I write in a wide variety of genres and edit that way too. Former projects include literary and historical fiction, memoir, women’s commercial fiction, screenplays, YA and middle grade novels, children’s picture books and magazine stories. I’ve also coached and ghost-written memoirs and screenplays, freelanced as copyeditor for magazines and a newspaper, and worked in-house as managing editor and editor in chief of several magazines. Nonfiction book editing clients include Pearson Educational, Schneider Children’s Hospital, relationship therapist Dr. Jenn Berman, and Susan Parker Esq./Everyday Legal.
I can help edit your ebook, offer a developmental review of your novel or screenplay, copy-edit and line-edit your ready-to-go manuscript, and give an assessment of your book’s marketability. I can also ghost-write your memoir, help create a query letter, critique and edit your nonfiction book proposal, and/or nonfiction book project.
What kind of help do you need? Let’s define a couple of easy to confuse terms: A developmental assessment for fiction is an above-the-trees view of your manuscript, meaning fine-point consideration of important story pillar components like characterization, concept, plot, pacing, tone, theme, and marketability. I’ll tell you what I feel is working and why, and suggest ideas for changing things that are not.
Copyediting and line-editing are for manuscripts needing a final polish before submission or publication. Word choice is scrutinized, as well as sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and consistency of usage.
Testimonials
Susan’s first role was to look over my work and find a way to improve it, and I learned she always did a sensitive read. Now I go to her whenever I need a sensitive read on anything, from my writing to the situations life hands us, and she never fails to make a wonderful contribution to the moment. I trust her instincts implicitly.
Audrey Couloumbis, Newbery Honor winning novelist
Your summary exceeded my expectations. It was wonderful to have someone relate storytelling fundamentals to one of my own stories–it just brought it all home. These were concepts I have read about but could never quite apply until now. Your “jacket blurb” and a one-line summary were so dead-on I had to chuckle delightedly and say out loud, “Yeah, that’s what this book is about.” You gave me ideas for a new beginning, ending, chapter structure, characterizations and, of course, tonality. Best of all, it seems like something I can pull off because you gave me examples of when I made those connections. I am pretty fired up to get started, which was the outcome I hoped for.
Rob Eddy, novelist
Special thanks to Susan Krawitz, whose comments gently guided me in shaping my novel Fourteen Days to its final form. Mayet Ligad Yuhico
Susan,
I really appreciate all the encouragement and effort you put into this book.
Memoir writer/renowned rock climber Lynn Hill
When I needed an editor for my screenplay last summer, I considered hiring a screenwriter I’d recently met. But then I remembered Susan, who has tackled many genres in her writing career, including screenplay. We’d been in critique groups together off and on for 18 years. Should I actually hire her? A friend?
Well, I did! I knew with her highly positive attitude and respect for the creative process, she’d see my screenplay’s merits and know how to make it shine, which of course, she did. In addition to offering valuable insight into plot and character development, she provided proofreading and formatting talents as well. What I most admire about Susan is her belief that a literary work can be salvaged, reshaped, and polished until it sparkles. You just have to stick with it. Susan is a believer, and she’ll make you one, too.
Carol Shank
Susan Krawitz is that special editor who not only detects all the challenges within one’s own writing (mechanics, point of view and format), but she also has an eye for theme, structure and deeper meanings within your work. During what appeared to be a routine copy-editing of my second novel, we had to change the title. Susan shared what a good title should do, capture the essence of the story and create for the reader a sense of wonder and intrigue. Then she set off to explore accepted naval terminology and came up with two words that met her criteria and gradually gained acceptance by me and my immediate coterie of fans. Susan’s work is exemplary. She’s very responsive to queries and because she is a writer herself, she shares with you her own insights on the art and craft of one of the most important endeavors on the planet, self-expression. I recommend her without reservations and most enthusiastically. BRAVO ZULU!–John Barell, military thriller author
Susan was fantastic at helping ghostwrite my memoir. She was able to pull out the important details and aid in the flow of my thoughts. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and looked forward to our calls each week. I can’t wait to have something else to write about so that I can work with her again. —Jason Brinkerhoff
I love the changes you made with the formatting of the action scenes. It sounds much better! I often write screenplays like a book. I understand I need to keep it lean, but often get carried away.
I am very happy with the help you provided .–Joshua Asmar
Susan’s review of my screenplay covered all the bases, from nuts-and-bolts issues to story architecture. Her obvious enthusiasm and commitment to the project was mirrored by the tremendous effort evident in her suggested edits and commentary. And, all of this was per schedule.
Thank you.
—Mark Gordon
Thank you for your insightful comments, thorough edit, and meeting of our agreed-upon deadlines. You are a delight to work with.
—Lynn Lipinski, crime thriller author
I really enjoyed working with Susan. She’s an exceptional, detailed and practical editor. Not only was she able to polish and tighten my writing but she was able to help me extract the point I was trying to make. Her detailed summary notes to my memoir was incredibly helpful in finding areas needing clarification and more details. I highly recommend her editing services!
—Crystal Duffy
Contact
Every writing project is unique. For information on ways we can work together, including the kinds of writing samples to send and fees, please contact me at shkrawitz (at) gmail.com
Susan Krawitz 