Consultations & Workshops
Consultations
Literary Agent Query Letter Consultation
You only get one chance to make a first impression! I will read your query letter and the first 5 pages of your manuscript and offer suggestions on how to strengthen your pitch to literary agents.
$175
“Louise was a tremendous help when reviewing my query letter. She was extremely responsive, insightful and candid about the process as a whole and how to make my agent search a success. After implementing Louise’s feedback, I received four offers of representation. This process can be tricky to navigate professionally and personally, and Louise is a beacon of practical wisdom and support. I can’t thank her enough for all her help at a time when I really needed it!”
“Louise not only helps craft your query into the best possible version, she truly champions your writing and is rooting for your success. Having someone with Louise’s experience and understanding of the industry is an invaluable resource, made all the more beneficial through her warmth and kindness. By highlighting the very best of your work, Louise gives you the confidence to move forward in what can be an otherwise daunting process. ”
“Louise is a query letter guru. You can reread your query letter until your eyesight has blurred, and Louise will still find a way to help you make it better, and make you feel better about it, too.”
“A consultation with Louise is not only an opportunity to receive crisp, meaningful, and timely feedback, but her passion for the art of writing and warmth as a human are a gift of inspiration for the soul.”
Developmental Novel Manuscript Consultation
All writers rely on outside readers to help them see their work clearly before entering the marketplace. Receive feedback on a completed (or partial) draft of your novel. I will read your novel in full, assessing what is working well and what needs strengthening. You will receive a feedback letter that talks about all the major elements of your novel: Character development, point of view, narrative arcs, beginnings and endings, pacing & tension, dialogue, structure and plot. After you have had time to digest the feedback, we will meet for a one-hour discussion (in person or on Zoom) where you will have the opportunity to ask questions, brainstorm ideas, and create a solid plan for revision.
I read widely, but I am most interested in contemporary novels, upmarket women’s fiction, books that walk the literary-commercial line, comedy, coming of age stories, foodie books, any book that features an animal, new adult and young adult. I am not afraid of love stories or happy endings. If you describe your book as quirky, I’m your reader!
$125/Hour
I will be able to give you an estimate based on your writing sample and the length of the manuscript.
“I am so grateful for Louise Miller’s thoughtful assistance with my manuscript revisions! She has a wonderful eye for story development and has helped me deepen plot arcs, character desires, and overall tension in my novel. She is also incredibly kind, good humored, and fun to work with. My manuscript has significantly improved thanks to her guidance and generosity—I can’t recommend Louise enough!”
“Her feedback on my manuscript was so clear and actionable. I was able to take her feedback and make my revisions so that the story is better served by what is on the page.”
Workshops
“A workshop with Louise is such a breath of fresh air - an honest, encouraging look at why we write and a reminder of how joyful it can be.”
NEXT 8-WEEK SESSION BEGINS THIS SPRING
Novel Beginnings
Start writing your novel (or work on your novel-in-progress) in a nurturing environment!
Writing a novel can be an overwhelming—and sometimes lonely—endeavor. Why do it alone? In Novel Beginnings, we will discuss the craft elements of the novel (including point of view, characterization, character arcs, and opening pages) and do in-class writing exercises to explore these novel building blocks. Together we will have brainstorming sessions, read work aloud and give and receive supportive feedback. Novelists will meet in small groups to discuss their works-in-progress. We will also talk about how to create a sustainable writing practice and what to do when we get stuck. This workshop is a fun, supportive, encouraging environment where new writers can take creative leaps, make messy first drafts, and dive deep into their novels. Writers will leave the workshop with the beginning of a novel draft, a road map for what comes next, and a new group of writing friends.
Perfect for beginning writers, or novelists who want community and support as they work on their new project.
What this generative workshop does NOT include: Critical feedback. I’m a firm believer in rigorous feedback as an essential part of writing a novel—but not during the creation of a first draft! This workshop will not include outside reading or critiquing of each other’s work. I want you to use your free time outside of class to write!
Classes will be held on Zoom Wednesdays 6--9p.m. EST
$475
Cultivate Your Writing Life:
A Workshop for Writers Who Want to Write More
Many writers have spent months, even years dreaming about writing that novel (or short story or essay) but never seem to be able to get actual words down on paper. This workshop is designed to help writers move past their blocks and fears, get their butts in the chairs, and get writing. We will engage in exercises designed to help the writers free up their thinking, brainstorm new ideas, work with their inner critics, and create a realistic writing schedule. We will spend part of the time devoted to short writing exercises with prompts to get that pen moving. Writers will have the opportunity to share their work with the group and engage with the process of giving and receiving feedback. Participants will leave with the beginnings of new writing projects, new tools to help them keep writing, and resources to help them create the writing life they have always dreamed of. Perfect for new writers who don't know where to begin and experienced writers who want to reenergize their writing practice.
“Louise is the perfect writing workshop guide. Funny, engaging, and thoughtful, she meets you where you are in the writing process and inspires you to jumpstart your project. In her workshop, she provides tips on structure and motivation supplying the perfect amount of personal anecdotes and writing exercises to reenergize you for your work. I will definitely be joining her workshops again in hopes of her writing magic rubbing off on me.”
