Have you written your book?
Are you nervous about releasing it?
Your Work. Your Story. Your Craft.
Authors who come to the stage with their manuscripts in hand, ready for the next step, have already achieved a great feat. The thought of judgment can be scary. But I've been in your shoes, and I'm here to tell you... The right editor is a balm for those anxious feelings.
How does it work?
01
Decide on your services
Your editor can:
- Developmentally edit your story’s structure and arcs for logic and emotional appeal, or
- Administer a deep textual buff & polish, and/or
- Bestow upon your book a beautiful layout & design.
- (More on the Services page.)
02
Make contact with your editor
You can either:
- Send an inquiry to your prospective editor about their rates, process, and turnaround time, or
- Fill out the intake form with your project’s details and your editor will get back to you with recommended next steps.
03
The sample edit
Mariah offers paid sample edits.
- A 1,000-word copy edit of an excerpt from your manuscript’s middle is recommended prior to textual editing.
- A 5,000-word developmental edit of your manuscript’s opening is recommended prior to substantive editing.
04
Introductory video call
When you’re ready, Mariah’s favorite part of the job is getting to know what makes an author tick. The introductory video call happens before the main editing gets underway.
Mariah will learn your goals, motivations, themes, and even the history behind why you wrote your story. This informs her procedure.
Delectable Offerings
The ingredients to spice up your masterpiece
Shorter edits are available!
A developmental edit of your first 5,000 words is perfect to secure your hook into readers. This length of material is also often included in your query package to editors or agents.
Does Mariah evaluate query letters?
Yes! Mariah will evaluate content and textually edit your query letter, plot synopsis, author bio, back cover matter, résumé, or any other written material.
Click here to see full list of Genres & Tropes
• Speculative Romance
• Romantasy
• LGBTQ+
• Historical (Speculative)
• Speculative Fiction
• Science Fiction
• Fantasy
• Paranormal
Ready?
Let's begin the enchantment
About the editor
Mariah Bryant (she/her) comes from a rural farming area in Central Virginia, USA. Her dad and grandfather run a small cattle farm and country store. While she didn’t have access to high-speed internet until high school, Mariah spent her time reading, writing, drawing, and hopping over burbling creeks.
Mariah earned her BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, graduating cum laude. She studied visual storytelling (literally showing instead of telling!) as well as traditional art, art history and theory, dramatic writing, character arcs, and story structure.
For more backstory, click here.
Mariah Bryant
Editor / Writer / Creek Jumper
Values and Integrity
You and your editor don't need to agree on everything, but these may matter:
AI
AI learning models are trained on wordsmiths and artists. Mariah will not edit words arranged by AI. (If you use AI in other ways, that's OK.) Mariah also employs no AI in her editing process and will not feed your work into a learning model.
Sensitivity
Mariah can offer suggestions—not as an expert, but as someone with lived experience—on: OCD, ADHD, C-PTSD, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, psyche wards, migraines, and feminism. More information can be found on the About page [Click Here].
Collaboration
The most important (and best) part about an author-editor relationship with Mariah is the communication. The author's brain is as vital as the manuscript. If you prefer fewer coffee chats and less squealing from your editor, Mariah may not be for you.
Accommodation
Mariah is neurodivergent and has experienced disability. She extends reasonable accommodations, clear communication, empathy, and reassurances to her authors because she understands the anxiety of putting your work on display.
