• Willie Fitzgerald is a phenomenal editor. He is one of the only people on this planet who has seen my work in its newborn, messy draft stage.

    Kristen Arnett, New York Times bestselling author Mostly Dead Things (Tin House) and With Teeth (Riverhead)

  • Willie is a brilliant editor and reader, which is obvious to anyone who has read his writing. I trust his opinion and edits on my work more than anyone I know.

    Alex Higley, editor of Great Place Books and author of True Failure (Coffee House)

Editing Services

Thanks very much for thinking of me for your work. It’s a privilege and a pleasure to work with writing in its early stages.

I offer top edits, developmental editing and markups for flash fiction, short stories, and full-length novel manuscripts. I would also be happy to work with you in a coaching/mentorship role.

Every service starts with a free half-hour consultation, where we’ll discuss what the best fit is for your project and your practice. Rates for developmental and line edits vary by project. I base my estimate on a 20-page sample of your work.

Developmental Edit

This is a high-altitude look at a manuscript, one that’s best earlier in the drafting process. In a developmental edit, I read for structure, story, character, and tension. I provide an editorial letter (usually between five and ten single-spaced pages) outlining my suggestions for a future draft, and will meet with you for an hour to discuss any lingering questions.

Line Edit

A more thorough look at your work-in-progress, a line edit is best for writers who feel their work is close to being ready for submission or publication. In this edit, I read for language, clarity, and style, but will still flag any structural or character-level issues I see.

Short Story Edit

Short stories are near and dear to my heart, and I’ve been lucky to get to edit them at American Short Fiction. For $250, I will read and mark up one story of up to 30 pages, write a one to two page response, and do a 30-minute phone or video call with you to discuss my feedback and how your work can make it out of the slush pile. For stories that are much shorter or much longer than 30 pages, please reach out and we can discuss a fair price.

MFA Application Review

Applying to an MFA means putting your best food forward, in your writing sample and your cover letter. For $150, I’ll work with you on both, providing high-level feedback on your writing sample and your statement of purpose. For $250, I will provide more in-depth feedback and line edits on both. I am happy to offer a $50 discount for writers of color and trans writers at the first tier, and a $75 discount at the second tier.

Coaching and Mentorship

I love working one-on-one with writers at all stages of their careers. I’m happy to help you hit a word count goal for your novel, offer feedback on multiple drafts of a single short story, or just help you unlock your practice. I charge $200 per session, which includes an hour-long meeting and edits and comments on up to 30 pages of your work. I have found coaching works best with a regular cadence—meeting once or twice a month—but I would be happy to work around your goals, schedule, and budget.