Stories Change the World
Your Story Matters!
Let's take your story from "What if?" to Well-Loved. Helping you turn your words into your published book, magazine, blog, and more.
Meet Your Literary Prose
Peter and Colleen
Hello!
At Your Literary Prose, we provide expertise in the written word helping authors, marketing professionals, and content writers move seamlessly from vague ideas to perfected publication.
Whether it’s your book, article, or marketing materials, we’ll polish your project so it highlights your expertise, knowledge, narrative—because your written image matters.
We aren't here to rewrite your content—we're here to help you PERFECT it!
What Our Clients Are Saying!
"I was not interested in doing all the “background work” and trusted Peter and Colleen to do what was needed for my book to be professionally published. When my original publishing date was delayed, they reworked the plan, advised me when tasks were needed to make my deadline, answered questions, put my mind at ease, and they made sure the tasks were completed for my launch date."
Sandy Phillips Kirkham
"Colleen and Peter's specific knowledge, high standards, and keen attention to detail bring comfort to anyone who wants to put forth a quality product... Because of their initiative to check the name spelling of individuals cited in my book, gross errors were found and eliminated!"
Ellen Seigel, LIS-W
"Working with Colleen and Peter was truly one of the best decisions I made on my publishing journey. They took what felt like an overwhelming process and turned it into something smooth, supportive, and genuinely enjoyable. They made sure every detail of my book came together beautifully. They didn't just help me put my book together, they elevated it!"
Allison Marcotte
Services
Professional Editing/Proofreading
Your Secret to a Successful Story... Your Written Image Matters!
75% of readers say they would not purchase a product with typos, incorrect grammar, or inconsistent messaging.
You know writers have editors, but do you need one? We’ve heard it all:
· My friend loves to read; she’ll be happy to edit my book.
· It’s an online magazine; readers won’t care about grammar or spelling errors.
· There’s AI now; I don’t need to pay a professional editor or proofreader.
When writers rush to print, post, or publish without paying close attention to the finer details like grammar, spelling, formatting, and fact-checking, they risk doing more harm than good. Your polished story—whether it’s a manuscript, article, blog, or other content—creates a memorable experience for readers. When you work alongside Your Literary Prose, you know readers will leave with positive memories of you and your story.
Certified Publishing Services
Creating the Roadmap to Your Destination: Published Book
The only way for you to become a published author is making it through the process—and we have that covered!
No one expects you to be the author, editor, formatter, marketer, and cover artist of your book. Let YLP take some of that hard, detailed work off your plate.
With over 20 years of experience, think of us as your Publishing GPS. We help you map out your journey to published author by providing guidance, resources, and most importantly, support and accountability.
You remain in total creative control, always having the final say in your publishing destination. We customize our services so you ONLY pay for the services you need, whether it's from start to finish or anywhere in between.
Personalized Marketing
Make Your Investment Back and More:
Your Book is a Business!
You don’t have to be a marketing genius to make a lasting impact with your story. How, you ask? Spread the word about you, your book, your legacy. It’s never too early or too late (unless you never start) to create your author brand and market your book.
Yes, you can try to sell your book to friends and family, but after them who’s going to buy it? Marketing takes more than throwing your book on Amazon. Make the most out of your time and reach hundreds, thousands, or more.
We help you create a personalized marketing strategy to identify, reach, and engage with your ideal readers and audience. A clear marketing strategy is the best way for people to find you, read your story, hear your story, and know you (and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune)!
Portfolio Highlights
The Land Report
The Land Report is the premier source of news, information, and insight into America’s most valuable natural resource: Land. The Land Report is the established voice of this uniquely American asset class, frequently a source for major media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Business, Bloomberg, Barron’s, FOX, The New York Times, and more.
From Death to Life:
The Aaron Williams Story
On September 19, 2015, Chris Williams received a call no parent wants to receive. His son, Aaron, had been in a bad accident, and his life was hanging in the balance.
In From Death to Life: The Aaron Williams Story, Chris, a minister, pastor, and preacher, shares how his unrelenting faith kept him from falling into despair. As a result, he felt led to write this book and share what having faith in God can do, even in the direst circumstances. Your faith in God will be inspired and strengthened as you read it.
A Penguin Family. . .
Finding Joy
A Penguin Family…Finding Joy, sends a powerful and universal message! Individuals, regardless of their challenges or disabilities, can reach their potential. It takes supportive families, friends, and community coming together to help children soar. This book has an important message for children about persistence and patience in overcoming obstacles. You will love Squeaky, the main character, and cheer along with him when he saves the day. Every child will see themselves in Squeaky’s journey.
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Our Blog
What's the Scoop?
Looking Back at the Past 10 Years
Hey there reader, Peter here!
Colleen has done a wonderful job over the past couple of weeks reintroducing Your Literary Prose to the world. I know I speak for myself and Colleen when I say that we're excited to put ourselves back out there to help authors share the stories that matter most to them. So today, I wanted to also take some time to re-introduce myself to you and let you know what I've been working on recently.
From Music Educator to Author Supporter and Educator -
I can't believe it myself but I joined Colleen over 10 years ago! I started off knowing about as much as dirt about publishing and business but over the last 10 years my capabilities in both fields has grown. If you were to ask me 10 years ago if I would be a professional editor, I would have laughed in your face. But now I've worked on numerous books ranging from business to children's book, from memoirs to history books, and more! Today, editing has been one of my favorite parts of working with authors. I truly enjoy seeing stories transition from a few small ideas to a full-fledged book.
One of the major reasons we haven't been as active with Your Literary Prose is that we partnered with our friend, colleague, and now business partner CaZ to create The Author's Voice, which Colleen talked about more in depth in her latest blog. The Author's Voice is a great way for me to blend in my past life with with current life. Years ago (16 years to be exact) I was finishing up my life in high school to embark upon my journey to Morehead State as I trained to become a music teacher.
While I no longer have the aspirations to teach music professionally, The Author's Voice is a perfect platform for me to use my skills and expertise as a teacher and apply that to helping authors and other publishing industry specialists grow in their knowledge; everything from writing, publishing, marketing, and business. These educational trainings and certification courses are the perfect blend with Your Literary Prose as we now have an easy way to help authors like you learn and grow in specific areas of the industry.
With The Author's Voice I knew there were a few areas that I wanted to focus on. I am not one of those podcast bros but I knew that one of the best ways we could share our story with others in the writing and publishing world was through a podcast. So just about two-and-half years ago, we launched the Blank Page to Best Seller podcast and it just so happens that we recently released our 100th episode! Each week, I host a discussion with CaZ and Colleen centered on a topic in the publishing industry. We talk about tips and tricks on writing, or a deeper dive into a specific area of publishing like ghost categories, or we cover a particularly important news item in the Biz Buzz segment. We have also had numerous guests on the show from authors to publishing professionals.
While this isn't directly a show from Your Literary Prose, being as Colleen and I both are hosts on the show, we might share a few shows that are particularly important to authors. And I would not be doing my job as a host if I didn't tell you to like and subscribe to the show on whatever podcast platform you listen!
The other area I knew I wanted to focus on when I started working was a professional organization of some kind. There are a number of organizations around the industry for authors and publishers and other specific jobs within the industry but there was still something we saw was missing. With the boom in publishing over the past 15+ years there came a boom of professionals (or those who called themselves professionals) who served authors. While we know there are many people out there who truly have the author's best interest at heart, here at Your Literary Prose we came across more than our fair share of authors who were taken advantage of or just poorly served by others. So we created a professional organization:The Author's Voice Association. The Association members are all vetted and we continue to have professional development and networking in our monthly meetings so you can trust that members in the association will treat you and your project with the dedication, determination, and respect it deserves. We always say that we have a dedicated team of professionals behind us at Your Literary Prose and you can trust that with members of The Author's Voice Association.
So over the coming days, weeks, and months, you'll see more of both Colleen and myself. We have a great connection with The Author's Voice and are excited to share some of those projects with you when relevant but we're looking forward to getting back in touch with everyone here. We have a few new things coming your way too so be on the lookout for them!
Until next time,
Peter
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Your Literary Prose (YLP) a publishing company?
Thanks for asking. NO. Your Literary Prose is not a publisher. We do not take ownership of your work. Our objective is educating and consulting—helping you understand your publishing options to make informed decisions for your publishing journey AND make money from your book and written content!
What types of writers/authors do you work with?
At Your Literary Prose, we work with all authors and writers but we do have a focus on nonfiction and children's authors, magazine publishers, and copywriters.
For authors, we've worked in numerous nonfiction genres including memoirs, cookbooks, family history, cybersecurity, medical, and business. In addition, we work within numerous fiction genres such as children's books and cozy mysteries.
For other writers and publishers we work with numerous magazine publishers on the editorial staff and as proofreaders. We also provide professional proofreading services for all writers.
How do I find a designer to design my book cover and book interior?
YLP partners with The Author's Voice Association's trusted professionals, proven experts in their field, use ethical business practices, and are reliable. We're happy to connect you with graphic designers, interior book designers, branding specialists, and more!
What services does YLP offer?
YLP provides guidance, resources, support, and accountability to authors and writers. Our services include Professional Editing and Proofreading, Professional Publishing Support, and Strategic Marketing.
Think of YLP as your wordsmith and publishing fairy godparents. We’ll wave our red pen like a magic wand and take your written words and turn them into a must-read book or marketing material ready to display your subject matter expertise. You'll be published before you know it.
Do you provide consulting or coaching?
YES! We offer personalized consulting and coaching packages perfect for authors who want a tailored strategy, feedback, and/or accountability.
When do I send Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) to readers?
Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) are pre-publish copies sent to readers to build a collection of reviews for use in publishing and marketing processes.
How long does it take to edit my manuscript?
There are many variables that go into editing such as editing requirements, manuscript length, genre, and writing quality. Before we begin an editing project, we work with authors to create a timeline that works for them and their book.
Does YLP help with branding and marketing?
YES! We believe that an author's book is their business. This means that branding and marketing play an important part in the overall success of an author's book. We work with authors to include their book(s) into their own branding and marketing. Our branding specialist helps create your brand voice so you stand out, sell more books, and create raving fans.
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