Jim Thomas – Editor

After more than twenty years at Random House in New York City, I’m out on my own, specializing in what brought me to publishing in the first place: Editing.

It’s a passion. When you entrust your story to me, I dedicate myself to it, surrounding myself with your characters, living your plot arcs, hearing your voice, and tracking your themes. I study your story from the inside out to see what more it can be, and offer strategies for how to get there.

My particular area of expertise is fiction for middle-school and high-school kids, but as a freelancer I've worked with writers on everything from romance to cyber thriller. I treat each of my writers as if they’re destined to be the next New York Times bestseller.

Take a look at the webinar I recorded for Reedsy about the old writer's axiom "show, don't tell:" https://blog.reedsy.com/live/show-dont-tell-rule-reason

If you’re ready to invite a professional editor into your process, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s dive in!

“The gold standard of editors. Jim's sensitivity to divining an author’s intent is uncanny. He possesses the requisite skills of a midwife, and the bedside manner of a beloved small town doctor. I can’t envision the project that wouldn’t benefit from his discerning eye.”
—Mark Frost, New York Times bestselling author of The Paladin Prophecy, and co-creator of Twin Peaks

“Jim is an excellent coach, one gifted with an eye for potential and an intuition for how to realize it. He sees where I’m pulling my punches and shows me where I can jump higher. Dumbfoundingly, I jump higher, and then I do it again.”
—Rachel Hartman, New York Times bestselling author of Seraphina and Shadow Scale

“Jim Thomas achieves a perfect balance between an editor’s two contradictory jobs: to be thoroughly picky and at the same time constantly encouraging. He made me stop and think, and he made me eager to keep going. I could not have had a better editor.”
—Jeanne DuPrau, New York Times bestselling author of The City of Ember