Your Editor + Writing Mentor

"I think I'm supposed to have a mentor...but I don't know why."

What is an editor + writing mentor?

An experienced successful writer
with a proven writing and publishing track record who shares his/her time, knowledge, and skills to help you edit and develop your manuscript and become the best writer you can be.

How can an editor/ mentor help you?

Give you clear and honest feedback on your writing and manuscript
Teach you skills and techniques to improve your craft
Give you encouragement and support
Assist you to find and develop your unique voice
Help you set specific realistic goals
Give you someone to whom you're accountable
Guide you to publishing
Keep your writing enjoyable and fun!

Why choose me as your writing editor/ mentor?

I've written nine award-winning novels, eight published by Simon & Schuster
And a full-length graphic novel for DC Comics
Awards include the Lambda Literary Award; Florida Book Award; American Library Association “Best Book for Young Adults;” and Tomás Rivera Mexican-American Children’s Book Award
Publishers Weekly named me a “Flying Start”
Taught dozens of writing workshops over the past twenty years
Mentored and worked one-on-one with hundreds of writers, providing feedback on manuscripts and helping to build their skills
Served as a mentor for We Need Diverse Books
Honored to serve a judge for the National Book Awards and Lambda Literary Awards
Awarded the Lambda Literary Foundation’s Jim Duggins Outstanding Mid-Career Novelists' Prize
Received an attribution in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language for the word “majorly.”
Earned a master’s in guidance and counseling and have counseled hundreds of individuals and families.
Worked during high school as a scuba-diving instructor (irrelevant but fun fact)

How does editing/ mentoring work?

Every writer is at a different place in his or her writing and publishing journey. Maybe you’ve started a manuscript but are struggling to complete a full draft… Or you have the spark of a story idea but aren’t sure how to carry it out… Or you’ve hit a wall in your story and can’t see your way through it… Or you simply don’t know what to do next… Whether you’re a new writer unsure where to start, or an experienced writer who would like feedback and support to take your writing craft to the next level, a mentor can help.

Understand the story you’re telling
Develop the ideal structure to serve your story
Find your unique writing voice
Understand POV and how to use it correctly
Discover your personal writing style and rhythm
Create compelling characters
Dramatize scenes to captivate readers

Craft an immersive experience
Know when to show and when to tell
Weave in suspense and intrigue
How to get and keep your “butt in the chair”
Pace your story for maximum reader engagement
Use language that resonates with your readers
Organize your story so that it builds to a climax

By being mentored while having your manuscript edited you'll learn to...

Working with a mentor is like enlisting a personal trainer for your writing

I point out your strengths and build upon them, but I'm also able to see which writing muscles need work and help you build those, too. I’m your coach, cheerleader, and champion! Through balanced written and verbal feedback, I’ll both praise your successes and identify editing/ writing issues, suggest strategies to improve your work, and teach you skills to transform your writing. Each time we review your work you'll learn something new that will serve you in all your future writing.

How can you get started?

Maybe you're simply stuck and only need a single expert consultation to help you get unstuck, free your creativity, and move you forward with your writing. Or maybe you’d like to try a one-time call to check out if mentoring could benefit you.

Either way, please start by sending me an email, letting me know what you're working on. If we decide to work together, here's how it proceeds:

I’ll review and send you notes on your manuscript. These will include a lot of questions about what you're trying to say in your work and suggestions on how you might better say it.
After you've read my feedback, we can have a phone or video call, if you'd like. We’ll discuss my written feedback, I'll answer your questions, and I’ll listen. In my notes and conversation I'll tell you what I think works great and what could be improved, and why, and I'll show you ways to strengthen your work to make it the best it can be.
Whenever I point out problems, I'll also suggest solutions. I'll never leave you scratching your head wondering how to resolve issues. I'll teach you skills and give you customized writing assignments to help you improve your work. You'll learn new techniques to use throughout your writing.
You'll keep the copy of all my written notes so you'll have them for future reference.
At the end of each step, we’ll formulate an action plan together for you to carry out your next steps.
After our conversation, if you have any follow-up questions I’ll be available through email for two weeks following our call.
My fees include the time I spend reading your work and writing my notes.

To become a successful writer takes time, a willingness to look at your blind spots, and trust. Regular work with a mentor can help you discover what you want to say, how best to say it, and how to get you through resistance to completing your manuscript. Mentoring works like your own private writing workshop, focused on you and your writing. You learn new skills and techniques, fresh ideas emerge, your story and characters fall into place. A skilled mentor takes you to a level of writing you only imagined you could achieve.

Ready to get started?

Awesome! I'd love to hear from you. Any questions? Just ask. Either way, contact me now!

Alex [at] AlexSanchez [dot] com

Have courage, keep writing, and follow your dreams! Alex