You’ve got a first draft of your book (or you’re almost there).
And you’re ready to elevate your writing from friends-like-your-stuff good to readers-clutching-your-book-with-tears-in-their-eyes amazing.
First Draft Feedback will help you get there.
“Hire Brooke.”
-Kelli Thompson, author of Closing the Confidence Gap (Amplify Press, 2022)
“I hired Brooke for First Draft Feedback because it was important to me to write a book that people would actually want to read and recommend to others. Brooke pushed me to dig deeper, to tell my best stories and to be vulnerable.
If you’re looking for a book coach who will help you extract the stories you are meant to tell and package them in a compelling way your reader will love, hire Brooke.”
“Brooke’s honesty and knowledge are worth the investment.”
-Shanna Lowe, author of Candy Sky Tells a Lie (self-published)
“Brooke did an outstanding job understanding my vision [for my novel] and providing feedback that strengthened my work. She pinpointed big-picture areas that needed improvement, and gave my book a sense of direction that it didn’t have before. Her honesty and knowledge of the storytelling process is worth the investment.”
“I found Brooke and I feel rewarded for my search.”
-Judy Dushku, author of the forthcoming novel Is This The Way Home? (BCC Press, 2025)
“When I finished the first draft of my first novel and knew it needed much more work, I shopped around for a coach who would work me hard by pointing out specific things I needed to do to improve, who was widely read enough to be able to show me examples of ways fine writers worked, and who was always enthusiastic about my work without acting like I needed to be gushed over.
I found Brooke, and I feel rewarded for my search. She is so smart, and knows the things a writer must do to develop deep characters, and to drive a story using lively dialogue, but she also seems to intuit when I need to step back from my work and look at the big plot and ask big questions.”
Let’s take your draft from ho-hum to off-the-charts amazing.
Real talk: not that many people finish even a draft of a book (cue to celebrate! 🥳).
But the problem comes when you sit down to reread that first draft. And you start wondering: Is this even any good? or Is anyone else going to enjoy reading this? or even, Can this book be saved?!
I will tell you the truth… with compassion. (Because no one is served by my slashing your dreams to bits with my red pen. And I don’t even use a red pen, anyway.)
I blend my deep knowledge of how books work (plus my MFA degree) with my trauma-informed, intuition-led heart.
With First Draft Feedback, I promise you three things:
1) I will take your book seriously.
2) I will read it thoroughly.
3) I will give you clear, actionable feedback that you can use to revise your book from messy work-in-progress to polished and (potentially) ready-to-publish.
Big Picture - let’s get real:
You want your book to be read and to make an impact on your readers. You need an expert set of eyes: someone who isn’t a partner, friend or family member who might just tell you what you want to hear.
No matter how you envision bringing your book into the world - traditional, self- or hybrid publishing - you absolutely need a developmental edit before you move onto the next step. That’s what First Draft Feedback is.
Do not pitch literary agents without paying someone for expert feedback. Most of the time, you only get one shot to pitch an agent, and if they say no, it’s a no.
Do not self-publish your book without paying someone for expert feedback. Your family and friends might read it, but you simply can’t see where the holes are in your own writing.
And if you’re committed to hybrid publishing, I can help you with that - and the first step is First Draft Feedback.
Revising your first draft can be a lonely (and often frustrating) process. This is where you get a trusted partner who will be honest and kind with your work.
Let’s level up your book.
Here’s what’s included in First Draft Feedback:
➡️ A thorough read of your entire manuscript - If you’ve wondered, is this even any good?, having expert eyes on your draft will tell you what’s resonating and what isn’t. And if you *know* it’s good - but you also know it can be better - BRAVA, and let’s do it.
➡️ A detailed editorial letter - I’ll spell out what’s working well and what needs shifting to take your draft to the next level; make in-line comments to give specific feedback; and give suggestions for positioning your book for your desired publishing pathway. These letters are comprehensive, totally customized, and super actionable so you can knock your next draft out of the park.
➡️ 1 x 60-minute private session with me - We’ll review the feedback, answer questions, map out the next steps for your revision process, and (if appropriate) orient toward publication.
➡️ Two months of email access to me - Ask quick questions via email. (Got a wild idea? Not sure if a revision is working? Stuck? Ask away.)
Hi. I’m Brooke Adams Law, award-winning author, book coach, and CEO of Writing Brave Press.
I help creative, intuitive people who have always wanted to be writers step into their author identity and start, finish and publish brave, dazzling books.
My debut novel Catchlight won the Fairfield Book Prize, was named a Best Indie Book of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews, and was featured on Good Morning America’s blog.
I’m famous for teaching a juicy, receptive, Divine-Feminine-inspired creative process that has led my clients to write and finish books they love, integrate their spirituality and creativity, and give birth to their most empowered creative selves.
Want me to help you do the same?
Genres:
I work with novels (including fantasy, YA and middle grade), memoirs, and personal development books. At this time, I do not work with picture books, screenplays, or poetry.
(Wonder whether your genre-bending book would be a good fit? Email me at brooke@wearewritingbrave.com and tell me about it.)
Timing:
Book your space now with a deposit and select the deadline by which you will submit your draft.
Need a few more months to finish your draft? Book your space now and set your deadline two or three months out. Nothing motivates like putting your money where your mouth is. ;)
Ready to get started? Book now and choose “submit immediately.” You’ll have 48 hours to upload your manuscript.
Investment:
$500 plus $.04/word (based on the full word count of your manuscript). Your initial payment of $500 is due now to book your space, and the balance is due when you send me your draft.
let’s talk DETAILS
Currently booking for spring & summer 2024
Let’s do this.
“Brooke entered into the creative process with me.”
-Jane Clark, author of Story Carrier (published by Writing Brave Press)
“I have worked with publishers who wanted to shape my story into something that would be marketable and easy to sell.
When I began to work with Brooke, I could see that she trusted me as the author of my story, my life. She entered into the creative process with me, listening deeply for the story line, turning up the heat as I "cooked" it, and celebrating the sound of my voice when it came through.
That is so unusual and exceptional and I think every writer deserves to experience this with Brooke.”
“Brooke brings an incredible combination of profound, insightful support and concrete, practical guidance to her clients.”
Carey Gatto
“Working with Brooke was a terrific experience! She really tuned in to what I needed for my book, which in my case, was structure.
She gave me strong suggestions for ways to structure and format my book on the divine feminine that were supportive of my subject matter and ultimately made it a better book overall. She came to our meeting with thorough notes, thoughtful questions and comments that prompted inspiration and revelations.
Brooke brings an incredible combination of profound, insightful support and concrete, practical guidance to her clients. Sessions with her feel like a sacred container that allow the book to come through the author's channel more fully and clearly. I have worked with other book coaches, and Brooke is by far my favorite. Her intelligent and intuitive approach is just what I was looking for. I'm so grateful for her support and guidance.”
“I could see my own writing through a refined lens.”
-Tam Orlando
“I had hit the pinnacle of ‘what was needed’ in my writing in high school and college - I would ask teachers and professors for feedback and they would just tell me I was doing fine.
But I wanted to take it higher and challenge myself. Getting 1:1 feedback on my work from Brooke was so key: I could see my own writing through a refined lens, and I was able to integrate the feedback and get the writing to the next level.”
When we work together, here’s the magic I bring to this process:
Thousands of reading hours. I’ve read thousands of books in my lifetime - and more than that, I’ve studied and thought deeply about how books work.
Dozens of clients coached. I’ve coached dozens of writers on their books and I know what type of feedback most helps people move their needle toward their best writing.
Highly attuned intuition. When I’m reading a client’s draft, I bring to bear not just what I know about books and writing craft - I also bring my intuition, which senses what the book wants to become.
Deep compassion. I bring an appreciation of the creative process and lots of gentleness to this work. I’m not about to use a red pen to slash through your heart. Instead, I want to give you the honest, gentle feedback your book needs to become the best version of itself.
My integrity of being in the creative process. I am writing my second book right now, and I bring all the new things I’m learning about the process to my coaching work.
My credentials. A Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing - the very highest degree offered in my field. An award-winning novel. Plus, my experience running Writing Brave Press, a hybrid publishing company.
