“Diane Sherlock has an innate ability to cut through the unnecessary to get to the center of where your truth is. She’s a gifted writer who knows the terrain well.  The fact that she is kind, compassionate and hilarious makes what could be a rough process a very enjoyable one.” ~ Tamara Silvera, playwright, musician, vocal coach

My strength is brainstorming creative solutions for films, memoirs, novels, screenplays, and plays by connecting dots others may not see as well as adding layers of meaning. Other than my own films and books, this is the process that gives me the most joy. If you’re stuck, unsure, need a “creative hiking buddy”, or simply need to see your project through fresh eyes, please reach out and we can discuss your goals.

I am also offering consultations with regard to the portrayal of childhood trauma and its fallout, particularly how it affects the body, mind, emotions, and relationships. Unfortunately, it is an area I am all too familiar with.

I also offer support for a vigorous rewrite to create your best work

NOVELS

GLOBAL NOTES

Global notes are the bird’s eye view of your work. After an initial discussion of your goals and the audience for the book, I then look at the theme, premise, character development, and motivation, sensory information, consistency in symbolism, tension, and use of dialog. I provide suggestions to strengthen or define the theme, fill in holes, eliminate repetitions, and tighten the prose.

LINE NOTES

The line edit is about the craft of writing. In a line edit, I am looking at the use of language, word choice, and flow at the sentence and paragraph level. This is an edit that goes deeper into readability and the difference between showing, telling, and summarizing (good stories can use all three). At this level, I’m looking more closely at dialog, tone, and consistency.

Please note that the emphasis is not on copy editing or proofreading. I will make note of corrections if I catch them.

BEST FOR General and Literary fiction. No horror or sci-fi

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PLAYS & SCREENPLAYS

STICKY NOTES:  For scripts up to 100 pages, an evaluation with sticky notes is $250. Includes either a 30 min phone consult or up to 3 emails for any issues, clarifications, advice. $2/page for each additional page. Submit in PDF or Final Draft.

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BASIC PACKAGE

• Notes on script or play
• 10 hours one-on-one to work on the material
• 1-hour follow-up questions

IN-DEPTH PACKAGE 

• Notes on script or play
• 20 hours one-on-one to work on the material
• 1-week access to email follow-up questions

Contact for prices or to set up a session, which are online or in the greater Chicago area. And hey, if you want to provide air and hotel, let’s go!

BEST FOR Dramas, Dramedies, Dark Comedy. No horror or sci-fi