Services
Author Gold Provides authors with a number of important publishing services.
Guidance, Editing, and Mentorship for Authors.
If you’re an indie writer navigating children’s book publishing and marketing, you’re in the right place. With over 20 years of experience in writing, publishing, teaching, and mentoring, I provide personalized support to help your manuscript shine and guide you through the publishing process with clarity and confidence.
Specializations
Children’s Fiction
From board books and picture books to early readers and middle grade chapter books, including both stand-alone projects and series.Children’s Nonfiction
Narrative and informational nonfiction for picture book and early reader audiences.
Would you like to discuss your book project and needs? Contact me.
Editing & Manuscript Support
Manuscript Coaching
Ongoing, hands-on support to help you shape your idea, organize chapters, stay on track, and bring your manuscript to completion with clarity and confidence.
Developmental Review
High-level editorial feedback focused on structure, pacing, narrative or argument strength, voice, and overall reader experience.
Line & Style Editing
Sentence-level refinement to improve flow, clarity, and tone while preserving your natural voice and intent.
Copyediting
Detailed correction of grammar, syntax, consistency, and usage to ensure a clean, professional manuscript.
Proofreading
A final quality check to catch remaining errors before submission, printing, or digital release.
**Why Professional Editing and Mentorship Matters
Even for picture books and early readers, professional editing and mentorship are essential. Every word carries weight in these formats, and small issues with pacing, clarity, or voice can significantly impact a young reader’s experience. Editors and mentors help ensure that text flows naturally with illustrations, engages the intended age group, and communicates story or concept effectively. Beyond technical polish, guidance from an experienced professional can also help authors make confident publishing decisions, refine their creative vision, and avoid common pitfalls. This sets the foundation for a stronger, more successful book.
Publishing Mentoring & Author Support
Publishing Path Guidance
Personalized mentoring to help you evaluate traditional, hybrid, and independent publishing options and choose the path that aligns with your goals.
Contract Review & Author Advocacy
Clear, plain-language review of publishing contracts with attention to rights, royalties, advances, and long-term implications.
Submission Strategy & Readiness
Support preparing manuscripts and pitch letters for agents, editors, or publishers, including positioning, submission materials, and realistic expectations.
Children’s Publishing Mentorship
Specialized guidance for children’s book authors, covering illustration workflows, age-appropriate storytelling, production considerations, and market norms.
Author Career Planning
Strategic support to help you think beyond a single book, including branding, release timing, and sustainable next steps as a working author.
What Clients Say
“As an author dreaming to be published I would totally recommend Author Gold’s author services. I loved chatting to Jen, it felt like we’d known each other forever — rather than it being awkward as it can be with some coaches. During the chat she gave me lots of advice and guidance towards what publishing routes would be best suited for me, and what the next steps in my journey would look like. She made it all feel less daunting, and gave me the confidence to go forward with my dream to be a published author.”
“I worked with Jen and she’s a total pro - you’ll get great info that you can rely on!”
- Cindy at ShineWoman
I found Jen the way a lot of good things happen on Substack, by following a trail of interesting posts until I landed somewhere that made me stop and pay attention. After reading her work and exploring her website more fully, I reached out, and I’m really glad I did.
Jen offered to review my brand and put together a scope of work: what was working, what wasn’t, and where I could sharpen things up. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was a thoughtful, thorough look at what I was doing through fresh eyes, delivered in a way that felt collaborative rather than clinical.
What impressed me most was that this wasn’t a one-and-done consultation. What I was really looking for was an ongoing coaching relationship, someone who could help me stay on brand as I juggle multiple creative streams, between writing, photography and image creation, and that’s exactly what working with Jen is starting to become. She gets what I’m trying to do, keeps me honest when I drift, and will help me make sure my voice stays consistent across everything I put out there.
If you’re an a Creative trying to find your footing or just need someone in your corner who understands the creative world, I’d point you straight to, Jen who is the real deal.
Pricing
Costs can vary by a specific project but for transparency, rates are listed below.
Coaching and Mentorship: starts at $50/ hour
Editing, Proofreading, and Manuscript Review: $50.00 for the first 1,000 words, then $16 / 1,000 words thereafter
Would you like to discuss pricing for your needs? Contact me at no obligation.
Children’s Book Word Counts (Typical Ranges)
Understanding Children’s Book Word Counts
Word count in children’s publishing is closely tied to age, attention span, and how text interacts with illustration. Shorter books are not simpler to write, especially in categories like picture books, where every word must carry weight and leave space for visual storytelling. As books move into early readers, chapter books, and middle grade, word counts increase to allow for more complex plots and character development. While these ranges are flexible, staying within industry expectations helps agents, publishers, and readers immediately understand where a book belongs and how it will be used.
Board Books
0–300 words
Often concept-driven (colors, numbers, routines). Many are under 150 words.
Picture Books (fiction or nonfiction)
300–700 words
The current market strongly favors the 400–600 word range, though some lyrical texts go shorter.
Early Readers / Easy Readers
1,000–3,500 words
Broken into levels; text complexity matters more than total word count.
Chapter Books
4,000–12,000 words
Short chapters, simple plots, often illustrated.
Middle Grade (MG)
20,000–55,000 words
Lower MG: ~20k–35k
Upper MG: ~35k–55k
Fantasy can run longer, but debut authors are usually advised to stay conservative.