Over 20 years of editorial & coaching experience at your fingertips!

Working with me will get you closer to your dreams of authorship while ensuring that your manuscript is the best version of itself possible.

Whether you’re interested in Editorial Services, or Individual Author Coaching, I focus on both process and product to ensure that your voice, your story, and your work are as clear to both you, and your audience, as possible. I also offer Manuscript Consultations for POETRY and PROSE projects whether a single poem, a full collection or book manuscript. Don’t miss my Chapbook Special!

I am also a seasoned ghostwriter -- when you know the book you want but need help getting it written, I'll work with you to get there.

With reasonable rates for exceptional service, I will meet your needs and go above and beyond. This is a resource that’s worth it!

** Please inquire for select discounted rates for non-profit leaders and BIPOC authors.

CLICK HERE to Schedule your FREE CONSULTATION today!

|| books to magazines to online content || genre inclusive ||

Developmental Editing

Ideally, you will bring me in for Developmental Editing as early in the writing process as possible. In Developmental Editing we will work to address your book's larger issues with a specific focus (depending on project and genre) on plot, flow, and structure; on argument, support, and follow-through; on form and format; on intention and audience. In this process, I will carefully review your manuscript and provide line-level tracked changes as well as a detailed report outlining any issues I’ve identified that the author may need to address.

Structural Editing

Unlike Developmental Editing, this process — also known as substantive or content editing — requires a series of careful, detailed readings of the text (wherever it is in its making) but will focus deeply on form and format, on arrangement of content, on transitions, missing pieces, and potential additions. Unlike truly Developmental Editing, where we get to move from dream to action to product, Structural Editing can be engaged at any time in the writing process and can be crucial to clarifying direction, workflow, and more.

Style Editing

Especially for academic clients — this process focuses on adherence to MLA / Chicago / APA / AP style and ensuring that the text conforms to the appropriate style for its genre. This round of edits addresses stylistic elements such as capitalization, preferred spellings, punctuation, references and footnote formatting.

Line Editing / Copy Editing / Proofreading

Line editing allows me to focus even more deeply to address and potentially correct sentence-level issues in the text. Line- / Copy-editing & Proofreading require deep, detailed, multi-round read-through of the text applying my close eye and grammatical (and poetic where necessary) expertise to catch and correct typos, misspellings and other potentially embarrassing mistakes.

Poetry and Prose Manuscript Consultation with Samiya Bashir

from $75.00

With over a decade of experience as a poet, educator, book and magazine editor, and manuscript coach, I have guided writers from early drafts through extensive revisions and into publication. As faculty at Columbia University, Reed College, and the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and numerous literary and arts residencies, I have led workshops and coached students through poetry and prose projects, and helped writers develop their voice and craft across a variety of genres. 

I have spent 25 years as a book, magazine, and anthology editor, working with authors on poetry manuscripts, nonfiction manuscripts (creative as well as informative), short form pieces such as articles, stories, and essays, and more. I combine creative coaching with editorial rigor, helping writers transform their poetic voice while paying attention to both the line and larger structure. 

As the author and editor of numerous books, including the award-winning Field Theories (2017), Role Call: A Generational Anthology of Black Literature & Art (2003), and the forthcoming I Hope This Helps (2025), I bring a deep understanding of creative process, structure, and revision, complemented by my experience editing and shaping full-length manuscripts.

This consultation includes:

• Initial Intake: A one-hour session to discuss your manuscript’s themes, goals, and challenges. We’ll explore your vision, identify key areas for growth, and discuss the direction you want your work to take.

• Detailed manuscript feedback and editing: I will provide a close, comprehensive reading of your manuscript with holistic feedback. For poetry, this includes line edits, radical revision suggestions, and organizational recommendations for manuscripts of 40–90 pages. For prose (up to 100k words), this includes structural feedback, character development insights, plot coherence, and stylistic recommendations. My approach focuses on both the fine details and the broader arc, helping you refine your work at every level.

• Follow-up consultation: A second meeting to discuss my editorial feedback and revisions. We will also cover publication strategies, potential next steps for your work, and methods for generating new creative material moving forward.

  • POETRY

    • Full-length Manuscript

      • 40–90 pages: $1,000

    • Chapbook Special!

      • 15-30 pages:  $350

    • A Poem! 

      • 1-5 pages:  $75

  • PROSE

    • Book Manuscript (< 100,000 words): $2,500

      • Creative Nonfiction and Nonfiction

    • Short Form Manuscript (Essays, Stories, Articles): starting at $250 (hourly rate)

I look forward to helping you craft your best work and explore new creative possibilities!