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Janey Burton

PUBLISHING CONSULTANT

Editor & Contracts Negotiator

What is a mini consultation?

How is a mini consultation different from a consultation?

Is a mini consultation like a ‘power hour’ or a ‘1-2-1’?

Why have I created a mini consultation service?

Who is the mini consultation for?

Who is the mini consultation NOT for?

How much is the mini consultation?

What do I get for my £50?

How long is a mini consultation?

How do I book a mini consultation?

Any other questions?

What is a mini consultation?

A mini consultation is one hour of time with me, your friendly publishing consultant.

It’s your consultation, so you direct the contents of the hour. You can spend it talking with me, or give me a document such as a pitch letter to look at and respond to.

It’s only an hour of my time, though, so the thing you want from me must fit into that hour.

How is a mini consultation different from a consultation?

A consultation uses more of my time, and so it costs more.

In a consultation, I consider and respond in depth to the documents you send me (for example, your submission materials), and will be able to provide more feedback, and more advice for you to go forward with.

A mini consultation is for immediate feedback or a series of quick questions, to discuss a plan or to clarify a goal.

Is a mini consultation like a ‘power hour’ or a ‘1-2-1’?

Very similar!

Coaches and consultants often sell a service they call a ‘power hour’ or a ‘1-2-1’ and by that they usually mean an online consultancy session in which a client can pick the consultant’s brain or bring them a particular problem to discuss.

My mini consultation service is that, and more, because it can take place on a call or offline. For example, we can work through your pitch letter together on a call, or you can ask me to work on it on my own for an hour.

Why have I created a mini consultation service?

There seemed to me to be a gap in the services I offered, which the mini consultation fills.

The mini consultation is for authors who aren’t presently in the market for an edit, don’t have a contract in hand for me to negotiate, or don’t need a full consultation, but nevertheless have questions for me to answer or a problem they want me to help them solve.

Quite often it’s for returning clients who are in between stages of their publishing journey but could use my support on a related or tangential matter.

It also addresses the possibility of different temperaments – unsurprisingly, some writers are better and more precise at describing their issue in writing.

Also, it’s a way of dealing straightforwardly with the people who want my advice, my experience, my opinion, to ‘pick my brain’, and who say it won’t take long.

Who is the mini consultation for?

  • Authors considering a new direction for their career. For example, many successful self-publishers ask if they should switch to traditional publishing, for the extra status or clout or to more easily get their books into bookshops. Meanwhile it’s not unusual for a traditionally published author to start chafing against their publisher’s control over their creation, and wonder if they’d be happier being the publisher. There are arguments on both sides, and temperament, skills and timing all play a factor, so it’s worth talking it over with an objective party.
  • Authors with a problem to discuss. This could be anything, and some authors use it as a kind of ‘publishing therapy’. For example, they’re at a crossroads in their publishing journey and don’t know which road to take. They have decisions to make but feel stuck, overwhelmed, or under-informed. They’re getting conflicting advice from other authors or friends and want to put the matter to a publishing professional. They’re having difficulty making a publishing relationship work and want to talk to a neutral party.
  • Authors who want quick feedback on documents such as their submission materials, or the outline of the book or series they’re working on.
  • Anyone who wants to ‘pick my brain’.

Who is the mini consultation NOT for?

  • Authors with a contracts problem. While a mini consultation for contracts is available, my contracts work is priced differently. Contact me to tell me what’s happening.
  • Authors who want editing or fuller consultation services. See my Services section to see what I offer in those areas.
  • Authors who want a manuscript assessment. There’s no way we could fit one into an hour, for starters! But as with contracts this service is priced separately, and you should contact me to arrange an assessment and send a sample of your work.

How much is the mini consultation?

£50 per hour.

No VAT or hidden charges. I’ll send you an invoice for £50, which you will pay upfront to secure your booking, and that’s it. Nothing else to pay.

What do I get for my £50?

You’re getting an hour of my time, which carries with it the considerable benefit of my skills and experience in the publishing industry.

Afterwards you’ll get a recording of the Zoom call (if applicable), as well as a brief summary of the issues we discussed and any action points. If you’ve sent me a document, you’ll get it back with notes in Track Changes, as well as a summary of my advice.

How long is a mini consultation?

One hour.

You can buy two back-to-back if you want more time, or you can buy several and use one a week for a while. Up to you.

How do I book a mini consultation?

There are two ways.

You can fill in the contact form, and select Mini Consultation. Or you can email me and put Mini Consultation Booking in the subject line.

Either way, please outline what you want to do in the hour, tell me a bit about yourself, and send me any document you want to discuss.

Any other questions?

You’re welcome to email me with any further questions.
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