Mentor Lisa Levy started Lit Hub's crime coverage and is a founder and contributing editor to Crime Reads. Presently, she writes a column about trends and themes in crime fiction for the Washington Post Book World. 

Lisa is a writer, essayist, and critic. Her work has appeared in many publications, including the New York Times Book Review, New Republic, the LARB, the Believer, the Millions, the Rumpus, TLS, the CBC, and Lit Hub, where she is a contributing editor. She is also working on a book, Funeral in My Brain: A Biography of Migraine, under contract with St Martin's.

This mentorship is designed for writers who have completed a draft of a crime novel but are unsure how to take it to the next level. Participants will explore essential questions—such as how to balance exposition and action, sharpen dialogue, and create believable characters—under the guidance of a dedicated mentor. Lisa Levy has read thousands of crime novels, championed countless authors, and knows how to shape a manuscript into a must-read for crime fiction fans and publishing professionals alike.

Through comprehensive manuscript evaluations, candid feedback, and expert insights into the crime fiction marketplace, this one-on-one mentorship helps writers gain confidence, polish their prose, and map a path to publication.

Course Structure

Because this mentorship caters to writers with working drafts, it is structured to allow time for rethinking and revision. Participants may choose one or two rounds of revision, with each round spanning three months.

• Initial Round of Edits (3 Months)

  • A thorough line edit of the first 50 pages of your draft, including markup comments and suggestions
  • A developmental edit of the full manuscript
  • A detailed editorial letter outlining what works and what needs more attention
  • One Zoom meeting to discuss the manuscript in depth
  • An opportunity to revise for three months, with ongoing support via email and phone
    
    

• Second Developmental Edit (3 Months)

  • After revisions are completed, a second developmental edit ensures the manuscript meets its highest potential
  • A final Zoom meeting provides guidance on next steps toward publication

By the end of the mentorship, participants will have a stronger, more compelling manuscript and a clear understanding of how to position themselves for success in the crime fiction world. This program equips writers with the tools to refine their craft, navigate the publishing landscape, and bring their crime novels to life.

Who Should Apply:

Writers with a Complete Crime Novel Draft: Those who have finished a first draft—or are nearing completion—and are seeking a mentor who can provide tailored feedback, constructive criticism, and a clear roadmap for revisions.

Authors Seeking an In-Depth Editorial Relationship: Individuals who value honest, detailed critique and are ready to dive deep into the mechanics of crime fiction, with the support of an experienced editor.

Storytellers Looking to Strengthen Their Craft: Writers who want to refine their prose, elevate their storytelling techniques, and ensure their dialogue, pacing, and characterization align with the expectations of the crime fiction genre.

Aspiring Novelists Curious About the Publishing Process: Anyone eager to learn how to position their finished manuscript for success, gain insights into the industry’s gatekeepers, and understand the next steps between a solid draft and getting a crime novel into readers’ hands.

Praise for Lisa Levy:

Lisa was a pleasure to work with: razor-sharp, professional, and keenly insightful. She provided multilayered feedback ranging from the macro level (exposition, emotional stakes) to the micro (fewer adverbs!). Her deep understanding of genre, narrative structure, and character development were instrumental in refining my manuscript. Highly recommended. —Matt Dojny, aspiring crime writer

Lisa is a rare combination of sensitive reader and straight shooter that every author yearns for. She intuitively understands your goals as a writer and makes them her own. —Brett Foraker, aspiring crime writer

I’m a novice writer and Lisa has helped me find my voice. She not only has great ideas on story structure and development but also a sense of when you need encouragement and feedback to keep working toward your goal. Her guidance has taken my writing to a new level and I love working with her. —Matt Sterling, memoir student

Transitioning from an academic writing background to a more historical nonfiction writing format has been a challenge for me. Lisa has been patient and knowledgeable with the difference between the two and has guided me on how to drop the academic tone to find my own voice in historical nonfiction writing. Writing about the arts is a narrow field. Lisa has educated herself to the artists and time of my focus and has been an asset for editing and writing ideas and directions to consider. She is easy to talk to, smart, well researched for our meetings, and kind. I highly recommend her as an editor with whatever genre you are writing about! —Elizabeth Raney, author of Warhol, Dr. Seuss, and the Making of America

Lisa Levy enabled me to see the shape of my book and organize my material when I got bogged down. She read deeply for subtext and helped me surface the themes in my work. I had never undertaken a memoir before. With Lisa at my back, I felt less intimidated. Her keen knowledge of genre helped me understand what my narrator needed to do. All this while she kept me laughing! —Kathryn Trueblood, author of Take Daily As Needed

I spent several months in a writing mentorship with Lisa, and she helped me break loose from my academic writing to make my work more publishable. I am writing about the lives of criminals, and she was right there with me—understood the nuance I was trying to capture. She is thoroughly professional as well as kind, and very productive. She taught me how to get out of my rut and be more creative. Very helpful. —Kate Allen 

Working with Lisa Levy is rewarding and inspiring. She keeps me focused, productive, and up-to-date on the latest publications in my areas of expertise. I recommend her without qualification as a mentor and writing coach. —Amy Stambach (author of Faith in Schools and Lessons from Mount Kilimanjaro)

I came into my three-month mentorship program with Lisa with very tactical expectations, and left with so much more as a writer. I had three essays I wanted to work on, and I hoped that Lisa could help me prepare them for submission. Not only did Lisa provide me with guidance and edits on those pieces, but she helped me become a better and more serious writer, in multiple ways. She helped me build a rich and regular writing practice, she guided me through the ups and downs of writing, she made excellent and inspirational book recommendations that nourish my writing life, she helped me set ambitious and attainable goals as a writer, and she exposed me to resources, templates, and strategies for the publishing side of things. I got so much out of our time together, and would highly recommend Lisa to anyone looking for guidance, excellent edits, accountability, and someone who will support you as a whole writer. —Julie Shah Lamba

I usually have so many article ideas bouncing around in my head I have trouble figuring out which one to work on next. Lisa helped me flesh out potential stories, brainstorm where to submit them, and edited my pitches and drafts. Her guidance has been invaluable to me in helping me target my pitches to the publications most likely to accept them and strategize around covering a specific beat. —Rachel Kramer Bussel, freelance writer and editor of Open Secrets Magazine

Lisa is that unicorn among editors and writing advisers: attuned to both the big and small pictures, empathetic and generous and direct. Where I can’t see the forest for the trees with my writing sometimes, she always pulls the focus back so I can see where I’m heading in the longer journey. The ideas she shares always ring the bell of truth. Why didn’t I think of that? is a common reaction after receiving Lisa’s wisdom on all matters writing. And the answer is You can’t see what she sees, and you don’t know all that she knows. In moments of self-doubt or confusion, the clarity Lisa has been able to offer has felt nothing short of uncanny. —Melissa Holbrook Pierson, author of "The Perfect Vehicle"

Click HERE to Apply Now.