Rubber Duck Edits 🦆

Hiya!

I’m a writer and editor with over 20 years’ experience helping others get their ideas out of their heads and into the world. Whether you’re stumped by a plot hole, struggling for the perfect words, or just seeking a second set of eyes to make sure you’ve dotted every i and crossed every t, I can help!

About

No one was surprised when I enrolled as an English Literature major at UC Davis; not many were surprised when I graduated with a BA in Linguistics, instead – throughout my life, my love of story has been second only to my love of words themselves.

Merging my education with my experience in creative writing and my experience writing for start-ups and non-profits, I bring a keen eye and egalitarian ear to editing, helping writers refine their ideas without changing their voices.

Yes!
RomCom, Women’s Fiction, Literary, Fantasy, Mystery, Historical, genre-benders
Nope
Horror, Thriller, Dark anything, Western, Christian, gen AI
Auto-reads
Meg Shaffer, Ashley Poston, Emily Henry, Katherine Center, Abby Jimenez, Carley Fortune, Nicola Griffith, Edgar Cantero, Patrick deWitt

Why Rubber Duck?

The rubber duck method is a problem-solving technique first made popular for debugging software. By explaining their code step by step to a friendly non-expert (like a rubber duck), software engineers found they were able to walk through their own thinking and identify where the logic was falling apart. Marvelously effective in other fields, too, the rubber duck method can be especially helpful for writers facing big-picture structural problems.

Of course, some problems need a friendly expert to point out what you’re overlooking – I will have a lot more feedback than a rubber duck, I promise. But like the duck, my first and most important task is to listen. I firmly believe your best solutions are going to come from you: your ideas, your words, your voice. My job is to help you find them and give ‘em a scrub!

Services

Developmental Editing

What:
A comprehensive evaluation of major narrative elements to identify critical story problems and possible solutions
When:
Early! While writing the first draft, revising later drafts, or even before you begin writing
How Much:
Starting at £0.035 per word

Developmental Consultation

What:
A one-time consultation on a specific story problem
When:
Anytime you just need to talk out that one thing
How Much:
Starting at £75 per 60 minutes

Alpha / Beta Reading

What:
An honest opinion from an honest reader! I’ll tell you what I liked, what I didn’t like, and why
When:
Anytime you want a target reader’s feedback. Alphas read early or in-progress drafts, while betas read later drafts that are almost ready for publication
How Much:
£25-200, depending on word count

Line Editing

What:
A thorough scrub, word by word, to make sure every sentence shines
When:
When the bones are solid, but your prose isn’t yet at its best
How Much:
£42 for first hour; flat fee per word thereafter, depending on complexity. Contact for estimate

Proofreading

What:
A final polishing round to eliminate lingering errors and ensure consistency in style
When:
After everything else is complete and correct, right before publication
How Much:
£32 for first hour; minimum £0.12 per word thereafter, depending on complexity

Author Services

Need help with your logline, blurb, bio, pitch, query letter…?

Tell me about it!

Other Services

Need help with your website, bio, press release, promotional material…?

Tell me about it!