Children’s Book Editors
Ever been caught by a child who knows you just skipped over a line while reading them their favorite story? Then you already understand the power of a well-written children’s book, and why it’s important to get the words just right.
You also already know that books children really treasure are tailored just for them, with age-appropriate language, believable story lines, and characters a lot like them who get in (and out of) all sorts of interesting trouble, just like they do.
The Value of a Professional Children’s Book Editor
An experienced editor never forgets that the best children’s fiction always has a message, but to capture a child’s interest and imagination, that message must come through a fun, creatively crafted, age-appropriate read.
Good editors for children’s books are familiar with the way young people speak and learn. They can critique and examine illustrations with the fresh eye of a young reader. They also understand the specific trends and nuances of writing for children.
To ensure that your work will appeal to your target audience, they can help you modify your manuscript to suit the reading abilities of children within your target age group.
Editors skilled in this unique genre also understand the basic elements of good fiction—character, conflict, plot, theme, setting and dialogue.
So, whether you’ve written a picture book, a children’s chapter book, a middle grade chapter book, or a young adult book, they can help you polish all these elements in your manuscript while ensuring a fun, engaging read.
Johanna Ehrmann
Jewish Topics, Judaica, Memoir, How-To, Inspirational
Johanna Ehrmann has been a freelance editor, copy editor, proofreader, and writer for more than twenty-five years. Having grown up in the center of a Jewish community, she is particularly adept at working on books with Jewish content. She is a graduate of Brandeis University and a long-time member of a world-renowned Jewish chorus that has honored her for her decades of leadership.
Johanna is eager to work on anything that “educates, inspires, or entertains,” to quote her public television station. Your nonfiction manuscript will benefit from her focused thinking and her clear-sighted editing.
Johanna is the author of eight books for young people (fiction and nonfiction, leveled readers, and graphic novels), published by Houghton Mifflin, Macmillan McGraw-Hill, and PowerKids Press.
Marlo Garner
Children's Books
Marlo Garner has been editing children's 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.
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).
Susan Maia Grossman
Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Magical Realism, Young Adult and Middle Reader, Books in Verse, Literary and Women’s Fiction, LGBTQIA topics, Short Stories, Nonfiction, Essays, Memoirs, Judaica, Comparative Religion and Modern Spiritualities, Folklore and Mythology, Science and Technology, Business
Publishing veteran and book doctor Susan Maia Grossman has been in the industry for more than 25 years. She worked in-house for major New York publishers Ace Books and Macmillan, read and edited manuscripts for Tor, Baen, and Random House Spectra (among others), and provides highly personalized guidance as an independent editor. Her recent writers have been recognized with honors that include the Lambda Literary Award nomination, the Moonbeam Children's Book Award, and Eric Hoffer Book Awards/Montaigne Medals Book Awards in nonfiction.
She works across the gamut of editorial services, providing critiques, mentorship, developmental editing, line editing, and copy editing, as well as helping with synopses, query letters, and cover copy. A graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop in science fiction and fantasy as well as a published author, she thinks of editing as a partnership and has a particular love for developing writers’ first manuscripts.
Ann Howard Creel
Congratulations on taking a step closer to achieving your writing goals. Even in today’s publishing climate, I believe it is still possible for new writers to enter the business and succeed. With little background, I was able to get twelve novels published including children’s middle grade fiction, young adult novels, and adult literature. I’ve worked with both small independent publishers, such as Roberts Rinehart and Brown Barn Books, and large publishing houses, such as Penguin Putnam and American Girl, and I’ve collaborated on a screenplay that took one of my novels to film for Hallmark Hall of Fame on CBS.
In addition, I’ve been editing professionally since 2007 and have helped numerous authors achieve their publishing goals. Writing is a creative endeavor done best when inspiration strikes, and I believe every writer has his or her unique story/stories and voice with which to tell it. That said, certain guidelines, skills, and techniques will make stories shine, and writers will always benefit from the help and support of experienced writers/editors.
I specialize in developmental editing of mainstream fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, narrative non-fiction, and memoir and would love to hear about your project and goals.
Floyd Largent
Science Fiction, Fantasy, Short Stories, Anthropology
Manuscript evaluations, developmental editing
Floyd Largent edits nonfiction, novels, and short stories. His first love as a fiction editor is science fiction and fantasy for young adults and adults, especially for works in which science, characterization, mystery, and unusual cultures play an important part.
In nonfiction he specializes in anthropology, history, science, spirituality (including religious and New Age), and memoirs.
Rachel Lawson
Rachel Lawson is a former college literature and writing instructor who offers excellence in comprehensive copyediting, line editing, and proofreading. Her strength lies in helping the author make his/her written voice shine in a highly readable, page-turning, memorable way.
Rachel specializes in the genre of Christian and spiritual/religious manuscripts, including children's books, memoirs, devotionals, and larger theological works. Rachel’s work as a copy editor, line editor, and proofreader for three Christian publishers has now reached 30 Christian books.
She ghostwrites author bios, back cover copy of books, and author websites.
Rachel also designs and formats book interiors for print or eBook distribution.
Rachel invites all writers, but is especially interested in supporting the efforts of Christian and spiritual/religious writers, pastors and theologians, mystics, memoirists, and children’s and young adult book authors. With Rachel, you can prepare to publish your unique voice in a polished, professional manner.
Gina Nelson
Christian YA and Adult Fiction, Nonfiction, Inspirational
A professional editor for over twenty years, Gina specializes in line editing and proofreading Christian fiction and nonfiction/inspirational books for young adult and adult readers.
She has worked with smaller publishers, such as 5 Fold Media (which launched The Passion Translation) and Anaiah Press, as well as large publishing houses, including Crossroad Publishing Company and Pearson.
Gina’s passion is working closely with authors to ensure their unique voices are maintained while polishing the grammar, punctuation, spelling, syntax, and word usage in their manuscripts.
Steven Severn
Award-winning New York Times best-selling ghostwriter, book doctor, editor, screenwriter, and writing coach. Mentored by an Academy Award-winning writer. Ghostwriter and consultant for eleven #1 best-selling books, including five New York Times #1 Children's books. I'm here to make your deepest dreams come true.
I mentored under Oscar-winning screenwriter Stewart Stern ("Rebel Without A Cause"). I served as consultant for the #1 best-sellers TEARS FOR MY CITY by Dean Dimitrieski and THE REVVED LIFE by Pastor Jeff Knight, and for Robert Beatty's #1 best-selling Children's novels SERAFINA AND THE BLACK CLOAK, SERAFINA AND THE TWISTED STAFF, and WILLA OF THE WOOD. In addition, my ghostwritten screenplay based upon a #1 best-seller was winner of Best Adaptation at two international script competitions.
Dreams are powerful. Dreams can transform you. Dreams come from a Higher Power, and can take you to your highest place. If you have a dream, or a vision, your heart yearns to see it come true. My calling is to help you write the words that can make your deepest dreams come true. I love taking all that passion and fire burning inside you and transforming your life stories, your dreams, your visions, and the deepest yearnings of your heart from the first spark of imagination into fire-breathing reality.
I'd love to help deliver your creative visions to the world, using the fire and passion of imagination, and the life-transforming power of your dreams.
Thank you for sharing your dreams with me.
SJ Sutton
Book Editor, Script and Screenplay Story Consultant, Publishing Consultant, Television and Film Industry Veteran
S. J. Sutton has worked in the book publishing and the film industries for thirty years.
In the film industry she worked as a story analyst and development consultant on feature film and television projects for DreamWorks, Disney, Showtime, and Lifetime, including L.A. Confidential (Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published), Get On Up, Enigma, HBO’s Vinyl, and Defending Your Life.
