Sheryl Monks – Editor

I have been writing and editing the work of other writers for over 20 years, most notably at Press 53, an indie press I helped to establish in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. One of my favorite projects there involved re-issuing the classic work of author John Ehle, including his novel THE LAND BREAKERS and his monumental nonfiction book THE FREE MEN. I also founded and edited the work of both veteran and emerging writers at Change Seven Magazine, an online literary journal, until I moved on to my present position at a peer-reviewed public health journal.

My first love is literary short fiction (see more about my own writing below), but I have worked with novelists, memoirists, essayists, travel writers, and scientific authors on a variety of books and articles. My goal is to help writers plumb to new depths in their work, to take risks, to hazard themselves, to write from where they dream.

I hold an MFA in fiction from Queens University of Charlotte and a BA in English from Salem College, and I would love to discuss how I might be able to help with your writing project.

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A bit about my own writing:

I am the author of Monsters in Appalachia, a collection of short stories published by Vandalia Press, the creative imprint of West Virginia University Press. My stories have appeared in Rkvry Quarterly, Electric Literature, The Butter, The Greensboro Review, storySouth, Regarding Arts and Letters, Night Train, and other journals, and in the anthologies Surreal South and Eyes Glowing at the Edge of the Woods: Contemporary West Virginia Fiction and Poetry, among others. Monsters in Appalachia is a Weatherford Award finalist, a Southern Book Prize finalist, and a Foreword Indies Book finalist.

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******** TESTIMONIALS FROM PREVIOUS CLIENTS:

“I am so grateful to have Sheryl as my own personal writing coach. Sending my work to her and receiving much needed critique and guidance has been invaluable. She not only points out your strengths but also walks you through your weaknesses. She gives plenty of honest feedback on how you can make your writing stand out even better. Her manner of coaching is non-intimidating and she has always made me feel like she’s right there in the struggle with the rest of us to string the words together. And I appreciate that openness and vulnerability in her.” ~ Kathy Mendenhall

"Sheryl is not only a gifted writer and teacher, but I have found her gift of intuition to be invaluable as well. She has the uncanny ability to zero in on how to take the story you have in your heart and offer ways to construct that story into the powerful message you want to share. I highly recommend her for those who have a story to tell. Excellent coach!" ~ Karen Reynolds, author of the novel Tom Dooley: The Story Behind the Ballad

"If you are a seasoned writer needing some inspiration and advice or if you are just starting out, you need to take one of Sheryl's writing seminars. Sheryl provides a safe and hospitable environment where writers can share their work and learn more about the craft of writing. After one seminar with Sheryl, I decided to work with her on a one-on-one basis for some short stories that I am writing. Don't wait; take one of her seminars soon!" ~ William C. Mills, author of A 30 Day Retreat: A Personal Guide to Spiritual Renewal (Paulist Press, 2010).