Testimonials

"Melissa has a gift when it comes to looking at other people's manuscripts. She sees the entire picture. She is thorough and efficient, and she offers positive suggestions and comments to improve written work. Melissa knows exactly what to do and what to say to help make a manuscript the best it can be.""

—Cathy Stefanec Ogren, author of Thar She Blows, The Adventures of Archie Featherspoon, The Sly P.I., and many articles for children's magazines

"Melissa's wealth of experience on both sides of the author/editor relationship equips her with valuable insight on the full range of writing issues, from word choice to continuity to crafting for particular markets. She treated my work with great respect, reinforcing the novel's strengths while offering valuable suggestions for improvement. I would trust Melissa with any work of mine."

—Susan Richmond, poet, freelance curriculum developer, aspiring children's author

"Melissa is both perceptive and precise. She pays attention to the wide, basic issues involved in what a writer is trying to say, as well as to the exactness of grammar and punctuation. She understands the children's book market, so she can give valuable advice about the marketability of a manuscript and which publisher might be interested."

—Janice Lindsay, author of The Milly Stories

"No matter how crisp I feel my story is, Melissa always manages to find those few words and phrases that add nothing to the forward momentum of the story. She also has a knack for seeing the overall picture: what plot line works or doesn't work, if the language and subject matter is appropriate for the targeted age group, where a story should really start or end."

—Joannie Duris, leader of the Concord, MA SCBWI critique group and author of stories published in Wonder Time, Cricket, and Ladybug