Overview
I'm an award-winning author with 18 years of editing and publishing experience specializing in COPY EDITING, PROOFREADING, and QUERIES. I've edited hundreds of manuscripts from writers at all different stages (debuts to seasoned authors) and helped them develop successful submission packages. My clients have signed with top-tier agents and publishers (HarperCollins, Penguin, Simon and Schuster, Macmillan), become bestsellers (award-winning novel The Boat Runner), and earned multiple number-one spots on the Amazon charts (Nocturnal Admissions: Behind the Scenes at Legendary Nightclubs).
GENRES:
Literary, Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Action and Adventure, Sci-Fi, Romance, Biography, Memoir
WHAT TO EXPECT:
• An initial message exchange to build rapport and discuss your project and goals
• Feel free to ask questions throughout the entire process; I'm quick to respond
• I clean, tighten, and proofread your manuscript offering feedback in the margins
• Or edit and bolster your query and synopsis for agents and publishers
• All edits are completed using Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster
• I deliver two copies of the work, one with the edits showing, the other clean
• And off you go with your polished manuscript or submissions materials!
TESTIMONIALS:
• "Hiring Jonathan was the best writing-related decision I ever made. He reads all my work before I send it out, helped me sell my first novel, place dozens of stories in top-tier journals, and guided my writing to new depths." -- Dr. Devin Murphy, bestselling author of The Boat Runner
• "Jonathan helped raise my novel to a prizewinner with his skilled line and copy editing abilities." -- D. E. Lee, author of the prizewinning The Sky After Rain
BONUS INFO:
I'm a former bodybuilder and boxer who loves traveling, making handcrafted soap, thrifting, recycling, and volunteering.
Services
Fiction
Non-Fiction
Languages
Awards
- Black Heron Press Award for Social Fiction
Certifications
- MFA in Creative Writing - Fiction
- MFA in Creative Writing - Nonfiction
- BA in English and Fiction Writing
Work experience
Self-employed
For 18 years I've offered professional editorial services including copy edits, proofreading, line edits, critiques, and helped authors query agents and publishers. I happily work in a range of genres, though I specialize in literary, thriller, mystery, memoir, and translations; for manuscripts: novels, nonfiction books, and essay and story collections. I've also enjoyed coaching writers to reach the full breadth of their talents through encouraging emails, phone calls, notes, and comments.
Palooka Magazine and Palooka Press
Through Palooka and Palooka Press I've evaluated over 13,000 manuscripts, from fiction to nonfiction to poetry to drama to graphic narratives. I founded this literary magazine and press 14 years ago to create a space for writers and artists to have a truly fair shot at publication and the chance to be seen, read, and recognized without connections or prejudice.
Portfolio
Jonathan has 58 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
Devin C.
Nov, 2024
Paul O.
Nov, 2024
Kacey C.
Oct, 2024
William S.
Oct, 2024
Maggie G.
Sep, 2024
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