Marlo Garner

Children’s Book Writer, Editor, and Illustrator

MARLO GARNER has been editing books and teaching writing since the late 1990s. She teaches Writing for Children’s Books (picture books), Writing Chapter Books for Children, and various other writing and revision workshops.

She also works in an editorial advisory capacity, and a copyeditor and illustrator for a number of independent or educational publishers.

Her chapter book series—which contains numerous poems and rhyming verse—was released in 2010, and she is the author and/or illustrator of a number of other published books for children, including a picture book for Internet security giant AVG.

Marlo received first place in the ‘published’ division of the New England SCBWI 2013 illustration awards.

She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) .

Marlo’s Services

Copyediting and proofreading
Developmental/substantive editing
Cover letters, query letters (free with contracted service)
Correct formatting and understanding the submission process
Critiques, writing instruction and mentorship
Children’s books: picture books, poetry, magazine submissions, chapter books, young adult, children’s non-fiction.
Chapter books and young adult nonfiction
Literary fiction, crime, fantasy
Illustration, illustration critiques and advice for aspiring illustrators

Education

Rhode Island School of Design
Certificate of Children’s Book Illustration
Certificate of Natural Science Illustration
Diploma of Travel Writing
Certificate of Desktop Publishing
Council of Adult Education
Writing for Children

Writing for Children: Published Editing Projects

The Galaxy Watch by Michelle Izmaylov (Mercury Publishing, Inc. 2009)
My Magic World (Magic World Media 2009)
Jig, Jiggle, Sneeze (Magic World Media 2009)
The Instructions for You (Magic World Media 2009)
Grandma’s Place by James Stead (Windy Hollow Books 2008)
Jeremiah Bloom and the Amulet of Osiron(Blackbeard Books 2008)
Yes, I Can: The Story of Jim Wyllie by Robert S. Wyllie (Exeter Associates 2008)
The Murderer’s Club by PD Martin (Macmillan Books 2006)
Body Count by PD Martin (Macmillan Books 2005)
The NOLS Cookery by Claudia Pearson (Stackpole Books 1997)
Cream & Pumpkin Scones by Aaron McPhail (agented)

Testimonials

“Marlo did an amazing job in making my book nicer, easier and clearer to read. The rhythm is smooth and flows perfectly now. She made important remarks on my writing in relation to the age of my readers. Marlo found areas that would have been a mistake to leave as is. She saved my book from being misunderstood. I was very fortunate she knew what I really wanted to express and thanks to her my book now totally make sense. All her suggestions were thorough and clear. It was easy for me to understand them and find a way to rewrite what need to be changed. She did a lot of rewriting for me and I am very pleased with it.” -Anne

“I don’t usually write children’s books, so it was helpful to find someone who knew the field well. It’s difficult to find editors or consultants online using a basic search; a centralized system made it a lot easier.”

“New and very passionate about writing, I found myself with many great ideas, but not a lot of direction and structure. Marlo did a wonderful job at getting my story on track. She has a great instinct for knowing exactly where the characters and story need strengthening and developing. Her knowledge and advice are invaluable. I will definitely seek Marlo’s services again and again.” – Heather Harmon

“The network responded quickly to my request to find a copy editor for my project. Marlo is fantastic!! I can’t say enough about her and the work/help she provided on my project. Not only is her work great, but she is also very good with people/communication and that to me is just as important. I’d love to work with her again and would refer her to others in the blink of an eye. Thanks so much for putting us together!” – Rodney Beckwith

“Marlo is wonderful! She bulls-eyed our weaknesses, and our strengths, and helped advance our craft more in few months than we had in the first five years of our writing and self-publishing middle-grade adventures.” -Chris and Annie Palmer

“Marlo … is a far greater editor than any I have ever worked with. She did far more than simply read and comment upon my text, as others have done. Marlo worked with me extensively to develop my characters and plot into something of incredible beauty and fluidity. She dedicated her time to my novel, often working late into evening and in the early hours of morning to complete her task. Marlo took my book beyond the extraordinary. She has an instinct and passion for the fine and poignant; a talent for enriching even the most ordinary of text. She breathed new life into every word, every line, every striking sentence!” Michelle Izmaylov

“I’m very pleased with my decision to use the network services. Marlo was exactly what I was hoping for in an editor. Her copyediting was clean, and her substantive and developmental suggestions were spot on. She identified areas of my manuscript that needed work and made specific suggestions while remaining respectful of my tone and style.” – Kimbra Cutlip

“Marlo was incredibly helpful to our project. Her advice has vastly improved our book, and she did her work promptly. She is an amazing professional and I would love to use her again for upcoming projects.” – Sylvia Westphal

“Marlo was extraordinarily helpful. She taught me things that I didn’t know I didn’t know! She has been a tremendous help and I would highly recommend her.” -Tammy Gordon (editing/critique)

“I feel that Marlo surpassed my expectations in many ways, especially her specific notes in my manuscript critique. She was right on with her comments. My story feels so much more polished now. I’m very happy with the results.”

“Marlo not only edited my manuscript beautifully, she got my story and my characters. Her comments were insightful and sensitive. Many times I thought, I can’t believe I didn’t see that! This was my first time using an editor, and it was money well-spent.”

“Marlo’s editing and critique of my manuscript were superior in every way. As a first time writer, I was not familiar with what to expect from editing. Marlo provided invaluable insights about my story that far exceeded my expectations. As well, she most kindly shared a wealth of writing resources to encourage my development as a writer. My recommendation of her expertise is without qualification. Thank you so much for creating this great resource for working with editing professionals.”

“I know I am a neophyte writer, and it may be considered faint praise, but Marlo is terrific! If anything comes from this project a large part of its success will be due to her work and encouragement. I am so glad I chose Marlo.” -Joseph Barbaccia

“I am very pleased with the service I received. I requested Marlo though the book editing network and heard back from her very quickly. She clearly outlined what services she could provide along with a quote for services. The results were exactly what I was looking for: an unbiased, clear appraisal of my work along with concrete suggestions of how to improve my story. I would strongly recommend Marlo’s services to any writer who needs help bringing their words to life.”

“If my manuscript makes it to the bookshelves, I have Marlo to thank for it. It’s hard to imagine that you could get a better consultant than her.”

“Marlo was very professional and easy to work with. I would definitely work with her again. She has tremendous insight. Her critique made a lot of sense to me and showed me where I needed improvement. I’m a new writer of non-fiction and Marlo showed me that I needed a more in-depth article. She offered a lot of encouragement.”- Diane Scholte

“I felt very comfortable using this network to find an editor for my manuscript. As a first time author I was quite aware of the possibility of being taken advantage of, but it was quickly clear that the services provided were not only legitimate, but highly professional. I am confident that I made a good choice. Marlo was professional, prompt, courteous, honest, and respectful in every regard. She was exactly what I was looking for. She patiently answered any and all questions I had about the editing process, and also gave me valuable insight that is assisting me beyond the editing process and will continue to assist me in the years to come. Her critique opened my eyes to the things that I, as an embedded writer, could no longer see in my book; things that were necessary for me to embrace in order to make my manuscript really shine. And her copyedit turned a story that merely flowed, into one that sang. I truly look forward to working with her in the future. The frightening process of handing my first book over to someone to edit was made much less daunting by finding your network to use, and then by being lucky enough to work with Marlo.”

“Marlo did an amazing job! Thorough editing with kind words to motivate and encourage. She allowed me to see things from a different perspective and pointed things out that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own She also provided lots of follow up information for me to proceed with my novel as well as ways for me to continue to learn and grow. I feel it was money well spent and would encourage others to hire her! If you want to improve your novel, this is the way to go.”

“Marlo made me think about things that I had not even considered. Her alternate perspective on my work made me realize that I had not read my work from the viewpoint of a new reader. Marlo’s honesty was invaluable.”

“I LOVED how you made suggestions about how to expand certain parts of the novel. You didn’t just take a red pen and slash through my ideas to insert yours. I felt some of the other samples turned MY novel into THEIR novel. I appreciate that you didn’t do that. You are quite gifted and you should consider teaching a writing/editing course online, I feel you would be a great asset to many writers.” – Sherry Gammon

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