Manuscript critiques and evaluations, developmental line editing, writing help, getting manuscripts ready for submission or self-publishing, copyediting
LISA BALTHAZAR loves working with writers of fiction, general nonfiction, and memoirs and has done so for over 20 years. She has helped everyone from Pulitzer Prize nominees to debut authors make their books the best they can be. Every writer is different, but every writer Lisa has worked with has walked away with a better, stronger, more publishable or submission-ready manuscript.
“Lisa Rojany Buccieri is an excellent editor. She has edited several manuscripts for me that were sent to my agent who accepted them without change and sent them on to various publishing houses. They were published by Simon & Schuster with a minimum of editing, thanks to Lisa’s insightful and enlightened work. I highly recommend her.” —Ellen Jones, THE FATAL CROWN, BELOVED ENEMY, GILDED CAGES, Simon & Schuster/Open Road Media
As an editor, Lisa has helped hundreds of writers hone their skills in writing—and many have returned through their publishers or on their own for their second and third books. She is always a writer’s most honest critic but biggest cheerleader, making sure your book makes the grade. Lisa is a former publishing executive who saw hundreds of books through the publishing process from concept to bookstore shelf.
She greatly enjoyed being Editorial Director for publishers such as PSS/Penguin Random House, Intervisual Books, Golden Books, Gateway Learning Corp (Hooked on Phonics), and other established publishing houses.
Services Lisa offers include:
• manuscript read-throughs with evaluations
• developmental editing
• line editing
• copyediting
• critiques
• free query letter editing
Lisa can help you get your manuscript ready to face the world.
Developmental editing, writing assistance, query letters, book proposals, submissions to literary agents and publishers
After twenty years in education and human services, BETH BRUNO began a second career in 1995 as a columnist, author and book editor. Hundreds of her articles have been published in print and online, and her first book, Wild Tulips, came out in 2001 and went into a second printing in 2002. Beth’s proximity to New York and her position as President of the CT Authors and Publishers Association give her unique access to literary agents and publishers in and around New York City. Several of the authors whose manuscripts she has edited have been published in the mainstream, thanks to her referrals on their behalf. Others have published their work independently, either in print or as e-books.
Beth’s editing interests are eclectic and include a delicious mix of fiction, nonfiction, young adult, and children’s works. Among the 350+ manuscripts she has edited, she has a special affinity for: mystery/suspense, women’s fiction, memoir, psychology topics, romance, self-help, how-to, and both fiction and nonfiction for young adult (YA) readers.
In addition to editing, Beth serves as a judge for the Indie Book Awards, a contest for authors who self-publish. Winners receive cash prizes, publicity, and introduction to literary agents and publishers.
Jagged Fate by Steve Santel
Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves by Larry Seeley
Murders at Brent Institute by Jerry Labriola
“When Beth first received the manuscript, she understood what was missing and recognized the changes needed to improve the flow, characterization, plot, etc., of my novel. She had a keen eye for small details. Beth was also always very available to discuss suggestions, and she quickly came up with alternatives to solve the problems we encountered along the way. She guided me through the particulars of my novel to the final polished product. The result: A published book.” Oscar Medina
Substantive editing, developmental editing, critique and evaluation, copyediting
MICHAEL CARR has edited or copyedited 400+ fiction and nonfiction titles for major publishers and authors. He edits most fiction genres but specializes in detective/crime, mystery/suspense, thrillers/espionage, action/military, sci-fi/fantasy, literary.
Best Sellers, Award Winners, and Notable Authors Edited
Detective/Crime, Thriller, Mystery/Suspense
James Cobb, Robert Ludlum’s The Arctic Event – New York Times best seller
Paul Draker, New Year Island – #1 Amazon best seller in Hard-Boiled Mystery, #1 Amazon best seller in Psychological Suspense, #3 Barnes and Noble overall best seller
Robert Dugoni, The Jury Master – New York Times best seller
Brad Meltzer, The Zero Game -#3 New York Times best seller
Archer Mayor, New York Times best-selling author, Chat
Archer Mayor, Gatekeeper – NY Times Notable Book of the Year
Archer Mayor, The Second Mouse
Archer Mayor, The Surrogate Thief
Patricia Smiley, Cover Your Assets – Los Angeles Times best seller
Patricia Smiley, False Profits - Los Angeles Times best seller
Donald Westlake, 3-time Edgar Award winner, The Road to Ruin
Donald Westlake, Thieves’ Dozen
Donald Westlake, Watch Your Back
“Michael, the rewrite is spot-on. You made us look good. We plan to have you canonized.” – Sara Ann Freed, Ellery Queen Award–winning crime fiction editor, Time Warner Books
HENRY DENARD is a writer, ghost writer, and editor of commercial mainstream nonfiction and fiction.
Denard co-founded and was editor in chief at a publishing company (distributed by Random House) where he oversaw (and often helped to write) dozens of books.
Denard’s bestselling nonfiction and fiction authors include Chris Wallace, Catherine Crier, Matthew Modine, Brett Favre, Joe Namath, and Steven Pressfield. Denard’s titles have been featured in “The New York Times” (including front page) and on “Sixty Minutes,” “Oprah,” “The Today Show,” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”
Two of Denard’s published books sold to film studios for over $1 million.
Denard recently helped to write, edit and publish The Fiscal Cliff by Ayse and Selahattin Imrohorogolu (2012, Ending Spending) on behalf of Joe Ricketts (founder of T.D. Ameritrade).
Denard has also written for The New York Times Magazine and American Express’ Departures magazine.
On the film side, Denard produced The Conspirator, starring James McAvoy, Kevin Kline, and Robin Wright; directed by Robert Redford; Gone in 60 Seconds (Touchstone) starring Nicolas Cage; The Negotiator (Warner) starring Samuel Jackson and Kevin Spacey; and Citizen X (HBO). He is a member of the Writers Guild of America (WGA, the screenwriters’ union) and uses Final Draft when working with writers of screenplays.
Denard has experience with contract negotiations, film and book production, sales, distribution, marketing, publicity, and subsidiary rights.
He can assist with literary agent and publisher selection as well as the fiction or nonfiction submission package, including query letters and book proposals.
Writing coach, mentor, developmental editor, collaborator, ghostwriter, publishing strategist 
Before STACEY DONOVAN became a professional editor more than 20 years ago, she worked in a literary agency where she learned how to say no more often than yes, and include reasons why. A stint in advertising followed, teaching her to tell it short and sweet, meet deadlines, and most important: never give up.
Donovan is a six-time published book author of both fiction and non-fiction. She has edited or ghostwritten more than a dozen published books for her clients. Two became New York Times Bestsellers, and another nominated for Best First Novel by International Thriller Writers. She is experienced in many genres: contemporary/mainstream, caper/detective, erotica, gay/lesbian, literary fiction, mystery, psychological thriller, suspense, women’s fiction, young adult, memoir/autobiography, creative nonfiction.
Editing Specialties
- Detailed critique/evaluation of your manuscript
- Developmental/structural/stylistic edit of your manuscript
- Complete revision of your manuscript
- Collaborate with you in a mentoring capacity as you edit your manuscript
- Collaborate with you on a query and/or synopsis when the manuscript is ready for publication
- Determine with you which literary agent would be suitable for representation
- Determine with you whether to pursue mainstream, small, or self-publishing
- Consultation on your initial and/or ongoing social media strategy
CAROLINE HILEY is a full-service editor who specializes in copyediting novels, particularly in the crime, mystery, and suspense categories. She works with both traditional publishers and independent authors to help make their stories shine.
Whether for stand-alone titles or series, she focuses on consistency, accuracy, and clarity, so that authors can successfully connect with their readers (while avoiding any embarrassing bloopers). Because she writes fiction and nonfiction herself, she knows the creative process from both sides and understands how editing can help or hinder.
Caroline thoroughly grooms a manuscript, checking spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting, and style; tracking character traits and story timeline; confirming proper names, dates, places, and other technical or historical elements; flagging any spots that may raise a question in the reader’s mind. Authors then accept or reject the revisions, and move on to the next stage in their story’s progression.
In addition to copyediting, Caroline offers substantive editing (also called line editing), a more detailed work-through of a manuscript without the full immersion that goes with developmental editing. For authors seeking guidance for their own revisions, she also offers manuscript evaluation.
FLOYD LARGENT has edited a wide variety of mystery and thriller manuscripts, some pure mystery and others with technological and/or speculative overtones. He believes that when you get right down to it, most great books are mysteries—even those marketed in different genres. As a wide reader in the field, he understands its tropes and subcategories, from cozy British-style mysteries to the gritty work of Westlake and Leonard, and can bring a sympathetic touch to your manuscript.
In addition to developmental editing, Mr. Largent can provide publishing assistance (especially concerning manuscript mechanics, query letters, book synopses, and proposals), content development, manuscript evaluation, and mentoring services. He’s especially proud of his close relationships with the authors with whom he works, and always has time to talk writing. Mr. Largent’s published mystery/thriller authors include:
- David Broughton, author of the mystery/thriller Frozen in Time, released by Amazon Digital Services.
- George Potter, author of mysteries Death in the Empty Quarter and In Search of the Yellow Dog, both published by Crimson Star Publishing.
- Gary Towner, author of the mystery/thrillers The Mbuji Juju and The Dead Still Walk, released by Amazon Digital Services.
Specialties:
- Short stories
- Novels
- Developmental content editing
- Manuscript mechanics and formatting
- Book proposals
- Queries
- Submission advice
After twenty-five years as a copy editor for major publishers such as Viking Penguin, Harper Collins, and Abbeville Press, MIRANDA O. knows that the best copy editors approach every job with consistency, discipline, and humility; ego has no place in this job.
Four books Miranda edited reached the top 10 in the 2013 New York Times best seller list, and three more were in the top 15.
She has edited the work of many first-time and independently published authors as well as of both international best sellers and critically acclaimed writers—among them Barbara Kingsolver, Isabel Allende, Daniel Silva, James Patterson coauthors Peter de Jonge and Neil McMahon, Mitch Albom, Garth Stein, Silver Linings Playbook author Matthew Quick, David Wroblewski, Annie Dillard, andDavid Vann.
Miranda has substantial experience with nonfiction, art publications, memoirs, literary fiction, and every kind of genre fiction, with over 1,300 titles edited or proofread over her career. She especially enjoys working with mystery and detective fiction, and is adept at ferreting out plot and chronological glitches.
In her free time, Miranda is a passionate gardener and observer of the seasons on her Virginia farm, reads P. G. Wodehouse, Jane Austen, and Golden Age detective fiction, and rides and trains young dressage horses.
- “Miranda is the best copy editor I’ve ever worked with. I have about twenty-five book publishers and have written for more than a dozen magazines, and my experience has been that copy editors usually introduce errors, don’t understand grammar or style as well as I do, make challenges based on their own ideas, beliefs, and feelings, and generally just cause a lot of extra work and frustration for me. But Miranda has none of these flaws. She’s a dream to work with because she finds real problems, issues that need to be dealt with, and otherwise has a light touch, not introducing any new problems. She manages to go over a book diligently but also respectfully. I feel very lucky to have had her eye on three of my novels now, and in fact, the last one, Goat Mountain, was going to be copyedited by the UK publisher (Heinemann/Random House) instead of the US one (HarperCollins), but I asked to go through the process with HarperCollins because I wanted Miranda’s careful look. I didn’t feel comfortable going to press without her, and I hope she’ll continue with all my future books. I certainly give her my highest recommendation. I don’t think you can find anyone better.” —David Vann, critically acclaimed author of Legend of a Suicide, Caribou Island, Dirt, and Goat Mountain, with books on seventy Best Books of the Year lists in a dozen countries
- “Miranda’s copy editing job on my debut novel Little Known Facts for Bloomsbury USA and Bloomsbury Circus UK was so thorough and meticulous that I knew the book was in good hands from the moment I started reading through her edits. Eventually, Little Known Facts ended up on the cover of the February 24, 2013, edition of the New York Times Book Review, due in part, I’m sure, to Miranda’s expert editing.” —Christine Sneed, novelist and short story writer
THEODORA O’BRIEN focuses on mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, adventure, and horror titles. She has considerable experience with trade non-fiction. As Editorial Director of her own publishing house, Theodora published almost 100 titles, garnering several awards in “Best Of” categories. Almost half of the titles were bought for paperback reprints, and two were optioned for TV/movies.
She has invaluable knowledge about the industry, the type of people who run it, how to work within it, and tips for getting your foot in the door. She’s reviewed, evaluated, and edited thousands of manuscripts through the years, and uses that knowledge to help her clients produce results-driven manuscripts, query letters, and synopses.
She works particularly hard at staying in the author’s “voice,” making sure the facts and dialogue match the time period in which the book is set, and “losing” excess verbiage. She’s a good mentor, hard worker, and in many cases, has ultimately become a good friend.
Specialties
- Detailed written critique/evaluation of your manuscript that asks questions, points out conflicts, confused timelines, characterization difficulties, etc., in the manuscript itself so the guide is always there for you to follow as you rework it.
- Mentor you with creative ideas, and guide you through the whole gamut of what’s what in the publishing industry (i.e.: whether traditional or self-publishing is best for you).
- Hands on content edit (aka copy-edit, aka line edit), structural/stylistic edit of your manuscript, doing everything to get your manuscript ready for a traditional agent, a traditional editor, a self-publishing company, or ready for submission to an e-publisher.
- Work with you on a query and/or synopsis when the manuscript is ready for publication, should you want that.
Copyediting, proofreading, developmental, substantive and structural editing, fiction book critiques
ARLENE FERGUSON has developed and edited 500+ full-length manuscripts in a variety of genres since 1996. Her clients include women’s fiction author Angie Daniels, London Times best-selling nonfiction author Catherine G. McCall, Bram Stoker Award-long listed Sue Dent, award-winning Young Adult author Hannah R. Goodman, AFCW-nominated Christian fiction author Laura Frantz, and award-winning journalist and Huffington Post contributor Daleen Berry. Arlene welcomes new or published authors as clients, and enjoys helping journalistic, business and academic writers transform their writings into marketable, polished products for mainstream readers.
“This was my first time using an editor, and boy did I hit the jackpot! Arlene not only obviously knows her stuff, she is a pleasure to work with.” “Arlene is everything you want in an editor: thorough, timely and accommodating. If it weren’t for her, I certainly would not have landed a publisher for my manuscript. Not only was her editing topnotch, her advice on everything about publishing was very helpful. Arlene really cares about the work she does and it shows!”
DAVID ROSE has edited more than seventy published books, both fiction and nonfiction. Dave appreciates the interdependence of clear writing with clear thinking. He enjoys helping writers clarify their language and their thoughts, analyzing arguments, plot lines, and pointing out issues or inconsistencies that detract from a good story. Dave likes how the process of writing, rewriting, and editing leads to that aha moment of—yes, that is what I want to say, and I’ve said it well. Dave respects a writer’s individual style, keeping voice and tone intact while ensuring for consistency, correct grammar, and usage.
Dave earned a BFA in Film from New York University and an MA from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. He is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and the American Copy Editors Society.
Dave got his start as a business reporter and went on to write for major corporations. He’s experienced in business and investment writing, book editing, communication planning, and public policy research. In addition to his editing, Dave writes for a wealth management advisor, developing web content and keeping clients abreast of market developments through letters and research reports.
CAROLINE T. has been editing popular fiction for 20 years and has 200+ novels under her belt. Her ability to see the big picture, combined with an in-depth knowledge of today’s publishing market, makes her an invaluable partner in the editing and publishing process.
Editor for three New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling authors
A former in-house editor at Pocket Books—a division of Simon & Schuster, the premier New York City publisher of commercial and trade fiction—an outside editor for Harper Collins/Avon, and a reader for The Literary Guild and The Rhapsody Book Club, Caroline’s particular expertise is historical and contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and romantic suspense. Carla Neggers, Karen Robards and Andrea Kane—three New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling authors—had books edited by Caroline. She also specializes in suspense thrillers, crime fiction, amateur sleuths, sagas, inspirational romance, westerns, urban fantasy and African-American popular fiction. She holds workshops on the writer’s conference circuit and speaks at numerous venues to help advance the cause of popular fiction for women. Known for her accessibility, Caroline is available to answer any questions a client may have; from a simple inquiry regarding point of view switching, to a larger issue regarding career path. She is a hands-on editor, likes to put her blue pen to work, and enjoys brainstorming with writers. She is a mentor, a guide and a source of vast knowledge on the subject of popular fiction. Caroline offers content and developmental editing with commentary; minor line-editing if necessary, submission help, and career consulting.
ALI WILLIAMS is a well-published author and editor, with 10 years of experience in literary and genre fiction, and a strong literary background. Her work has been seen in The New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, and on National Public Radio. She is on the editorial board of noted literary magazine Brevity.
A successful veteran of the query process, Ali knows how to help you present your book in its very best form. She edits and critiques literary fiction and a broad range of genres, including romance, erotica, mystery, horror and young adult fiction, memoir and travel essays.
Editorial Services:
Manuscript Evaluation, Critique, with Editorial Letter: Receive feedback on the overall concept and execution of your manuscript, with questions and suggestions for further work.
Developmental Editing and Writing Assistance: Includes story-shaping and structural guidance.
Line-editing: Evaluaton and suggestions for improvement.
Copy-editing and Proofreading : Grammar and typo fixes.
Mentorship: Includes guidance for a specific publication or your writing career.
Query Coaching: Includes agent research.
Dramaturgy for Playwrights.