With grace and deftness, editor Shari MacDonald Strong has guided me to fine-tune my ten-years-in-the-making manuscript—catching accidentals, streamlining the melody, and calling out ill-timed metaphors. Shari’s a whiz, her deft comments buoyed by an extensive background in publishing. Her savvy observations and good-natured nudging urged me to do better with each word, phrase, and scene. She’s a conductor of storytelling, urging the violins to get louder and then softer—depending on the passage—and at long last, thanks to her, my novel sings. I recommend her highly to publishers and authors wanting to take manuscripts to the next level.
—Laura Stanfill, publisher, Forest Avenue Press
With my debut novel, I didn’t know what to expect from an editor. But the glowing praise I received in Shari’s initial letter, combined with her motivational comments and carefully worded challenges, were exactly what I needed. It’s not a stretch to say I felt blown away and ready to dig in to the editing experience. As I worked through my manuscript, it became clear that I was free to accept or reject her suggestions; but it was equally clear that the suggestions Shari made were almost always ones I wanted to say yes to because they would improve my work. I gained an incredible respect for what editors do, and my admiration has grown with each successive book.
By my third novel, Shari knew she could challenge me even more. A piece of the story seemed incomplete and she encouraged me to fill in the gap. I ended up adding an entire chapter as well as a new scene into an earlier chapter. I felt thrilled with the result and so did Shari. I’ve come away from that experience with renewed confidence in my writing and with a truly grateful heart.
—Terrie Todd, author, The Silver Suitcase, Maggie's War, and Bleak's Landing
Shari MacDonald Strong helped me tell my story with greater clarity and generosity than I could have hoped for on my own. While honoring my own voice and style, she was a reader's advocate who helped turn my manuscript into a book that would not only tell the story of my life but also become the kind of story that could change others.
—Ragan Sutterfield, author, This Is My Body: From Obesity to Ironman, My Journey Into the True Meaning of Flesh, Spirit, and Deeper Faith
Shari has all the qualities I look for in an editor: many years of expertise in her field, a genuine love of story, unwavering professionalism, and a lovely bedside manner with authors. I love sending clients her way!
—Christina Henry de Tessan, vice president of editorial, Girl Friday Productions