ALICE DAY has been an editor since 1988. After earning a graduate degree in creative writing at Brown University, she has worked at the book publishers Henry Holt and Company and Carroll & Graf Publishers. Writer Don Smith, whose awards include 19 regional Emmys, said of Alice Day, "She's the kind of editor every writer should be so lucky to have." Alice Day is an award-winning writer with four collections of poetry and a novel that have been published by nationally-recognized publishing houses. Kathleen Wakefield, whose novella won the 2008 Cleveland State University novella contest, said "that [Alice] has been an editor at a major New York publishing house gives her insight into that complicated world; that she is a poet, I believe, gives her the sensitivity to find the beauty of a writer's individual work." Alice Day has the skill and experience to focus on a writer's vision and help the writer realize it. She's a hands-on editor who's not afraid to cut words and offer insights. And she has a poet's sensitivity to language.

Fiction editing specialist
Fiction editor for numerous award-winning authors--Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award--and first-time novelists.
She does detailed manuscript evaluations, as well as developmental/substantive editing, and is also a skilled copy editor.

Her fiction specialties include short stories, novellas, literary fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, chick lit, thrillers, mysteries, and detective/crime novels.

"After researching many, many book editors, I chose Alice because I was impressed with her extensive list of accomplishments, both as an editor with top publishing houses and as a poet and author in her own right. [That she] actually managed to exceed my (already sky-high) expectations was quite a feat! She took a manuscript that had completely gone off the rails in terms of pacing and focus, and put it squarely back on track – somehow she was able to see through all the extraneous, meandering subplots and envision the work as it was meant to be. As my editor, Alice not only extracted (read: rescued) the core story from its runaway cast of supporting characters and sub motifs, but went on to cultivate the roots of that core story until it transformed into a road map of the simply but poignantly plotted, character-driven literary novel I had sat down to write more than two years before. In addition to several such fundamental plot fixes, Alice also provided a meticulous list, complete with page numbers, of every chronological inconsistency, every mix-up of a character’s name or background, and every oversight in which I had unintentionally and prematurely revealed plot twists and other information to the reader. I was blown away by how thoroughly she knew every detail of each and every character and minor event of the novel inside out, in just two weeks – in this way too, she had become more versed in my own novel than I was at that time. Throughout the editing process, Alice was very generous and patient with me in answering my millions of questions about her invaluable feedback and suggestions. I feel confident that I’ll not only be able to rewrite the novel in accordance with the new, cogent outline Alice helped me create, but also, to use this restructuring to push the narrative, and the writing, to its fullest literary potential."
- - Carrie Wharton-Hanford, first-time novelist

"As a novice, writing my first novel, I was amazed by Alice's ability to visualize my entire novel and make succinct comments that were specific to a particular sentence while referring to the structure and narrative of the entire work."
--Erik R. Brown, first-time novelist

"Alice is very professional, knows writing, knows the business. I hope she’s available for my next project. I not only received a professional editing of my piece, but peace of mind as well."” - Barbara Wade

"Alice Day is a clever, intelligent, thoughtful, and thorough editor. She is nurturing yet highly professional, with keen eyes and ears. She hones in on the heart and matter and delivers the goods…a goldmine for any writer."
--Taylor Barton, author of Hotheaded Saints and lyricist

"Alice Day is a joy to work with and someone I recommend most highly to other writers. She is a skillful, sensitive editor with excellent judgment and tremendous respect for an author's voice. Whether she's commenting on the overall arc of a story or zeroing in on a specific phrase or line of dialogue, her comments are always insightful and instructive."
--Amanda Filipacchi, author of Nude Men and Vapor

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