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Services

We help authors at every stage of development, from early drafting to post-publication. Check out our services and submit your inquiries through our contact form.  

Book Coaching

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Story Consulting

You've worked hard to get here. Your story deserves to be told. With our guidance, you'll mine your experience and expertise to craft a narrative that keeps your audience engaged, invested, and hungry for more. 

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Brainstorming

Starting from scratch? We’ll help you outline and brainstorm, push through writer’s block, meet deadlines, and maintain your writing routine. We'll be with you every step of the way. 

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Strategizing

As your book comes together, we’ll help you choose a path to publication, select and vet collaborators, avoid bad actors, and build critical negotiation skills, empowering you to enter every partnership with confidence. 

Editorial Support

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Manuscript Analysis

What's your book about? Who is it for? Why now? Before we start editing, we need to answer those questions, defining not only what  your book is, but also what it has the potential to be.   

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Developmental Editing

You’ve got a manuscript. But it’s a mess. We’ll help you plug the plot holes and make key decisions that will set later drafts on a firm foundation. 

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Structural Editing

Every book needs a structure. We’ll help you condense, expand and rearrange sections and scenes while deploying information with reader experience and narrative integrity in mind. 

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Continuity Editing

It's all too easy for minor inconsistencies to sneak into your prose. We'll review your manuscript and ensure consistency across the board, from your characters' histories to the color of their eyes.  

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Copyediting

Your readers want lucid, elegant, powerful prose, narrated authentically. So do you. They don't want gaudy language, choppy sentences, huge paragraphs, or endless jargon. You don't, either. 

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Proofreading

Almost there. Just a few typos to ferret out, commas to un-splice, and formatting rules to apply. Once we quash those bugs, you'll have a book worthy of readers and ready to read. 

Grants, Fellowships, & Residencies

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Researching and Building Your List​​​​

We'll generate a custom list of grants, writer's residencies, fellowships, and other opportunities likely to support your work so you can target your applications and stop wasting time on dead ends. 

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Crafting Your Application

New to the game? We'll build your application from scratch, highlight, what's special about your work, and show the funders why they should invest in you. You'll have a chance to review it before submitting. 

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ReviewingYour Application

If you've already written your application, we'll go over it with a fine-toothed comb to confirm that you've met all the criteria, demonstrated why your work matters, and made your pitch as strong as it can be.

Building an Author Platform

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Building Your Website

Don't have a website? We'll design and build one for you. Have one already? We'll review your site and offer you comprehensive feedback: what's working, what's not, and how it can be improved. 

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Defining Your Brand

Anyone can be a flash in the pan, but if you want staying power, you need to show the world who you are, what makes you different, what you stand for, and why. Let's answer those questions and build a brand that stands the test of time. 

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Finding Your Audience

"Everyone" is not your target audience. Let's get specific: who's going to read your book? And why? What makes your readers different? What do they want? What do they need? And what are they looking for from you? 

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Choosing Your Platform(s)

Based on everything we know about your book, your target audience, your priorities, and your brand, as well as the dynamic social media landscape, we'll help you select the platform(s) where loyal readers are waiting to be found. 

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Building Your Content Strategy

Together, we'll make a plan: what you'll post, when, and how often; who you'll connect with and follow; which posts you'll react to, share, and comment on; and more. If you're busy, we'll even manage your account(s) on your behalf! 

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Creating Your Publicity Campaign

From traditional print, radio, and television outlets to YouTubers, podcasters, bloggers, and social media influencers, we'll put together a campaign to get your book in front of readers and leave no stone unturned. 

Choosing Your Path to Publication

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Consultation

There are many ways to publish a book—and even more ways to get scammed trying. In a brief consultation, we'll teach you everything you need to know to understand your options and choose the best path to publication for you. 

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Submitting to Presses

If you decide to go with a traditional publisher, we'll help you build a list of reputable presses, create your book proposal and other submission materials, and act as your representative, sending out your manuscript on your behalf. 

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Self-Publishing

If you decide to self-publish, we'll help you choose a platform, provide interior and cover design, create a final product capable of competing with traditionally published titles, and get it stocked wherever books are sold. 

Testimonials

Peppur Chambers

Author

Your feedback is spot on and really helpful, and the editing is thoughtful and concise. Nicely done! 

Bertrand Frot

C-Level Executive

Dedicated, clever, respecting deadlines, always ready to learn and to improve processes, it was a real pleasure to work with Itto.

Aditi Lele

Biologist & Educator

I can't stress enough how Mekiya has excellent editing skills but also very important is that he is kind hearted but practical and takes the time to understand your work.

Natalie Shear

Educator

Itto is probably the hardest worker that I have ever met. If she doesn't know it, she will figure it out. She is capable of handling many unique and difficult situations with grace. I definitely would recommend working with her, for her or hiring her for any writing job.

Abdelghafour ben Lahbib

Educator

Mekiya's commitment to excellence is evident in every project he undertakes. His dedication to creating spaces for meaningful expression adds a profound layer to his commendable qualities as a writer and editor.

Shalini Rana

Poet

Thank you very much for the helpful edits, especially the stronger verbs! I’m very pleased with the correspondence and feedback you’ve provided. 

Contact

For service inquiries, please use the subject line "Requesting Services" and include a detailed project description. We keep a full calendar and cannot guarantee timely responses to last-minute requests. For best results, please contact us at least three months in advance of your project's projected commencement date. 

Thank you for contacting The DateKeepers! We will review your message and respond as soon as possible. 

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