Sirah Jarocki

Sirah Jarocki – Editor

Careful inspections, thorough explanations, and considerate guidance for inclusive picture books and middle grade novels.

Overview

Sirah has been a freelance editor since 2012, primarily working on books and articles for young readers. She specializes in picture books and middle grade novels, but she also works on graphic novels, children's nonfiction, and select books for adults if they're in an area of interest. Before becoming an editor, Sirah was a kindergarten teacher, which gives her a unique ability to offer helpful criticism and explanations. Sirah makes a strong effort to stay on the cusp of popular children's books to help you create a book that kids want to pick up and won't be able to put down.

Sirah particularly likes working with first-time authors and young writers. While she specializes in developmental editing and copy editing, she loves doing editorial assessments for any book. Her goal is to help you create a book that both feels like your own and still maintains the highest standards of writing. She loves inclusive stories, particularly those focused on people with disabilities, and she has a hard time saying no to a book about social justice or environmental protection. Sirah is patient and enthusiastic and willing to offer thorough guidance to help you move closer to publishing with confidence.


Please note that I do not offer proofreading for novels (though I will proofread picture books). My goal is to create good literature that I'd be proud to have my name on, and I charge accordingly.

Services
Non-Fiction
Children’s Non-Fiction
Fiction
Comics & Graphic Novels Middle Grade Middle Grade Fantasy Picture Books
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • Bachelor's in English and Journalism

Work experience

Self-employed

Apr, 2013 — Present

I got my start as a freelance editor for academic essays. Around the same time, I began writing paid book reviews as an elementary school editor. In 2018, I began to work with small presses to write ad copy and blurbs for books, including working with search engine optimization (SEO) and product descriptions. This eventually led to collaborations involving analyzing books for blogs and working with authors to avoid bad reviews. Throughout the past ten years, this position has evolved to include a lot of writing about books and evaluating what readers are looking for. I still enjoy blogging and working with small presses from time to time, even though I now work primarily as a developmental editor for picture books and middle grade novels with Reedsy.

Sirah has 296 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Anita B.

Anita B.

Jul, 2024

Pinned
Sirah has been wonderful to work with. She is honest in her assessments, but in a kind and respectful manner. I have felt comfortable asking her questions, knowing that she will explain clearly the answers, no matter how trivial. Her work is completed on time, and her fees are very reasonable. I definitely recommend her for your writing project.
didi D.

didi D.

May, 2024

Pinned
i'm not even sure how many books sirah has edited for me now, is this the 8th one? that should tell you a lot. she's so great!
Lina A.

Lina A.

May, 2024

Pinned
Sarah has been an absolute pleasure to work with. What I appreciated most was that I felt like safe with her… like I could trust her with my stories and she would help me elevate them with her amazing feedback. I will continue to work with her on future projects. She’s a gem and I’m so glad I found her!
Eithne M.

Eithne M.

Nov, 2024

I found Sirah had amazing insight into writing, and into the motivations of characters, which meant she was able to hone in on weaknesses, and we could discuss ways of improving them. She is very collaborative in her approach, Extremely easy to work with, and the feedback was valuable.
Ramesh L.

Ramesh L.

Oct, 2024

I started working with Sirah on my first book and immediately sensed she had a wonderful grasp of what's needed to help me as a first-time writer be more thoughtful and impactful. Her critique is not only pointed, constructive, and developmental but also mindful of the purpose and essence of the narrative the author is aiming for.

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