The Cradle: Kidlit Services
Whether you're writing a picture book, early reader, or middle-grade novel, our team of kidlit specialists is here to support you. Because children's books vary so much in form and stage of development, many of our services are tailored to the project—so don't hesitate to reach out if you're not sure where to start.
Picture Books
A successful picture book text works hand in hand with visual storytelling techniques to bring your theme, ideas and characters to life on the page for very young children, with warmth, atmosphere and emotion center stage. Then there’s building the essential underlying plot and a satisfying ending, with plenty of page-turning moments along the way. It’s a lot to achieve in 500 words, but we can help you!
We offer picture book editorial services by the hour, at $120 USD/hour.
- Single text review—a thorough editorial assessment of one picture book text, including written feedback and recommendations: typically 1 hour.
- Three-text bundle—editorial review of three texts, with guidance on which have the strongest potential and why: typically 3 hours (3–4 texts can often be covered in this time).
- Picture book mentorship—for writers developing a body of work, we offer ongoing support in blocks of hours. Get in touch to discuss.
A brief consultation is recommended before booking, so we can understand where you are in your process.
Early Readers
- Developmental edit—a close look at narrative structure, characters, voice, pacing, and scene-based writing, with a detailed feedback report: $0.04/word USD
- Line edit—prose-level polish once the manuscript is structurally sound: $0.04/word USD
Middle Grade & Young Adult Novels
Our rates for MG and YA developmental and line editing are likewise $0.04/word USD.
