Gail Anderson-Dargatz

Author. Mentor. Editor.

Gail Anderson-Dargatz

Mentoring and Editing

Gail Anderson-Dargatz

Work with Gail

Explore Our Services for Writers

Meet and Greet

Blue Pencil

Fiction Mentorship

Beta Reading

Manuscript Evaluation

Developmental Edits

Clean Sweep

Fall Retreat

Group Workshops

Alpha and Beta Reading

About:

Beta This service is for fiction or memoir projects or partial manuscripts of any length. Alpha and beta readers give feedback on a manuscript from a reader’s perspective, not an editor's. An alpha reader looks at a rough draft in development, while a beta reader considers a polished manuscript.

At either stage, an alpha or beta reader might answer the following questions and more:

Does the opening pull a reader in?
Does the pacing lag or move too quickly?
Is the character relatable?
Is there enough conflict or drama to keep the reader reading?
Do all the story elements make sense?
Is the manuscript meeting reader expectations for a given genre?
Is the ending satisfying?

An alpha or beta reader gives a writer a crucial second opinion on their manuscript -- one that can move the project forward.

How it works:

Click on the correct button below or contact Gail's office to purchase. Once you've paid and emailed us your manuscript, Gail will assign you an alpha or beta reader. Our readers are well-versed in most genres, including fantasy and sci-fi, and include members of the neurodivergent and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

Your assigned reader will read your manuscript and offer two or three pages of notes within a month of submission, or within a week on a shorter project.

When you send us your manuscript, you're welcome to include up to ten questions that you'd like addressed.

This is not an editing service and, to keep the cost low, there is no follow-up meeting or email discussion.

Cost:

On short stories or projects under 5,000 words, the cost is $50 plus GST.
On long stories or projects under 20,000 words, the cost is $80 plus GST.
On novellas or projects under 40,000 words, the cost is $160 plus GST.
On novels or projects under 80,000 words, the cost is $300 plus GST.
On long novels or projects under 100,000 words, the cost is $425 plus GST.

Click on the correct button below to purchase. We'll contact you within a day.

All manuscripts must be in 12-point, Times New Roman, double-spaced.

For more information or to submit your manuscript, contact Gail's office.

For more in-depth editorial feedback, check out our blue-pencil-sessions, fiction-mentorships, manuscript-evaluations, the-clean-sweep, and developmental editing services.

Praise

‘’Two fiction mentorships with Gail were more fruitful than my five-year MFA, no contest..."

"Her insight and explanations made so many components click when it came to understanding things like structure, character goals and narrative drive within a novel. She was supportive and encouraging while also offering explicit feedback on what was missing from my writing and how to find it. My path forward became more and more clear every time we talked. I used to dread working on what felt like an albatross of a project —now I truly enjoy it and I fully credit Gail for that."

-- Amy Kenny is a Yukon-based writer and an editor with Up Here Publishing.
"(Gail is) an intelligent and experienced manuscript midwife..."

"Gail’s model suited me right down to the ground, exactly the right combination of close reading, thoughtful feedback, and enough space to work these questions through in my own time. She’s an intelligent and experienced manuscript midwife with an uncanny ability to see to the heart of what I was trying to do. I appreciate her guidance immensely!"

-- Christine Fischer Guy author of The Umbrella Mender (2014) and The Instrument Must Not Matter (2026).
"Don’t hesitate to hire Gail or Graham."

"Gail’s big picture insights and Graham’s attention to detail helped me see how to improve one of my short stories (and it) has recently been longlisted in a contest. It was worth every penny to get 'The Clean Sweep' to open my eyes to various directions I could take it. Don’t hesitate to hire Gail or Graham."

-- Zena Ryder is a freelance writer, historical fiction writer, and writing community builder.
"I learned more in my 4-month mentorship with Gail than I have in any other creative writing program..."

"Gail is a rare gem – a brilliant writer and storyteller who is also a gifted teacher of the craft. She genuinely loves helping writers and shares her wealth of knowledge with immense warmth. I learned more in my 4-month mentorship with Gail than I have in any other creative writing program I have taken. With laser-like precision she showed me where I was going wrong in my fiction writing and, even better, exactly how to fix it; skills I can now bring with me into my next project."

-- Amy McDonald is a fiction writer in Ontario.
"I would hire Graham again in a heartbeat."

"Graham’s editorial work is fantastic. His feedback offered me a clear and creative direction that I hadn't yet considered and his perceptive recommendations were backed up by explanation and sprinkled with encouragement. I can't thank him enough for helping me out of the dead-end alley and showing me a wide road ahead. I would hire Graham again in a heartbeat."

-- Nicole Borhaven Corke, fantasy writer.
"Graham not only helped propel my pacing, but he cleaned up my bulky prose..."

“Gail and Graham's complementary and aligned skill sets brought out the true potential of my novel. Gail's insightful big-picture questions helped me craft a more authentic storyline and add compelling conflict to my character arcs. Graham not only helped propel my pacing, but he cleaned up my bulky prose and delivered outstanding fact-checking. I'm already planning my next project with them!”

-- Rina Nichols, writer, Canada Council for the Arts grant recipient, shortlisted CANSCAIP 2023 Writing for Children competition YA category.
"Their insight and expertise... pushed my work to a new level."

"Gail and Graham offered a fresh perspective on my work which allowed me to crack it open and completely revamp the narrative. Their insight and expertise on the developmental and line edits pushed my work to a new level."

-- Lindsay Foran, RBC/PEN Canada New Voices Award finalist, longlisted CBC Short Story Prize, 3Macs finalist.
"I'll be back for more!”

“I'm very grateful for the attention to detail paid by Graham. I learned so much about editing for consistency, clarity, and accuracy. I'll be back for more!”

-- Liza Potvin, creative nonfiction award winner
"... a superb intellectual and creative experience..."

"Gail has been a mentor extraordinaire in my transition from writing academic non-fiction to historical fiction. Her critiques of my writing are always incredibly insightful and consistently encouraging. It has been a superb intellectual and creative experience to work with Gail on my first novel."

-- Wenona Giles, PhD, FRSC, Professor Emerita Anthropology, York University, Toronto
“Graham's skills brought precision to my writing..."

“Graham's skills brought precision to my writing, resulting in clearer character definition and a focus on storyline that helped bring my writing to life. I could feel it on the page.”

-- Florence MacDonald, an award-winning, internationally produced playwright and short story writer.
"... marginalized stories are not only possible, they matter.”

“Honestly, I have never felt so accompanied in my thinking and writing process. Each session was organic yet framed to help me answer questions about myself and the story I wanted to tell. The experience has given me a sense of propulsion, as well as an understanding that marginalized stories are not only possible, they matter.”

-- Elizabeth Huergo writes socially conscious novels, essays, and short stories. She was born in Havana and immigrated to the US at an early age.
"... how to become a better writer in the long term."

"Graham's beta reader feedback quickly addressed where my book lost its way. He identified the core of the story, and encouraged me to prune the subplots that had hijacked my story and taken it off course. His notes not only identified how to strengthen my story, but also how to become a better writer in the long term."

-- Kody Greene, author of Venera's Crucible
"(Gail) shares a lifetime of experience..."

“There are a million books and courses that teach you how to write and edit. But the writing life is more than words on a page. Gail Anderson-Dargatz shares a lifetime of experience... The knowledge she imparts may be amongst the most valuable things you will gain as a writer."

-- Monica Lin Morishita, a National Magazine Award winning journalist who has written for Macleans, Toronto Life, Chatelaine, Canadian Living and the Globe & Mail.
"Thank you Graham!”

“I'm a beginner who was a bit reluctant to seek feedback on a draft of my novel. But I was delighted by the insightful feedback and advice Graham gave me in his manuscript evaluation. I could tell from his comments that he had truly considered what I was trying to achieve with my story, which made his advice on how to strengthen my writing all the more meaningful and valuable to me. I now know what I need to do to create the suspenseful story and compelling characters I had imagined at the start of this project. Thank you Graham!”

-- Kristine Weese, emerging novelist.
"... insightful feedback delivered with infectious enthusiasm..."

"Gail has a great big generous heart. She’s always ready to share what she’s learned from her own immensely successful writing life and what she’s learned from mentors like Jack Hodgins. Gail is observant, candid and compassionate, with a roaring, lion-hearted sense of humour. If you want insightful feedback delivered with infectious enthusiasm sure to inspire you to keep writing, Gail’s your gal.

-- Jennifer Wynne Webber, author of the novel Defying Gravity and numerous plays including Beside Myself and White Lies.
"Gail helped me to hone my editorial eye..."

"Gail Anderson-Dargatz has a rare and fantastic ability to guide a writer into finding his or her own unique voice. She can clearly explain the fundamentals of fiction while allowing room for nuance and experimentation. Gail helped me to hone my editorial eye so that I can now take her excellent techniques with me wherever I go."

-- Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang, author of Sweet Devilry; the children’s books A Flock of Shoes, Dogs Don’t Eat Jam, Warriors and Wailers, and The Stone Hatchlings; and editor of the anthologies Desperately Seeking Susans and Tag: Canadian Poets at Play.
"Gail shares her expertise but also her experiences as a working author..."

"Gail's teaching methods encourage new writers to learn the craft of writing while striving to develop their unique styles and voices. Gail shares her expertise but also her experiences as a working author in an ever-changing publishing world. Years later, I still check her excellent notes and remember the personal stories she shared about her research, her ideas, and the world of writing.

- Paulette Bourgeois, member of the Order of Canada and author of the Franklin the Turtle books.
"Working with Gail has saved me months, if not years..."

“Working with Gail has saved me months, if not years, of time wasted on taking wrong turns and going down rabbit holes in my fiction... She is excellent at identifying weaknesses and inconsistencies with structure, character, and narrative arc.”

-- Ellen McKeough, short story writer and physician
"(I) have learned so much about my own (of course flawed) process..."

"Thank you so much for your input and guidance on my story. I have pored over the notes and have learned so much about my own (of course flawed) process -- admitting that it's flawed being part of the process!”

-- Florence MacDonald, an award-winning, internationally produced playwright and short story writer.
"... the most valuable things you will gain as a writer."

"Gail Anderson-Dargatz shares a lifetime of experience... The knowledge she imparts may be amongst the most valuable things you will gain as a writer."

-- Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang, children's writer, poet.
"... don't send your book off until Gail has gone through it..."

"If you don't have a publisher lined up, don't send your book off until Gail has gone through it with her forensic fine tooth structural comb."

-- Jono Lineen, author of River Trilogy and Walking the Earth's Spine.

Testimonials

Christine Fischer Guy

"Gail’s model suited me right down to the ground, exactly the right combination of close reading, thoughtful feedback, and enough space to work these questions through in my own time. She’s an intelligent and experienced manuscript midwife with an uncanny ability to see to the heart of what I was trying to do. I appreciate her guidance immensely!"

-- Christine Fischer Guy author of The Umbrella Mender (2014) and The Instrument Must Not Matter (2026).

Christine Fischer Guy

Tara Gereaux

"Gail is an incredible editor. She has an innate ability to understand what I’m trying to do with my writing and to help me see what I need to do to get where I want. The best part about working with her is her supportive, encouraging approach. She’s a writer, she gets it – she knows how hard writing can be – but when I’m working with Gail, it always feels a little bit easier and a little more fun. Can’t recommend her highly enough."

-- Tara Gereaux has published two books of fiction and was the recipient of the Colleen Bailey Memorial Award from the Saskatchewan Foundation for the Arts, and a REVEAL Indigenous Art Award from the Hnatyshyn Foundation.

Tara Gereaux

Matthew Hooton

"Gail's developmental edits were superb. Her attention to the manuscript's structure, to themes and emotional resonances, and to the character creation were at once challenging, sophisticated and encouraging. And she draws on a range of excellent resources. I've not seen anything quite like it in twenty-five years in the industry."

-- Dr. Matthew Hooton, author of Deloume Road, Typhoon Kingdom, and Everything Lost, Everything Found, longlisted for the ARA Historical Novel Prize 2025. Dr. Hooton is a lecturer at the University of Adelaide.

Matthew Hooton

Jessica Waite

"Gail is the total package: brilliant writer, keen-eyed editor, ace story architect, and warm genuine human. The structural foundation she taught saved me years of floundering in the dark. Thank you Gail!"

-- Jessica Waite, author of the Widow's Guide to Dead Bastards, one of The Globe and Mail's best 100 books of 2024.

Jessica Waite

Darcy Friesen Hossack

"By the end of the first draft, I'd rediscovered colour in a world that had faded to black and white. I can not thank Gail enough."

-- Darcy Friesen Hossack, Danuta Gleed runner-up and Commonwealth Prize-shortlisted author of Mennonites Don't Dance and Stillwater.

Darcy Friesen Hossack

Kelly S. Thompson

"Not only did Gail help me to polish my prose, but she also showed my how to believe in my own work, how to play, how to explore language with the writer's tools. What a gift, to have someone champion your work in a way that makes you, the writer, feel seen."

-- Kelly S. Thompson, national bestselling author of Girls Need Not Apply: Field Notes from the Forces.

Kelly S. Thompson

Lise Mayne

"Time Enough became the novel I longed to create thanks to Gail’s expert advice and encouragement. Gail helps writers find the heart of their own story, the mark of the very best teachers. I highly recommend her as a professional mentor and a sincere guide."

-- Lise Mayne, author of Time Enough.

Lise Mayne

Elle Wild

"Gails fiction course was the best class I have ever taken. Full stop. Her notes and analysis were invaluable and I still use the creative exercises she shared with us."

-- Elle Wild. #1 bestselling author of Strange Things Done and winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Unpublished First Crime Novel.

Elle Wild

Maia Caron

"Perhaps there's no greater proof of a manuscript editor's work than when the writer they mentor gets a publishing contract, but what I found most valuable was applying Gail's insightful comments when I began to plot a new book."

-- Maia Caron, author of Song of Batoche

Maia Caron

Daniel Griffin

"Gail has been a great help to me for many years, reading my novels and stories and providing practical, clear and meaningful feedback. Her focus on the structure of a story, its arc, the conflict that drives it and the development of characters and their transformation has been invaluable."

-- Daniel Griffin is the author of Stopping for Strangers and Two Roads Home.

Daniel Griffin

Leila Marshy

"I've been writing my whole life, but in the past two years I can say that Gail has pretty much taught me everything I now know. I am convinced that without Gail's ministrations, my novel The Philistine would not be enjoying its current success"

-- Leila Marshy, author of The Philistine.

Leila Marshy

Nerys Parry

"(Gail's) greatest gift is her passion. She truly loves the craft and throws her heart into her work as not only a teacher but also as a coach and inspiration to aspiring writers. She always knows just how far to push you without breaking you, and if you let her, she can help you become a far better writer than you ever imagined..."

-- Nerys Parry, author of Man & Other Natural Disasters, a finalist for the Colophon Prize and tied for seventh in the Giller Prize Reader’s Choice Awards.

Nerys Parry

Jennifer Manuel

"Gail has a firm grasp on what effective mentorship looks like: supportive, challenging, fully engaged. Immediately Gail got to the heart of my novel’s problem and then worked with me to find possible solutions, pushing my craft to a higher level and deepening my understanding of narrative structure. It was nothing short of a shattering breakthrough.”

-- Jennifer Manuel, author of The Heaviness of Things That Float

Jennifer Manuel

Liisa Kovala

"Working with Gail during an early stage of my historical fiction manuscript was like taking a masterclass. Both my novel and my skills as a writer improved through her guidance. Best of all, Gail is not only knowledgeable about everything to do with writing, she is also delightful to work with."

-- Liisa Kovala, author of Surviving Stutthof: My Father's Memories Behind the Death Gate and Sisu's Winter War.

Liisa Kovala

Emily De Angelis

"Gail was knowledgeable, thoughtful, and kind as she coached me through the process. Her feedback validated my journey and help me to move forward with my story in countless meaningful ways..."

-- Emily De Angelis, author of The Stones of Burren Bay.

Emily De Angelis

Maggi Feehan

"Gail is nothing short of an editing genius. She has the rare ability to give feedback laced with compassion, appreciation and respect... that will inspire you to go back to the page and transform your narrative, words and characters in truly remarkable ways."

-- Maggi Feehan, author of The Serpent's Veil

Maggi Feehan

Kimmy Beach

"I'm so happy I chose Gail as my first foray into the world of hiring an outside eye. I've loved her work for ages, and hoped her insight would take my new project where it needed to go. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude (and work!). Thank you, Gail. You 'get' me."

-- Kimmy Beach, author of The Last Temptation of Bond.

Kimmy Beach

Chris Tarry

"Working with Gail has become the measure by which I rate every workshop I've taken, or will ever take. And she has set the bar impossibly high. To study with Gail is to understand the plight of the Apprentice Writer, to take solace in her direction, and to witness one's growth in virtually real time."

-- Chris Tarry, four-time Juno Award winner and author of How to Carry a Bigfoot Home.

Chris Tarry

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Cartoons by Gail, animated by Mitch.

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