Services
EDITING, MENTORSHIP, CLASSES
"Ahsan has edited several of my short stories from my collection, as well as my novel from first draft to its final stage. I've always found his editing process meticulous and intuitive. Through his careful reading he arrives at a keen understanding of the work and asks the questions that get my work unstuck and aligned with what I've been trying to express."
- Farah Ali, author of The River, The Town
EDITING AND MENTORSHIP
As an editor and mentor, I aim to honor the intentions and inspirations behind your work while closely reading what's on the page and engaging you in a process of discovery. We'll collaborate to find your work's best form by pushing it into exciting new territory.
My specialty is literary fiction and horror.
Editing
-
Intro zoom to discuss your submission and the aims of your writing, more broadly (1hr)
-
Feedback packet including:
-
Description of my experience reading your pages
-
Editorial observations and suggestions on higher-level craft elements -- narrative, voice, character etc.
-
Annotated markup of your pages with line-edits and commentary
-
Robust set of links to relevant craft essays, interviews, and excerpts from work by other writers for further exploration
-
-
Post-bundle zoom to discuss the feedback (2hrs)
-
Rates (charged per piece)
-
up to 20pgs - $150
-
21-40pgs - $200
-
beyond 40pgs -- rate decided on case-by-case basis
-
Email ahsan.butt@gmail.com with subject line: "Editing Inquiry"
Mentorship
A 4 month mentorship designed to help you build a vital and fulfilling writing practice. My approach emphasizes inspiration, discovery, and active reading. We will develop your creative process around a critically engaged excitement and a heightened sensitivity to how narrative choices and language affect the reader. More details upon inquiry.
Email ahsan.butt@gmail.com with subject line: "Mentorship Inquiry"
CLASSES
Take a deep-dive into niche subjects with a focus on learning practical literary technique and heightening one's sensitivity to the writing choices available in any work. Each class is interactive and includes group readings and discussions, as well as practical, pressure-free exercises.
Current offerings:
Exploit the Familiar: How King Scare Us
A practical dissection of Stephen King's approach to terrifying millions of readers. Click to learn more.
Weird Methods: Brian Evenson's Ontological Horror
Excavating Brian Evenson's unsettling methods for producing dread through close-readings of a selection of his short stories. Click to learn more.