Sally Apokedak

Sally Apokedak – Editor

Literary agent specializing in children's lit. I edit and sell General Market (big NY houses) and Christian Market (Tyndale, etc.) books.

Overview

I'm an agent, publisher, and freelance editor with over 20 years experience in General Market children's books, and in books for all ages in the Christian market. Books I've edited have won major awards and one series has sold over a million copies.

If you are writing novels, I can help you


1) find a vibrant voice that will make your books sing

2) build rich story worlds that will draw readers in and hold them captive

3) create active characters your readers will love (even long after they finish reading)

4) plan and execute twisting plots that will surprise and delight your readers

5) weave in meaningful themes so your readers will finish your books with a satisfied sigh.


I also have tons of experience editing board books and picture books. With these I can help you with plot (or concept), character development, voice (rhyme and meter and words that wow!), page turns (pace), and theme.

And, after reading tens of thousands of query letters, I can tell you very quickly if your query letter is going wrong and help you shape a letter that will grab an agent or editor's interest and make them flip to the manuscript and give it a read.

I do work on adult nonfiction and novels, but my first love is the children's market. Great children’s books entertain and also teach. The best books show children how to love well, cherish beauty, and think deeply; and they give children the courage to live heroic lives. With every edit I do, I strive to help authors write and publish books that are excellently crafted--books that will entertain children and also encourage them to live large.

Services
Non-Fiction
Children’s Non-Fiction Christian Non-Fiction
Fiction
Christian Fiction Fantasy Middle Grade Picture Books Young Adult Fantasy
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • SCBWI WIP grant 2008
  • ECPA bestselling books over a hundred times
  • Edgar nomination
  • Realm Award Debut Winner
  • Foundations Scholarship
  • ACFW Genesis Spec-fic Winner
  • ACFW Genesis YA finalist
  • Sunshine State Young Readers Award
  • Georgia Children's Book Award nomination
  • Christian Book of the Year nomination
  • YAYOMG! Award
  • Creative Child Preferred Choice Award
  • Realm Award Book of the Year Finalist
  • Realm Award YA Finalist

Work experience

Self-employed

Mar, 2017 — Present
I own a small, traditional publishing company (I pay advances and royalties) with an eclectic list, including YA fantasy, MG poetry, picture books, novels, and even nonfiction.

Udemy

Dec, 2015 — Present
I have four writing courses up on Udemy that cover Voice, Plot, Punctuation, and Query Letters. I have over 7000 students enrolled who live in over 90 countries.

Self-employed

Sep, 2012 — Sep, 2024 (about 12 years)
Specializing in children's books, I have a select few authors, including the award-winning and best-selling Hannah C. Hall and Taryn Souders.

Self-employed

Sep, 2001 — Present
--I’ve done editorial assessments for SCBWI conferences for years. I'm honest, but I've never made a writer cry. I point out where the writer excels, as well as areas needing improvement. --In developmental edits I focus on story world, character, plot, pace, and theme. These all work to pull readers in, keep pages turning, and provide satisfying endings. --In copy edits, I focus on voice. I look for places to use figures of speech, I consider how words sound, and I look at pacing and description. --I’ve gotten tens of thousands of queries. I can help you write a strong query letter. --When editing picture books, I look all of the above—character, plot (or structure in concept books and nonfiction), voice, theme, pacing (page turns), descriptions, and so on. I also consider what kind of opportunities the author has given the illustrator.

Portfolio

Made with Reedsy
Woolly Bear: With Fuzzy Yellow Hair Wants to be a Moth.

Bean, Dr. Persnickety

DrPersnicketyBean

Developmental Editing
May I Please Have a Dog?

Pulley, Kelly

I Pray You'll Be . . .

Hall, Hannah C.

The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle

Souders, Taryn

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading Query Letter Review
Coop Knows the Scoop

Souders, Taryn

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading Query Letter Review
Feelings Bouquet

Yordy, Janine

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading
Star Bright, Christmas Night

Hall, Hannah C.

Copy Editing Query Letter Review
Penguin & Moose

Hall, Hannah C.

Copy Editing Query Letter Review
The Button Girl

Apokedak, Sally

Developmental Editing
All About Eleanor

Holloway, Suellen

Independently published

Hamburger Harriet Won't Settle

Gomez, AnnA

Paraklesis Press

Made with Reedsy
Sir Flapalot the Dragon Knight: The Magic of Being Yourself (Emerald Kingdom)

Froh, Charly

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
The Case of the Absent Answers (Mickie McKinney: Boy Detective Book 1)

Fink, R. L.

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
The Big Birthday for Blue Whale

Hlavaty, Jane

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Benefelence the Elephence and the Wonderful You

William, Todd H.

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
The Dragon and the Unicorn: The Magic of Friendship (Emerald Kingdom)

Froh, Charly

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Lotti and the Impossible Dream

Froh, Charly

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
How to Shrink the Doubt Monsters (Novo the Space Robot Book 1)

Froh, Charly

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
How to Find the Christmas Spirit (Novo the Space Robot Book 3)

Froh, Charly

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
How to Solve the Mystery of Crying (Novo the Space Robot Book 2)

Froh, Charly

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Lotti and the Big Dream

Froh, Charly

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Ellie The Crop Duster Saves The Farm

Victor, Rebecca

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Thirsty: 12 Weeks of Drinking Deeply from God's Word

Hall, Hannah C.

Developmental Editing
Guardian Prince (Ceryn Roh Saga Book 2)

Matuska, Lauricia

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
The Healer's Rune

Matuska , Lauricia

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Power Elements Of Story Structure (Power Elements Of Fiction Book 1)

Miller, Rebecca LuElla

Book Coaching
Power Elements Of Character Development (Power Elements Of Fiction Book 2)

Miller, Rebecca LuElla

Book Coaching
Dead Possums Are Fair Game

Souders, Taryn

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Query Letter Review
Would a Worm Go on a Walk?

Hall, Hannah C.

Copy Editing Query Letter Review
Grandpa Love

Hall, Hannah C.

Developmental Editing Query Letter Review
God Bless Our Fall (A God Bless Book)

Hall, Hannah

Query Letter Review
God Bless My School (A God Bless Book)

Hall, Hannah

Query Letter Review
Sunrise, Easter Surprise!

Hall, Hannah C.

Query Letter Review
God Bless My Friends (A God Bless Book)

Hall, Hannah

Query Letter Review
Grandma Hugs

Hall, Hannah C.

Developmental Editing Query Letter Review
Mommy Cuddles

Hannah C. Hall

Developmental Editing Query Letter Review
Daddy Snuggles

Hannah C. Hall

Developmental Editing Query Letter Review
Can I Talk to God? (Buck Denver Asks... What's in the Bible?)

Hall, Hannah C.

Query Letter Review
Is God My Friend? (Buck Denver Asks...what's in the Bible?)

Hall, Hannah C.

Query Letter Review
Why Easter? (What's in the Bible?)

Hall, Hannah C.

Query Letter Review
God Made Night and Day (Buck Denver Asks... What's in the Bible?)

Hall, Hannah C.

Query Letter Review
God Made the World (Buck Denver Asks... What's in the Bible?)

Hall, Hannah C.

Query Letter Review
God Bless Our Baby (A God Bless Book)

Hall, Hannah

Query Letter Review
Snakes and Stones by Lisa Fowler (2016-11-01)

Lisa Fowler

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading Query Letter Review
Jelly Bean Summer

Magnin, Joyce

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading Query Letter Review
That's What Love Is

Hall, Hannah C.

Copy Editing
God Bless My Boo Boo (A God Bless Book)

Hall, Hannah

Query Letter Review
Penguin & Moose Brave the Night

Hall, Hannah C.

Copy Editing Query Letter Review
God Bless My Family (A God Bless Book)

Hall, Hannah

Query Letter Review
God Bless Our Bedtime Prayers (A God Bless Book)

Hall, Hannah

Query Letter Review
Fairies and Chimneys

Fyleman, Rose

Copy Editing
The Names of God in the Bible (God Speaks to Me Through the Bible)

Davis, Lynne Marie

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading
Animals, Insects, and Creatures of the Bible

Davis, Lynne Marie

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading
How to (Almost) Ruin Your Summer

Souders, Taryn

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading Query Letter Review

Sally has 258 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Coco M.

Coco M.

Apr, 2025

I really appreciate Sally's thorough and thoughtful assessment--encouraging where I got things right, while identifying aspects of my story that can be improved upon.
Charlene C.

Charlene C.

Apr, 2025

I really enjoyed working with Sally. Her careful attention and skillful touch brought clarity and charm to my children's book. Her thoughtful edits enhanced the story's flow, making it both engaging and age appropriate. Thank you Sally!
Samantha K.

Samantha K.

Mar, 2025

Sally was amazing. She provided such clever, creative, and logical feedback on my manuscript and her guidance is helping me make some changes that will result in a much better book. She communicates clearly, directly, and genuinely cared about the story I wrote. I'm absolutely sure I'll work with...
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Scott W.

Scott W.

Mar, 2025

Sally was great to work with! Her developmental edits helped me get a clearer picture of how to draw out the story's central conflict in a way that brought the story to the next level. She was frank but kind and extremely knowledgeably about the industry.
Bruce V.

Bruce V.

Mar, 2025

Sally was great! She helped me turn a book that was "fun" into a book that is also precise in its rhyming and meter. Her edits were all spot-on. She also helped me think about the book's fit within the market and the best path for publishing.

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