Amanda Earl: editing and mentoring service

$10 CAD per page; $25 CAD per half-hour Zoom/Phone consultation.

I am a fan of whimsy, connection and exploration. I am interested in helping you create work that is truly your own. I believe that sometimes before submitting work to a publication, we often need an outside reader to offer suggestions and insights. The per page amount is a good opportunity to get quick feedback with suggestions, while the consultation is a chance to spotlight a particular issue, such as poem beginnings, diction, how to write long poems, or to talk about a project or activity, such as a grant application, starting a new small press, putting together a poetry collection.

I am offering a $10 CAD per 8.5 x 11 inch page (maximum) (12 point font or larger, please) editing service for poetry, prose, hybrid and visual poetry, and $25 CAD per half hour consultations on Zoom or the telephone. Please get in touch if this is of interest to you: amanda@amandaearl.com. Each client will have access to an ever-growing list of resources and writing tips.

Please read the endorsements and testimonials from writers and visual poets I have worked with for insight into how I could help you.

Amanda Earl offered incredibly valuable feedback on some of my earliest poems. As a new poet, I felt she approached my work with sensitivity and care. With her keen editorial eye, she pointed out many areas of improvement in my poetry that I was unable to pinpoint previously. Amanda is also attuned to the broader circumstances of the writing and poetry community, which I believe goes hand-in-hand with editing. Not only did she provide in-depth edits in her services, she also suggested reading material and contemporary poets whose work has continued to be influential in my writing today. If you work with Amanda, she will continue to champion your writing throughout your career!

Manahil Bandukwala, author of MONUMENT and Heliotropia, and co-author, with Nimra Bandukwala of Women Wide Awake."

Amanda Earl notices weak points right away, and her suggestions for strengthening them come from a place of experience and authority. The client can put their trust in Amanda as someone who will hone in on what they're trying to say and offer solid solutions to tighten up their work.

Richard-Yves Sitoski, 2019-2023 Poet Laureate of Owen Sound

I think every writer should have a sticker above their laptop screen that reads ‘But what would Amanda Earl do?’ Few can balance playful experimentation with a keen editor’s eye as deftly as she. When she was editing my chapbook, Brood, Amanda suggested I turn one of my pieces on its head by reversing the action of the poem.  I hesitated, at first, because I was pretty happy with the poem as it stood. Stood on its head, of course, the poem was better still. Thank you, Amanda, for challenging me to dig deeper and push further. 

Rob Thomas, Writer and Communication Professor

Amanda Earl’s feedback on my poetry was incredibly constructive and insightful. She pointed out the strengths in my work and areas that could be improved. She draws on a vast reservoir of literary experience, having been successfully involved in writing, experimental poetry and visual poetry for many years, and having run AngelHousePress for well over a decade. This means that she possesses invaluable insight as an editor and mentor in all kinds of writing and creative work. I can highly recommend her for creatives wanting to work with a caring, imaginative woman who knows her craft.

Katy Wimhurst, author of the short fiction collections, Let Them Float and Snapshots of the Apocalypse and the visual poetry book, Fifty-One Trillion Bits.

I had the pleasure of working with Amanda at the start of my career during the compilation of my first poetry chapbook. Her firm professionalism played a significant role in leading this arrogant young man to become the student of composition that I am today. She will cultivate your efforts and introduce you to the curiosity of all things writing. Her encouragement will inspire confidence and her exacting critiques will allow you to connect with your strengths while offering the opportunity to elevate your work to the next level. Drawing from her deep understanding of the writer’s craft, Amanda is acutely aware of the subtle changes required in each line to transform the mundane into the exquisite. She has a refined artistic sensibility and a track record of producing high-quality, widely received writing. Working with her has been a rewarding experience. I highly recommend Amanda for all your written projects.
Andrew Lafleche, best-selling author of No Diplomacy

As the recipient of the 2017 John Newlove Award, I was offered the exciting opportunity of having a chapbook published by Bywords.ca. During the year-long process of writing the poems for my chapbook, I had the privilege of working with Amanda Earl, Managing Editor of Bywords.ca. Her editorial feedback on my poems was clear, informed and insightful. As well, she offered her time freely looking at multiple versions of my poems as they emerged. She is also a perceptive reader who respected the style of my poetry. Amanda often encouraged me to explore deeper possibilities in my poems. Her gentle guidance prodded me to produce my best work. In addition, she was adept at identifying issues that I hadn’t noticed and gave me the confidence to take risks with my writing. Her constructive feedback made the revision process so much easier. My experience working with Amanda has enriched my knowledge of poetry and poetics. I would highly recommend Amanda Earl’s editorial and mentoring services.
Doris Fiszer, author of If I Were A River

A close, brilliant and highly informed editor and mentor, fiercely angelic with heartfelt and inspiring suggestions that reveal and amend any blind or weak spots. Connected and deeply perceptive, she opens the necessary doors and windows to let a light soulful breeze in on our literary dream. Thank you, Amanda, for your generous and creative heart!

Ariel Dawn, writer and cartomancer, and participant in the 2016 AngelHousePress Close Reading Service

“Amanda’s attention to detail and ability to dig into which parts of my poems needed to be shaved and which needed to be bolstered was extremely helpful. It’s obvious she approaches the work with thought, care and an experienced poetic eye.”  

Kim Mannix, participant in the AngelHousePress close reading service 


”How would the poem change if you started here?
Being a consummate professional who knows her craft well, Amanda will not only provide you with excellent proofreading feedback, but also valuable insights into writing technique that will stay with you throughout the long term.
TJ Best, participant in the 2016 AngelHousePress Close Reading Service

"A big thank you, Amanda! Two of the five poems you gave comments/edits on have been published, one of them in Japan, the other in the States. I am very grateful for your cultural sensitivity— that included book recommendations— as well as your specific and thoughtful edits, which you linked to larger issues of usage. I am so glad I trusted your professional expertise.

This very enjoyable learning experience, that you generously offered, has considerably enriched my writing and my awareness of the process, and has led to more publications. I still refer to your summary report.

I would heartily encourage poets to avail themselves to your services: they can count on respectful treatment of their work and benefit from your vast knowledge. Again thank you.

Marie-Andrée Auclair, poet and participant in the 2016 AngelHousePress Close Reading Service

Amanda provided a close reading of my poems during a period where I had been split between freelance magazine writing, business communications and marketing content, workshopping texts for theatre, and I felt adrift with my poetry writing, dissatisfied, and wanting to become unstuck. Her reading notes were insightful, detailed, sensitive, and honest. She suggested ways to remix and reveal, underscoring the strongest of my fixations and stylistic tendencies. Her notes helped me stop undermining myself on the page and cut through the snarl of external expectations to find, develop, and refine my voice as a poet.

lisa jeans, participant in the 2016 AngelHousePress Close Reading Service

“Amanda is an experienced editor and exceptional resource, particularly for writers who are young in their careers. I worked closely with her while writing my first chapbook of poetry. She was the primary editor, and her goal was always to enhance my own (newly forming) voice. Amanda edited my work with care, and an earnest desire to understand the story I wanted to tell. When I took her recommendations, I found that my writing became more impactful, vibrant, and true. Amanda helped me find what I wanted to say, amplified my voice, and better connected me to my audience. She’s one of a kind!”
Megan Miztal, author of Vestiges

Stay tuned for more testimonials!

Please contact me and set up an appointment for a consultation or to arrange editing: amanda@amandaearl.com.