Roger K. Allen, Ph.D., motivational novel, mystical, The Hero's Choice: "I was extremely fortunate to happen upon Charol Messenger and her editing service. I felt very good about my manuscript when I sent it to Charol for a final line edit, a minor tweaking. And I was shocked when I got back a few pages of Charol's sample editing. But as I studied the changes she made, my shock turned into delight. Charol's suggestions greatly improved the readability of my book. She made the writing more succinct, powerful and visual. I am very happy with her service and will definitely use her on my upcoming books." (comprehensive line edit on paper improved active verbs and character visuals with dialogue, averaged 6.25 pages/hour)
Alderin Ordell, The Ghosts of Stonewall: “Hey Charol, I'm very impressed. Wordiness has been a struggle for me my whole life … You are great at trimming the fat and fixing my mechanical problems.” (2005-2010, four parts, developmental editing, work in progress, first edits on paper average 5 pages/hour)
James Cosner, Vietnam memoir, narrative nonfiction: "Charol ... restructured sentences and paragraphs and, while leaving the basic content the same, tightened the narrative and gave it a better flow. She was able to capture my humor, emotions, and subtleties and sharpen them. I am grateful for her service and patience." Faith Under Fire: Recollections of a Sky Pilot in Vietnam, retired Army Major chaplain (action, humor, dialogue) (copyedit...line edit on paper)
Philip K. Rhyu, inside true story of North Korea. "I am so immensely satisfied with Charol Messenger’s work on my [thriller] novel The Liberation Symphony. I recommend her to any aspiring novelist and writer who is undertaking a book project. She has impressed me with her professionalism par excellence through her editing in a judicious and timely manner. She has improved my writing with her creative enhancements and suggestions offered in the editing process."
Excellent story and characters. Terrific drama! Jan-June 2009. Developmental edit on computer included reconstruction and embellishments for plot flow, character development, and some dialogue. This once-through creative rewrite tightened from 775 to 596 pages, and averaged a half hour per original manuscript page.) Averaged 835 pages/hour on computer. Synopsis, outline, query brought serious interest from two major publishers.
Robert Adams: "Beside helping me with technical matters you've given me a lot to think about with regard to how I may wish to treat, as well as describe, my characters. It will be a challenge -- and I'm certain, fun -- to flesh out my story.... I'm not certain I'll pursue things to the full-blown novel stage, my novellas being just an enjoyable passtime for now. However, time will tell. In any event, you've provided me with exactly the knowledge I was seeking, and I'm certain my rewrite will show dramatic improvements.... Thank you so much."
Replies by next business day
Novels
Award-winning editor and author
- 46 client novels in all genres
Specializing in mysteries, thrillers, suspense, paranormal, light humor.
Comprehensive line, content, structural, developmental, editing. Now done on PC, in Word, Track Changes (for the most efficient applications of the extensive revisions made). (On paper available)
Genres to-date: Suspense, action, mystery, political thriller, drama, motivational, saga, western, sci-fi, comedy, paranormal, mystical (2), true story, parables
63 Short Fiction include:
8 manuscript heavy critiques
2 juvenile novels
12 children’s picture books
27 short stories - including “Your First Cutting Horse” by Mike Ruddy, full polish/rewrite, published by the first magazine to which he submitted
Fiction training:
- 50 years studying craft of storytelling
- 5 courses of study, plus a B.A. in English, concentrating on creative writing and literature, plus journalism
- 2 workshops with Hollywood screenwriters (Dec. 2003, 1987)
- 70+ how-to writing books studied and applied, plus hundreds of writer magazines
- 45+ professional critiques and evaluations, editors and agent feedback, teachers and unbiased readers feedback of my own personal writing
- completed original paranormal suspense screenplay
Testimonials
Ocean Palmer: "Editors are like dentists; writers need them more than want them. Mine’s a monster talent in a pint-sized package. Best of all, she’s a great teacher and I’m lucky and grateful to have her. Charol, I really enjoy working with you. You teach me a lot and challenge me to get better. I’m proud to have you on my team…. Thank you for making PIGGY a story worth telling." Seven book projects edited include these novels: The Rise and Fall of Piggy Church; Tuki Banjo, Superstar; and Highway to Somewhere, business parable co-authored with Scott Dow. Submission Critique written for Piggy landed a New York agent who brokered a film deal. (fiction first edits were 1300, 1600, 2100 wd/hr on paper only; the stronger and clearer the plot flow and character developments, the faster it went) SAMPLE LINE EDIT GOOD WRITING
Timothy J. Rizzi, best-selling author of political thrillers, Echo of the Bismarck: "Working with Charol Messenger has been a pleasure. Her professionalism, skill, and thoroughness are second to none. Throughout my writing career, I’ve worked with a number of gifted editors. None of them have combined the technical aspect of writing with the delicate balance of creativity that keeps a novel flowing as well as Charol. She deftly shapes complex scenes, dialogue and descriptions, helping to make them clear and crisp. I recommend Charol to any writers who take their craft seriously and are looking for a steady hand on the pen to help guide them."
Henry Schulte, light mystery, Misery Loves Company (full polish to publication, on computer once-thru averaged 1100 words/hour):
"A special thanks to my book editor, Charol Messenger, who helped me bring it all together and was my sounding board at a time when I really needed the extra support. Charol’s exceptional technical and creative skills brought this labor of many years to final fruition, for which I am enormously grateful….
"When I received the first few pages Charol Messenger edited for me as an example of her work, I was stunned. The pages were scribbled with notes, lines crossed out, sentences rearranged. I thought she had to be kidding. I was certain my work only required a few changes and a once over before it would be ready to send agent shopping. It took a few days and rereading those first sample pages before I realized she was right.
"Once we started working together, it became even more apparent that I had chosen the perfect editor. Charol stayed focused and became as much a part of the novel as I was. She cared about the characters and how they were defined, their voice and the consistency required to make the novel flow. Her attention to detail forced me to become an even better writer. It was a pleasure working with someone who cared as much about my work as I do and turned what I thought was a decent piece of work into a clean, well-structured, and perfectly edited manuscript....
"I like the fluid way things move now. I have had a tendency to get too wordy, rather than keep sentences tighter and keep the momentum going. What I considered humps, you smoothed out. I like everything you’ve done, especially where I’m at right now where you created more tension when Erica was getting kidnapped by switching the point of view back and forth.
"I look forward to working with Charol next year on my new novel and hopefully many more books to follow. Charol, I appreciate all your effort very much and I can’t wait to see my novel in print. You have been most helpful in many aspects beyond the editing. Being there over the past few weeks when taking it to the next level has helped me enormously. Thank you so much for doing such an excellent job." (full polish to publication took two drafts on computer; 300 pages, 200 hours) SAMPLE FULL POLISH
Denis Gessing, family saga, mystical, Midnight and the Magical Prairie Schooner.
"Superb!!!! Very clever and insightful. Especially the three big T’s. Ha. Good thinking.... I trust your edits more than anyone else I have worked with.... Thank goodness that when I needed her, The Writing Doctor was in. I had no idea how much my novel could benefit from Charol’s skillful surgery. I gave her words (way too many) and she refined, streamlined, and gave them more strength and clarity. It felt like Charol was always with the story and knew where it was going without needing to be told. Her work also reminded me how easy it is to get careless with the craft . . . and the need for a sharp, yet compassionate, scalpel. Changes were only as painful as I allowed them to be. After a while I was able to let go and trust that the good doctor would do exactly what I wanted her to do: Take the work to the next level, publication, and sales. I look forward to submitting my next three novellas to Charol for the three big "T's": Tightening, Trimming, Tweaking. Note to first-time self-publishing novelists: Long before you budget for the printer, budget for a good editor. From my experience, Charol Messenger is one of the best.” SAMPLE HEAVY EDIT
