A few comments my clients have volunteered about my work:
Can’t remember the last time I received editing notes that helped me as much as yours, with such clarity. BTW, not only did you show me great streamlining options, but you also helped me notice patterns in my writing so that I could find yet more big cuts on my own.
It’s already such a better book! So grateful I found you. Thanks a million.
—Cara Lopez Lee, Candlelight Bridge (Spring 2024)
In word and deed, Jennifer embodies the concept that an editor’s job is to enhance the writer’s work and honor their intent. Her editing of both of my novels highlighted her keen story sense and delicate feel for pacing. What a joy it was for me to work with an editor whose only goal was to make my work shine. Despite being set in a story world—professional aviation—that was new to her, Jennifer’s comments and suggestions were sharp and precise. I’d also like to highlight her professionalism—deadlines were scrupulously met. I cannot imagine putting my name on the cover of a book unless Jennifer has edited it.
—Robin “R. D.” Kardon, bestselling author of Flygirl and Angel Flight
A talented editor, with a true sense of plot, pacing, and tone. By working with Jennifer, your manuscript will become the book you hope it to be. My novel, The Last Getaway, would not have became an IBPA Award winner without her guidance. She is precise, insightful, and kind. I continue to turn to her with each new book and highly recommend you get in line with me.
—Clay Savage, author of the award-winning novel The Last Getaway
Jennifer brought her considerable story-editing expertise to the project and showed me very specifically how—and where—to cut the 502-page manuscript, to make it better. At Huckleberry House, our books represent our brand, and the results speak for themselves: the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for Popular Fiction, the San Diego Book Award Gold Medal for Contemporary Fiction, and the Readers’ Favorite Book Award Silver Medal for Literary Fiction. With this book, my career as a writer was forever changed. I credit Jennifer for The Dining Car’s considerable success.
—Eric Peterson, author of the award-winning novel The Dining Car
Wow, I’ve read the edited manuscript twice now and I love it. It reads and feels like my writing, but better. With the exception of about six changes, I can’t tell the difference between what I wrote and what you fixed. Now that I know I love everything you did, I’m going to go through the line edits one at a time and try to learn why it’s so much better.
— Oz Monroe, author of the (multiple) award-winning debut novel Soil-Man
Finding the right editor is crucial to one’s success. Luckily, I found Jennifer Silva Redmond; she's been a wonderful editor and writing coach. Her editing approach is highly professional and multi-layered. First, her keen eye noticed the highlights of my manuscript and pinpointed the areas for improvement in plot, character, and style. Experienced at her craft, she guided my story in a clear, progressive direction, while making insightful suggestions that ultimately enhanced the narrator’s voice and overall story. In the final stages, she cleaned up my manuscript with precise copy-editing and wise cuts—finding those unnecessary words or sentences that fell into my blind spots. Aside from all the editing nuts and bolts, she was supportive and encouraging throughout the entire writing process. If you are serious about improving your craft, growing as a writer, and publishing quality work, I highly recommend Jennifer’s editing services!
—Dominic Carrillo, author of the acclaimed, award-winning YA novels The Unusual Suspects and The Improbable Rise of Paco Jones
Thank you, Jennifer, for your vision and skill in editing my book into a beautifully sculpted story. Your ability to intuit what the story needed was just amazing to me. It doesn’t hurt that you’re a sailor and my story is about sailing, and for that specific reason I feel even more blessed to have found you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
—Leslie Johansen Nack, author of the (multiple) award-winning Fourteen, A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival
I knew, from attending Ms. Redmond's workshops, that she had a gift for discerning not just the meat of a storyline, but the bones of it as well. Still, I can't believe how strong my story was after her input. She helped me bring the theme into focus, which was exactly what I needed. I can't thank her enough, and will certainly be using her services again.
—Gayle Carline, author of two popular mystery series and From the Horse's Mouth: One Lucky Memoir
In my almost thirty-year career in freelance writing, I've worked with many editors. I love working with an editor who not only understands what I'm trying to accomplish but can improve the telling of my tales. In order to do that, the editor must understand—have a sense of—the writer's voice. It's that intangible that makes the difference in the final product any writer produces. Jennifer Silva Redmond became my editor years after Deadly Little Secrets was first crafted. Her excitement about my novel and her understanding of my characters—especially my protagonist's voice—made my book better. I will always be grateful. —Marla Miller, Deadly Little Secrets
I knew, from attending Ms. Redmond's workshops, that she had a gift for discerning not just the meat of a storyline, but the bones of it as well. Still, I can't believe how strong my story was after her input. She helped me bring the theme into focus, which was exactly what I needed. I can't thank her enough, and will certainly be using her services again.
—Gayle Carline, author of two popular mystery series and From the Horse's Mouth: One Lucky Memoir
In my almost thirty-year career in freelance writing, I've worked with many editors. I love working with an editor who not only understands what I'm trying to accomplish but can improve the telling of my tales. In order to do that, the editor must understand—have a sense of—the writer's voice. It's that intangible that makes the difference in the final product any writer produces. Jennifer Silva Redmond became my editor years after Deadly Little Secrets was first crafted. Her excitement about my novel and her understanding of my characters—especially my protagonist's voice—made my book better. I will always be grateful. —Marla Miller, Deadly Little Secrets
Jennifer did superb work, delivering everything—content/plot and line edits—as promised and on time. She was a delight to work with and by the time she was finished, she knew my characters as well as I did. —Kurt Kamm, The Lizard’s Tale
Thank you so much, Jennifer, for your specific, supportive, and scintillating help with my manuscript. You encouraged me to keep at it, even in the face of rejections, while you made concrete observations and suggestions I was able to implement. I know your suggestions about how to start my manuscript, and even the title change, are factors that resulted in getting a contract to publish my first culinary mystery. I am most appreciative! —Sharon Arthur Moore, Mission Impastable (Oak Tree Press)
I so appreciate you bringing your keen editorial eye and expertise to my manuscript. Your comments helped me meet my goal of making my story, characters, and setting as authentic as possible.
—Helen Landalf, Flyaway http://www.helenlandalf.com
Jennifer has helped with the preparation, editing, and marketing of two of my books. It was delightful working with someone so professional, knowledgeable, encouraging and graced with such a great sense of humor.
—Graham Mackintosh, author of four books on Baja California. www.grahammackintosh.com
Jennifer Redmond was an exhilarating editor to work with because she was always thinking beyond the options immediately at hand, imagining and then realizing new possibilities and contacts, extending herself far beyond the requirements of her position. I could take the competence for granted; what stimulated me was the reaching out, the imagination.
—Bruce Berger, Almost An Island, There was a River, End of the Sherry http://www.bruceberger.net/
It's hard finding someone who is an expert editor who tells you the truth about your writing and gives you thoughtful suggestions for improvement. I have found that perfect editor in Jennifer Silva Redmond.
—Bette Blaydes Pegas, Chasing a Dream in the Galapagos http://www.betteblaydespegas.com/
As an editor, Jennifer understood my objectives and helped me to realize them.
—Harry Crosby, author of Gateway to Alta California, Portrait of Paloma http://www.harrywcrosby.com/author
Writing fiction did not come easy to me; my initial efforts burgeoned into a whopper of a book, 380 pages. Enter Jennifer. I turned over the manuscript. When she got back to me, I was devastated by her initial advice—huge cuts. I’d wanted someone to come in and divine where the structure of the story lay, and Jennifer did. Little did I know that that would include a scalpel knife and exacto blade. On a second pass, she came back with more suggested cuts. Her edits streamlined the story, made it punchier, edgier. The final thrust came with the line edit, where Jennifer worked pockets of words into a cleaner format, a more readable end game….the finished product was down to 230 clean pages. We’d cut 150. And I didn’t miss those words at all.
—Jeanine Kitchel, author of Wheels Up—A Novel of Drugs, Cartels and Survival
Jennifer and I have just finished completing my second novel. No manuscript is complete until it has been edited, and no manuscript is more complete than when Jennifer edits it. You think you've produced the best you possibly can, and then Jennifer shows you -- in stunning scope and detail -- that there was so much more best in you.
But five-star editing is just one critical service she provides. Wielding the experience of years of publishing (she was, after all, an acquisition editor herself), she provided invaluable advice as a publishing consultant -- vastly improving my website, and assisting in a search for an agent.
Put simply, for me, a quest to produce a published work without the aid of Jennifer is not misguided, it is suicide. —Blaine C. Readler www.readler.com
Jennifer you are amazing and I sincerely mean that! I am in awe, and absolutely love how you take a long sentence and cut it down to a few words, without changing its meaning and still encapsulating what I was trying to say or convey—you expertly did this throughout the manuscript.
I've been going to conferences from East coast to West coast, and even to London, looking for the right person to help me edit my manuscript. I've picked up good advice here and there, but none who could see the vision of how I was trying to tell my story. You heard my voice and stayed in it.
With you working on a manuscript, the writer does not have to be afraid that their work is going to look foreign or unrecognizable when they get it back. They can trust Jenny Redbug with their newborn, and know she'll take good care of it. I'm so grateful.
— Dianne Miller, author of The High Priestess and the Half-Blood Prince
You're more than an editor. You have been a thoughtful, attentive, and skilled midwife for the birth of my novel. I feel more confident bringing my creation into the world now that I've benefited from your insightful and generous guidance. —Orit Arfa, The Settler
Jennifer is truly amazing with her sharp focus for any and all problems, offering alternative suggestions or possible corrections for wrong turns or missed bets, and helping me to be a much better writer overall.
—"Padre Timo" Tunks, freelance writer and monthly columnist for the Marina Mariner.
