Most writers arrive at a first consultation with a vague sense of what they want to discuss and a stack of half-finished scenes they hope will speak for themselves. That approach works, but it rarely gets you the feedback you actually need. The difference between a useful session and a wasted hour often comes down to what you bring with you — not just your manuscript, but a clear idea of the question you want answered.
Start with a one-page summary of your project. This is not a synopsis for a publisher; it is a working document for you and your editor. Write down the genre, the point of view, the approximate word count, and where you are in the drafting process. If you are working on a novel, note whether you are still in the first draft, in revision, or polishing. If it is a short story, say so. This gives the person you are meeting a frame for the conversation before you open your manuscript.
Next, list three specific concerns. These should be concrete, not general. Instead of "I think my pacing is off," write "the middle section of chapter four feels slow and I do not know if it is because of the dialogue or the description." Instead of "my characters are flat," write "my protagonist's motivation in the second act is unclear to me." The more precise you are, the easier it is for someone else to give you useful direction.
Bring a short excerpt — no more than five pages — that you feel represents the problem you want to discuss. If your concern is dialogue, bring a scene that is mostly dialogue. If it is worldbuilding, bring a passage where you introduce a new setting. The point is not to show your best work; it is to show the work that needs attention. Mark the passage clearly so you do not spend the first ten minutes searching for it.
Finally, decide what you do not want to talk about. This sounds counterintuitive, but it is just as important as knowing what you want to cover. If you are not ready for line-level copyediting, say so at the start. If you do not want feedback on your title yet, mention that too. A consultation works best when both sides know the boundaries, and setting them early keeps the conversation focused on what will actually move your draft forward.