Writing Coaching

The role of an editor is not to point out everything that is wrong with a piece of writing, but to see what the writer intended to do and help them achieve that.

This is my editing philosophy.

Michelle and Joe 028

What He Does

As a writing coach, Joseph Sale knows that everyone has a story burning inside them. It’s his job to nurture that flame, and when the time is right, let it shine. He has coached numerous writers from nobody/nothing humble beginnings who have gone on to receive professional publication credits after working with him through one-to-one sessions. These names include Ross Jeffery, Jamie Parry Bruce, Kimberly Redway, Matt Blackwell, Guy Bishop and Tice Cin. In 2020, three books Joseph edited went on to gain recognition on the Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot, and one went on to become a Bram Stoker award finalist. His story-writing technique derives from the classical 5 Act model, but adapted for the modern age.

How He Does It

Coaching sessions with him include: proofing, ideas generation, style, formatting preparation, market research (where to submit and how), story-arc analysis, plotting, characterisation evolving from dramatic technique, and much, much more. He has worked  with all kinds of writers, including neurodiverse and disabled authors. He will work to realise the vision of the author with the utmost respect, sensitivity, and dedication.

Michelle and Joe 030

Editing Packages

There are 4 main packages available, reflecting the range of services on offer: from proofreading to structural analysis.

Proofreading

£40 / $60 per 20,000 words

If you're just looking to get your book proofread for grammatical errors, typos, and erroneous word-usage, then this is the service for you. I will go over your book with a fine-tooth comb and root out as many errors as possible to polish your manuscript.

Please note: this service is not as comprehensive as a full developmental edit, which also looks at improving syntax, diction, structure, paragraph composition, and much more.

Developmental (Master) Edit

£135 / $180 per 20,000 words

Proofreading & line-by-line editing on a novel or short story collection. This includes catching grammatical errors and typos but also strengthening the prose by removing redundancies, improving similes, and tightening dialogue, flow, syntax, diction and word-choice; plus, a one-hour Skype-call (if required) to feedback on the novel overall and cement learning opportunities.

Structural Analysis (for novels & screenplays)

£40 / $60 per 20,000 words

With this type of editing, I use a five-act structure model to analyse your story and point out where you can perhaps improve the story structurally. So, this includes: a) making sure that the story beats and character development work (b) ensuring that the catharsis hits with intended emotional power (c) and that the reader will be hooked by your story. This DOES NOT include full proofreading or line-by-line edits however (if I spot stuff I'll call it out, but that's not so much the aim).

Formatting (to publisher standard)

Set rate of £160 / $240 per book

Do you have a finished manuscript waiting to be sent out into the world? You've had a developmental edit, been proofread, and sent it to beta-readers for feedback. You are now ready to push the magic button and release your book! But first, you need to format it to the correct publishing standards. Don't let all your hard work go to waste by having an unreadable interior that puts off your potential readers.

Let me take your manuscript and create a beautiful interior document  using publisher-standard software. (final files available in PDF, .mobi, .epub, virtually any format that's required).

A little pricy?

You might be interested in the Mindflayer's online training course: Epic Bootcamp. This course is designed to teach you the fundamentals of writing epic stories, from creating characters, to developing worlds, to ending your narrative with a bang not a whimper.

Sign up to the Epic Bootcamp for only £99 and get 12+ hours of audio-recordings, including guest interviews with Christa Wojciechowski, Robert Monaghan, Matt Blackwell and many others, plus templates, reading lists, practical exercises, and more.

Just need a little bit of input to get over a writing hurdle? Why not try one-to-one coaching!

£40 for 1 hour

or

£80 for 1 hour plus a Motivational Map® feedback session

Have a novel or book that you're writing that isn't quite going right? Are you stuck on a specific scene or aspect of your work? Are you struggling with the motivation to write? Book a one-to-one coaching session via Zoom / Skype with The Mindflayer, Joseph Sale, and benefit from his insight, guidance, and support. With 30+ books under his belt, and extensive experience coaching and editing writers, there's no one better to quickly get to grips with your project and any issues you're facing, and help you to get over those creative hurdles. (book via Contact form on this website)

LP BADGE

What are Motivational Maps®?

Motivation Maps® are a self-perception inventory that measures what motivates you and how motivated you currently are. What we mean by motivation is this: what gives you energy. Each of us has nine motivators; these are based off Edgar Schein's Career Anchors and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Though we have all nine within us, they are in a different order of priority, reflecting our underlying values and beliefs that shape and drive us. Understanding how you are motivated can help you to overcome your writer's block and work in a way that best unlocks your creativity, energy, enthusiasm, and perhaps most importantly: joy.

Kimberly Redway

"Joseph Sale assisted me with the development of my writing and offered a critique that has provided a foundation for future works. He is professional and as a reader of his writing can honestly say he writes with passion and extraordinary vision. His stories pull you into their well-constructed world and invite you to watch the beautifully composed tale unfold. I just know that his next endeavour will be successful."
5.0
2017-04-26T20:22:05+01:00
"Joseph Sale assisted me with the development of my writing and offered a critique that has provided a foundation for future works. He is professional and as a reader of his writing can honestly say he writes with passion and extraordinary vision. His stories pull you into their well-constructed world and invite you to watch the beautifully composed tale unfold. I just know that his next endeavour will be successful."

Jamie Parry-Bruce

"Joseph was instrumental in making me realise what it was I'd spent my life wanting to do. With his help and incredible support I managed to complete several short stories and a novella and am now in the process of setting them loose into the world. It's not only Joseph's unstinting work that's inspiring: his ethics and his approach are second to none and I've never met another author who is willing to give so much of their time and effort to help other people live their dreams. Thank you, Joseph, for this opportunity and for my dreams."
5.0
2017-04-26T20:33:06+01:00
"Joseph was instrumental in making me realise what it was I'd spent my life wanting to do. With his help and incredible support I managed to complete several short stories and a novella and am now in the process of setting them loose into the world. It's not only Joseph's unstinting work that's inspiring: his ethics and his approach are second to none and I've never met another author who is willing to give so much of their time and effort to help other people live their dreams. Thank you, Joseph, for this opportunity and for my dreams."

Matthew Blackwell

"When I first met Joe it was immediately apparent to me not only how knowledgeable he was, but also how unreservedly open and enthusiastic. His passion and work ethic are infectious, and his remarkable productivity and thirst for knowledge have been hugely inspirational to me as an aspiring writer. If I have an idea I need to talk over, or a problem I can’t solve, Joe is the first guy on my list to go to for help. I can honestly say I would not be the writer I am today without Joe’s invaluable guidance and support."
5.0
2017-04-26T20:34:53+01:00
"When I first met Joe it was immediately apparent to me not only how knowledgeable he was, but also how unreservedly open and enthusiastic. His passion and work ethic are infectious, and his remarkable productivity and thirst for knowledge have been hugely inspirational to me as an aspiring writer. If I have an idea I need to talk over, or a problem I can’t solve, Joe is the first guy on my list to go to for help. I can honestly say I would not be the writer I am today without Joe’s invaluable guidance and support."

Tice Cin

"Joseph is the sort of person who knows how to take your work to the next level. He has helped me to explore who I am as a writer by encouraging me to enhance the parts of my work that are ME and filter out the background noise that befuddles so many writers who are trying to make their work stand out. He gives pointers and direct examples of how I can improve a piece and even when I wasn't the winning entry for his Blackness Absolute competition, he still gave me his time by suggesting small changes that brought my work up to the right standard. I've always felt comfortable sharing work with him and respect his insight as an utter professional who oozes a command, not only over dark fiction but over the craft of writing in general. If I directly compare my short stories that I've written without his edits to the newer ones, there's a clear theme of me trying to say something and not knowing how- which he quickly helped me unravel. I know myself better as a writer since first receiving writing support from Joe and feel like a very fortunate lady indeed!"
5.0
2017-04-26T20:35:23+01:00
"Joseph is the sort of person who knows how to take your work to the next level. He has helped me to explore who I am as a writer by encouraging me to enhance the parts of my work that are ME and filter out the background noise that befuddles so many writers who are trying to make their work stand out. He gives pointers and direct examples of how I can improve a piece and even when I wasn't the winning entry for his Blackness Absolute competition, he still gave me his time by suggesting small changes that brought my work up to the right standard. I've always felt comfortable sharing work with him and respect his insight as an utter professional who oozes a command, not only over dark fiction but over the craft of writing in general. If I directly compare my short stories that I've written without his edits to the newer ones, there's a clear theme of me trying to say something and not knowing how- which he quickly helped me unravel. I know myself better as a writer since first receiving writing support from Joe and feel like a very fortunate lady indeed!"

E. Hartnett

"@josephwordsmith is concise, quick with feedback, encouraging and very much cares about the craft. A pleasure to work with. 5 stars."
5.0
2018-11-01T11:10:53+00:00
"@josephwordsmith is concise, quick with feedback, encouraging and very much cares about the craft. A pleasure to work with. 5 stars."

Ross Jeffery

But there is more to Sale than just these Gothic heroes such as Lovecraft, Shelley, Poe and Leroux. Sale’s genre bending antics don’t stop there as he sets about crafting a genre all of his own where he sits on the throne with the crown...What we have here is a totally original concept, a writer that is doing something new, a writer who has been forged in the flames like the one ring.

5.0
2020-04-07T15:09:52+01:00
But there is more to Sale than just these Gothic heroes such as Lovecraft, Shelley, Poe and Leroux. Sale’s genre bending antics don’t stop there as he sets about crafting a genre all of his own where he sits on the throne with the crown...What we have here is a totally original concept, a writer that is doing something new, a writer who has been forged in the flames like the one ring.
5.0
6