POETRY COACHING & CONSULTATIONS
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COACHING & EDITING SERVICES FOR POETS
I am excited to work with poets of all experience levels on their line edits & manuscripts and on navigating the landscape of literary magazine & book submissions. In the last ten years, I have published two poetry chapbooks and one full-length hybrid collection that includes visual poems, as well as numerous individual poems in literary magazines and anthologies. I have also co-edited two poetry anthologies and worked as both managing editor and senior poetry reader for a successful literary journal. I would love to share with you what I've learned from these experiences in editing and publishing! I offer the following coaching and consultation services.
Please note: I have raised my flat rates beginning October 2022 to keep up with our drastic cost-of-living changes this year. My hourly consultation rate is still the same. New rates are below! |
NEW POETRY CLASS FOR KIDS. "The Marvelous Magic of Poetry: A Middle-Grade Intro to Reading, Writing, and Loving Poems" is a new 4-week class for poetry beginners ages 8-12 that I'm teaching with Tell Tell Poetry. Your child has expressed a new interest in poetry and is eager to learn more about how it all works. But where do you start? What makes a poem tick? As a beginner, it's just so easy to get lost in everything that is intimidating and confusing about poems. So how do you continue to nurture and grow this budding love of poetry in a younger reader and writer? My answer to all of these questions is start with wonder, the magic heart beating within every poem. This class will run three times each year: spring, summer, and fall. For more information and to register, go to the class page over at Tell Tell Poetry!
PRIVATE POETRY COACHING. This covers all the other services listed below on an ongoing basis, along with in-person or video-call meetings on a monthly schedule: manuscript consultations, line edits for single poems, guidance for literary magazine submissions, and advice on promoting your writing. Email me to start your coaching!
- HOURLY COACHING RATE: $75/hr
- FOR ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS: $100 for the first hour, then $75/hr for each additional hour
MANUSCRIPT CONSULTATIONS. This includes both full-length and chapbook manuscripts, specializing in hybrid collections that include visual poetry. For the standard manuscript consultations, I will perform an in-depth reading and evaluation of your manuscript: making suggestions for organization, individual poems to cut or include, sections and titles. I want to help you re-imagine the way your manuscript could be structured to create an entirely different reading experience. The expanded manuscript consultations include all of the above, as well as line edits for each poem in the manuscript. If desired, I will also create a list of suggested presses and publishers to send the finished manuscript to, and outline a preliminary budget & schedule for these submissions. Email me to set up a consultation at one of the rates listed below.
STANDARD MANUSCRIPT CONSULTATIONS:
- CHAPBOOK RATE (20-35 pages): $175 flat
- FULL-LENGTH RATE (48-80 pages): $300 flat
- FULL-LENGTH WITH PUBLISHER GUIDANCE: $400 flat
EXPANDED MANUSCRIPT CONSULTATIONS (includes line edits):
- CHAPBOOK RATE (20-35 pages): $400 flat
- FULL-LENGTH RATE (48-80 pages): $800 flat
- FULL-LENGTH WITH PUBLISHER GUIDANCE: $900 flat
LINE EDITS FOR SINGLE POEMS. I will be reading your poems with an eye for clarity, strong images, & cohesiveness of diction, and an ear for musicality & urgency. My editing philosophy is that a poem needs to push beyond beauty; there must be an underlying drive, a narrative reason for us to care about this beauty. Small poem packets are a maximum of 5 pages, typically 3-5 shorter poems or 1-2 longer poems. Large poem packets are a maximum of 10 pages, typically 6-8 shorter poems or 3-4 longer poems. These packet sizes are devised to help you prepare an ideal-length batch of polished poems for submitting to literary magazines. My line edits include a full proofread of the poems, as well as detailed comments about what is working really well (and why) and targeted suggestions for how any weaker areas might be strengthened. I will give attention to writing style, word choice, and imagery, as well as the poem's form and structure on the page (line breaks, stanza breaks, etc.); so that all elements are working together harmoniously to create a powerful experience for the reader. Email me to set up a consultation at one of the rates listed below.
- SMALL PACKET (5 pages): $150 flat
- LARGE PACKET (10 pages): $275 flat
GUIDANCE FOR LITERARY MAGAZINE SUBMISSIONS. I will request a packet of your poems to read, a batch you feel are finished and ready to send out. After reading your poem packet, I will prepare a list of 10-15 literary magazines & journals to which I would suggest submitting these poems. I will also provide advice on cover letters, formatting your submission document, and keeping precise records of your submissions. If desired, I will also create a customized submission tracking spreadsheet for you which outlines a preliminary budget & schedule for sending out your poems. Email me to set up a consultation.
- FLAT RATE: $225
HANDS-ON SUBMISSION ASSISTANCE. Sometimes even if you know exactly where you want to send your poems, life just doesn't allow you the time, energy, and/or headspace you need to make it happen. Whether you have a predetermined list of dream publications or you need some extra guidance to figure out which literary magazines would make the best fits for your poems, I can take care of that sometimes-tedious process of submitting your poems to these places on your behalf. Email me to set up a consultation at one of the rates listed below.
SUBMITTING POEM PACKETS TO CLIENT-PROVIDED LIST OF LIT MAGS:
- SMALL BATCH (10-15 places): $200 flat
- LARGE BATCH (20-30 places): $325 flat
CURATION OF CUSTOM LIT MAG LIST & SUBMITTING POEM PACKETS ON CLIENT'S BEHALF:
- SMALL BATCH (10-15 places): $300 flat
- LARGE BATCH (20-30 places): $450 flat
PROMOTING YOUR WRITING. Whether you have a book or chapbook to promote, or a few new poems in a literary magazine, you want to make sure your work finds readers and that your readers can find you. I will provide guidance on the essentials of organizing your author website, utilizing social media, and more. Email me to set up a consultation.
- FLAT RATE: $225
GIFTS FOR ASPIRING POETS. Do you have a loved one who is always writing poems, but wants more guidance about what comes next? I give one-on-one poetry coaching consultations in which we discuss in depth whichever aspect of the writing life needs demystifying. Each session usually runs about 60-90 minutes and you can pre-book however much time you would like for the aspiring poet in your life. Just let me know how much time you'd like to book, the poet's name & email address, and the occasion & date the gift is intended for. I'll send you an attractive digital gift card for you to deliver to your loved one and then, on the day of your choosing, I'll send her/him/them an introductory email so that we can schedule our first session. All the flat-rate consultations above are also available for gifting. Just email me and we can get it all set up!
Not only did Lindsay Lusby treat each line of my manuscript with care, she treated me with care so that words, lines and entire poems were gently culled for a much stronger final result. Lindsay prompted me to find solutions and genuinely praised what she found praiseworthy. She went so far as to send me a document with all the revisions to simply accept. I was thrilled when the final version was a finalist for a poetry chapbook prize. Just before going under the cover of face masks in 2020, I approached Lindsay about poetry coaching services. At the time, five years into retirement, I had composed almost 200 poems (all in various stages of completion, repair, and disrepair). I knew poetry editors that could help me, but I also knew I needed more help than editing. Could I find a combination miracle worker, heavy-lifter, ghostbuster, high priestess, teacher, healer, soothsayer, saint, and dream catcher? Filling much more than an editor or coach’s role, Lindsay rose to the challenge with unwavering confidence. What we have accomplished in the year that we have been working together (in the midst of a global pandemic) is remarkable. Lindsay edited 30 of my poems into two thoughtfully curated chapbooks—one illustrated by watercolor artist Emily Kalwaitis. Lindsay continues to raise the bar, regularly feeding me new challenges to strengthen my poems, to prepare submissions to poetry contests, to submit proposals to prospective publishers, and to create a marketing plan for my work. Our pace is steady. Lindsay is mindful of keeping a balance, pushing me while respecting my need to take time and listen to my muse. Our working relationship is a treasured partnership. I was referred to Lindsay through a few different literary professionals and I couldn't have been more thrilled with the outcome. Lindsay thoroughly reviewed my poetry and suggested several alterations. Her objective insights allowed for my work to be selected and published within three months of submission. Lindsay was incredibly accessible, personable, and encouraging along the journey. Last week, my poetry was officially published and it has fulfilled a lifelong dream! I am indebted to her consultation and literary voice. |
COACHING & EDITING TESTIMONIALS
Finding someone you trust completely with your unpublished poems is a difficult task. I always felt I was in good hands with Lindsay, and the work she did on my manuscript was essential. I gave her a big pile of poems and she identified themes, organized into sections, culled, and even selected a title that speaks to the entire collection. If you're looking for someone to help with your poems—when they become too overwhelming for your brain alone—trust Lindsay. Lindsay helped me rearrange my newest collection of poems. I knew that the order they were in was not working, but couldn’t figure out what to do about it. The work that Lindsay did helped me to envision my project in a newer, more dynamic form. She’s a joy to work with, and I’ll definitely be using her services again in the future! I had been writing and accumulating poetry for years but was reticent to publish. Her expanded manuscript consultation, including detailed line edits and actionable suggestions, helped me focus and structure a polished chapbook. She also provided a detailed list of publishers that best suited my voice, style, & content and a spreadsheet for scheduling & tracking submissions, as well as editing my cover letter & bio to accompany submissions. Her attention to detail and insight were not simply helpful but amazing. She did all of this with grace and sensitivity. Without question, her input improved my efforts and assure that I present my work to best advantage. Not least, she has given me the confidence to step into the world with my work. I cannot recommend Lindsay highly enough. She is an outstanding editor. She took the initiative to rearrange my book of poetry so it is much better presented by placing poems specifically to increase their resonance with each other; made editing changes where they were needed, although I didn’t realize it; formatted my poetry book with the necessary technical elements; formatted the pictures next to poems balancing the writing on the page; labelled the introduction, acknowledgments, and preface pages appropriately; found book publishers and literary magazines that publish my specific type of poetry; and organized the information on where & what to submit and dates when submissions are being accepted—creating everything I need to publish my work, including a spreadsheet to keep track of submissions, already filled in with known information. Lindsay is quick & responsive to questions and willing to add to the original project she accepted when new work is needed. She schedules and delivers on time. Her fees are competitive and reasonable. Lindsay is a poet so she knows what she is doing when editing and submitting poetry! Poetry is her wheelhouse! |
FREE DIY RESOURCES
Here also are some free poetry editing & publishing resources that I've previously written for the Tell Tell Poetry blog. While you're there, take a look around & stay awhile! Tell Tell Poetry offers a ton of fantastic guidance & support for poets at all stages of their careers, no matter their personal or professional goals.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO LITERARY MAGAZINES. So you’ve never submitted your poems to literary magazines before. Where do you start? It can definitely feel intimidating (and time-consuming) the first time you send your work out to potential publishers; but once you’ve gone through the steps a few times, it just becomes another part of your writing routine. To help you get going, here are some tips to guide you through the process and proper etiquette.
Wondering where exactly to send your poems? Check out these lists to discover the Weirdest Lit Mags to Submit to, Where to Submit Your Prose Poems, the Most Beautiful Online Lit Mags, Magazines that Pay, and Lit Mags Open in the Summer.
HOW TO ARRANGE YOUR POETRY COLLECTION. So you have a pile of finished poems on your desk, now what? At this point, you’ve probably already been daydreaming about what it would be like to hold a whole book of your own poems in your cramped, ink-stained writer’s hands. You’ve written and revised pages and pages of poems. Now it’s time to take the next step toward constructing and publishing your own beautiful book baby. You’re going to turn a scattered bunch of stand-alone pieces into a cohesive collection that follows a narrative arc from the first to the last poem—a whole that is greater than its parts. Here’s how you do it.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? CHAPBOOKS VS. FULL-LENGTH POETRY COLLECTIONS. If you’re newer to the poetry publishing world, you’ve probably heard the two different terms commonly used to describe books of poetry, but you might not know the real differences between them. It’s not just about size. Here’s a quick lesson about what makes chapbooks and full-length poetry collections distinct from each other, as well as the intricate rules that the publishing world has built around them.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO LITERARY MAGAZINES. So you’ve never submitted your poems to literary magazines before. Where do you start? It can definitely feel intimidating (and time-consuming) the first time you send your work out to potential publishers; but once you’ve gone through the steps a few times, it just becomes another part of your writing routine. To help you get going, here are some tips to guide you through the process and proper etiquette.
Wondering where exactly to send your poems? Check out these lists to discover the Weirdest Lit Mags to Submit to, Where to Submit Your Prose Poems, the Most Beautiful Online Lit Mags, Magazines that Pay, and Lit Mags Open in the Summer.
HOW TO ARRANGE YOUR POETRY COLLECTION. So you have a pile of finished poems on your desk, now what? At this point, you’ve probably already been daydreaming about what it would be like to hold a whole book of your own poems in your cramped, ink-stained writer’s hands. You’ve written and revised pages and pages of poems. Now it’s time to take the next step toward constructing and publishing your own beautiful book baby. You’re going to turn a scattered bunch of stand-alone pieces into a cohesive collection that follows a narrative arc from the first to the last poem—a whole that is greater than its parts. Here’s how you do it.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? CHAPBOOKS VS. FULL-LENGTH POETRY COLLECTIONS. If you’re newer to the poetry publishing world, you’ve probably heard the two different terms commonly used to describe books of poetry, but you might not know the real differences between them. It’s not just about size. Here’s a quick lesson about what makes chapbooks and full-length poetry collections distinct from each other, as well as the intricate rules that the publishing world has built around them.