense of why I read them. I “feel” why they’re important. And they seem to be about a lot of things while maintaining a certain simplicity and accessibility.
- Beginnings. All stories start somewhere. Most good ones, in my experience, start with a vibrant sensory image, a compelling action, and they leave me with an open-ended question. Beginnings are supposed to spur you to keep reading, and the combination of those three things (image + action + open question) will almost always do just that.
- Endings. And all stories end. Or at least all stories stop. Stories that truly end — and end well — have the quality of resonance. When a sound resonates, it echoes for a while after the note has been struck. Think of a bell. There’s the initial ding and then there’s the sound that issues forth. Sometimes that sound can last a long time after the ding. It’s sort of the same with the end of a story. The story comes to a close — the “ding” — but a good story lingers with a reader long after she’s put it down. Often it helps you to make new connections to other elements of the story, and if you’re really lucky as a reader, it helps you make new connections to what it means to be human.
- Details. In a way, this is the starting point. No matter what, great stories (great writing of all kinds) appeal to the five senses. The absolute best way to do that, hands down, is to use a predominance of interesting nouns and verbs. Adjectives and adverbs tend to be abstract (difficult to touch and taste and hear and smell and see), while nouns and verbs are concrete. You access them through and with your body. Last but not least, it’s important that you choose specific details that mean something to the narrative. Don’t just notice things to notice them; notice details that advance the story and that create three-dimensional characters.
- Characters. And that — change — is the crucial way to understand character. Characters change. At the very least, they have the clear opportunity to change and, for whatever reason, turn it down. Either way, this change (or lost opportunity for change) leads to real consequences for the character, positive and/or negative.
- Settings. Setting is sneaky. It’s really a support mechanism for two of the other elements, Details and Character. Knowing where in the world the story takes place — and rendering it in an interesting way — does more than half of the work in creating believable characters and giving a reader lush sensory details.
- Plot/Organization. All good stories are well-organized and most good stories have some sort of plot. Plot means that every cause has an effect. Somebody does something and that causes another thing to happen. Which causes another thing to happen, and so on. Stories are well-plotted when those causal sequences lead to a significant change in the essential elements of the story. Usually that change occurs in the main character.
- Voice. Voice is the most difficult to define element. It’s also arguably the most important one, especially if you’re going to follow the most important tenet in making Art: above all, make it interesting. Voice is about the idiosyncratic choices you make as a writer. The vocabulary you use. The details you choose to describe. The characters you choose to populate the story and the aspects of them you choose to focus on. Also your thematic preoccupations and obsessions. It is, by definition, subjective. It is how you get “you” on the page.
With all that said, when I read anything, I’m interested in necessity above all else. Why this? Why now?
So, to that end, I always ask these additional essential questions of everything I read:
- Necessity: What emotional or living truth demands to be told this way?
- Formal innovation [and/or integrity]: How does genre/structure serve the piece (not constrain it)?
- Language: Are the words precisely placed? Are you allowing necessary roughness?
- Emotional architecture: What’s the shape and trajectory of feeling?
- Sensory grounding: What makes this world vivid and specific?
I believe great writing reads more like prophecy than anything else, be it Toni Morrison’s or Ocean Vuong’s or Miranda July’s. Or yours. It’s revelatory. It upends expectations. It’s not fussy for fussy’s sake, and sometimes the devil isn’t in the details. Sometimes what matters is the gesture, the rough chop, the braising of tough cuts. Like a punk-rock riff that doesn’t need to be polished to be true.
Cross-Genre Strength
As you’ve sussed out by now, I don’t limit myself to one genre, and you shouldn’t either. Some of the most exciting work happening right now is in the borderlands between poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. If your manuscript doesn’t fit neatly into categories, that’s fine. I’ve published work across genres and I’m comfortable in those spaces.
What You’ll Receive
First-Time Client Package ($200)
New to manuscript consultation? Start here.
- Submit 3-5 poems OR up to 3 stories (up to 15 pages total)
- Detailed written feedback on each piece
- 30-minute Zoom call to discuss the work and your larger project goals
- Email follow-up if you have questions
This package is designed for writers who:
- Want to experience my approach before committing to a full manuscript consultation
- Are in early stages of a larger project and want direction
- Have a few pieces they’re serious about and need honest, thoughtful feedback
- Turnaround: 2-3 weeks from submission
Note: This package is available once per client. If you’ve worked with me before through Black Lawrence Press or privately, let’s talk about the right next step for your work.
Poetry Manuscripts
Chapbook (20-30 pages) — $300
- 1-2 page editorial letter
- Annotated manuscript
- 30-minute Zoom call
- Follow-up email exchange
- Turnaround: 3-4 weeks
Full Collection (50-80 pages) — $600
- 2-3 page word editorial letter
- Annotated manuscript with line-level comments
- 45-minute Zoom call
- Follow-up email exchange
- Turnaround: 4-6 weeks
Prose & Hybrid Manuscripts
Partial Manuscript (up to 50 pages) — $350
Perfect for novelists wanting feedback before finishing, or testing fit with my editorial approach.
- 1-2 page editorial letter
- Annotated manuscript
- 30-minute Zoom call
- Follow-up email exchange
- Turnaround: 3-4 weeks
Short Story Collection or Novella (up to 50,000 words) — $700
- 2-3 page editorial letter
- Annotated manuscript
- 45-minute Zoom call
- Follow-up email exchange
- Turnaround: 5-6 weeks
Novel (50,000-80,000 words) — $1,000
Most literary fiction and debut novels fall in this range.
- 3-5 page editorial letter addressing intention, structure, pacing, character, voice, emotional architecture
- Annotated manuscript with comments on specific passages, scenes, and language choices
- 45-minute Zoom call to discuss feedback and your revision approach
- Follow-up email exchange
- Turnaround: 6-8 weeks
Novel (80,000-100,000 words) — $1,200
Longer literary fiction, genre fiction (fantasy, science fiction, historical), memoir.
- 3-5 page editorial letter
- Annotated manuscript
- 45-minute Zoom call
- Follow-up email exchange
- Turnaround: 6-8 weeks
Novel (100,000+ words) — Contact me for pricing.
Ongoing Mentorship (3-month engagement) — $1,200
For writers who want sustained feedback over time rather than a single consultation.
- Monthly submissions (up to 20 pages per month)
- Monthly Zoom calls (45 minutes)
- Email access between sessions
- Customized to your project and timeline
Limited availability — I typically take 2-3 mentorship clients at a time.
Who This Is For
This work is for writers who:
- Have a complete or nearly complete manuscript and need clear-eyed feedback
- Are revising and want to know if they’re on the right track
- Feel stuck and need someone to ask the right questions
- Want feedback that respects their vision rather than imposing someone else’s
- Are serious about the work — not looking for cheerleading or brutal takedowns, just honest, thoughtful engagement
- Want to build a sustainable creative practice, not burn out chasing publications
What Past Clients Say
“TJ Beitelman is a manuscript consultation wizard. After winning the Juniper Prize for Fiction, I discovered what I’m sure, on some level, I already knew: the process of writing books didn’t get any easier or less isolated. I entrusted TJ with two of my subsequent manuscripts — a linked collection and a novel — and I soon realized he’s a polymath. He enters a text with a poet’s eye to rhythm, a prose writer’s sense of story, an essayist’s desire to clarify, and a vast knowledge of more subjects than a curious centenarian could’ve accumulated in a lifetime. This cornucopia of skills allows him to connect ideas and see patterns that narratively exist in a text, but that aren’t being tackled as powerfully as they could be. Like all great editors, his suggestions serve to deepen the whole. And if this were not enough, he’s also that rare human who has figured out how not to let his taste and preconceptions effect how he reads and comments. His imagination, generosity, and sense of humor seem to be in exquisite balance, making reading his manuscript notes an education and a pleasure.” — Janice Margolis, Termination Shocks (Juniper Prize for Fiction)
“I just wanted to reach out and thank you for comments you made on my novella back in 2021. The novella won the 2024 Clay Reynolds Prize (Texas Review Press) and is scheduled for publication in Spring 2025. Your feedback, especially your advice to add a reason why the narrator would be looking back at his life in 1999, contributed to some much-needed revisions that helped elevate the entire story.” — Francisco Delgado, On Remembering My Friends, My First Job, and My Second-Favorite Weezer CD (Clay Reynolds Prize, Texas Review Press)
“Just wanted to let you know that Slant Books is publishing Matters for You Alone! Thank you so much for your astute comments — including the title suggestion you plucked out from one of my poems.” — Leslie Williams, Matters for You Alone (Slant Books)
“My story about shrimp boats that TJ provided feedback on last year was finally published in a journal he suggested that I would never have found on my own…. He really provided me with valuable guidance, as well as some much-needed confidence.” — David Harris
“TJ provided such an extensive, effective, and heartfelt reading of the manuscript. His feedback, both on individual stories and on the collection as a whole, gave me so much insightful input to work from. It has given me the motivation and inspiration needed to keep chugging along.” — Thomas Maya
How to Get Started
Again, simplest investment is to subscribe to get monthly craft thoughts and generative prompts:
And when you’re ready to work together, one-on-one?
Email me at tj@tjbman.me with:
- A brief description of your project (genre, length, where you are in the process)
- What kind of feedback you’re looking for
- Your timeline/deadline (if any)
I’ll respond within 2-3 business days to confirm availability and next steps.
Want to See How I Think About Craft?
There’s the aforementioned monthly newsletter with craft essays and writing invitations — all free. Also: check out my Write Mindfulness podcast where I explore questions like:
- Should you write for an audience or yourself?
- What makes an image work?
- How do you know when a poem is finished?
- How do you fictionalize your life without it being boring autobiography?
- Are you even allowed to write about your kids? Your mom? Your dog? (Spoiler alert: YES!)
If this approach resonates with you, manuscript consultation is just the next step — going deeper into your specific work.
FAQ
Q: How long until I hear back after submitting?
A: I’ll confirm receipt within 24 hours and let you know your expected delivery date based on current workload. I give every manuscript my full attention, which takes time. If you’re on a deadline (contest, submission opportunity), let me know upfront and I’ll do my best to accommodate.
Q: Do you offer payment plans? And how do you take payment?
A: Yes, for novel consultations ($1,000+) we can split into two payments. I accept PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle. Payment is due when you submit the manuscript. If cost is a barrier, reach out — I reserve a few scholarship slots each year.
Q: What if I’ve never worked with a manuscript consultant before?
A: That’s what the First-Time Client Package ($200) is for. Try my approach with a few pieces before committing to a full manuscript.
Q: How do you distinguish between developmental vs. line editing?
A: I focus on big — picture developmental feedback — intention, structure, voice, arc. I’ll note line-level issues as examples, but I’m not a copy editor. If you need copyediting or proofreading, I can recommend people.
Q: What’s your monthly workflow?
A: I typically have availability for 6-8 new manuscript consultations per month. During busy periods (September – November, January – March), there may be a waitlist. Contact me to check current availability.
Q: Can you help me get published?
A: I can help you make your manuscript the best version of itself. I can’t guarantee publication, but many of my clients go on to publish with university presses, independent presses, and literary journals.
Q: Do you really like cross-genre work or are you just saying that?
A: I love hybrid projects! If your manuscript doesn’t fit neatly into poetry/fiction/nonfiction categories, that’s fine. I’ve published work across genres and I’m comfortable in the borderlands.
If you’ve read this far, THANKS! Let’s talk about your work!
- Email: tj@tjbman.me