Testimonials

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“Katie Herman was the editor of my first published novel, Rock Paper Tiger. As a newly minted author, I had no idea what to expect from the editorial process. Katie set the bar high. Working with her was a joy—she was insightful, direct, and kind. She has what I think is one of the most important qualities an editor can have—she approaches a work on its own terms, looks at what the book is trying to do, and offers concrete suggestions to help your book do that better.”

—Lisa Brackmann, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Rock Paper Tiger and Hour of the Rat

“Katie is an excellent editor. I felt she truly understood the vision I had for my novel. Her work was detailed and thorough; her edits were incisive and constructive, but delivered in a thoughtful manner—this was important to me as a debut author. I would highly recommend her services.”

—Ritu Mukerji, author of Murder by Degrees





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“Katie Herman was the editor of my first novel. She was a joy to work with; the ideal combination of sensitive and sensible. She is also nice—not a prerequisite for an editor, but a major plus. She has all the skills required for turning a manuscript into a book. That is what she did for me.”

—Deborah McKinlay, author of The View from Here and That Part Was True

 

 

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“Katie is an extremely responsible, hard-working, and talented editor who worked on my manuscript on behalf of Soho Press. I was a first-time author who didn’t have much experience writing memoirs. My manuscript wasn’t one that an impatient editor would want, but it was something I put all my heart and soul into. Katie saw the ‘diamond in the rough’ and took a big risk by buying the manuscript, and then she worked with me for many months, literally line by line, until everyone was satisfied. She is all business, detailed-oriented, and professional. She has a sharp eye and knows what makes a good story and the best way to tell it, and she respected my wishes during the editing process. It was simply a pleasure to work with her. In 2008 my memoir A Tiger’s Heart: The Story of a Modern Chinese Woman was published thanks to Katie!”

—Aisling Juanjuan Shen, author of A Tiger’s Heart: The Story of a Modern Chinese Woman

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“Katie did a great job on Village of the Ghost Bears, the fourth volume in my Nathan Active mystery series. Every time she touched it, it got better.”

—Stan Jones, author of the Nathan Active mystery series








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“Katie Herman was the editor for my first book, Light Fell, which went on to win or be shortlisted for a number of awards. From the start of our work together I was impressed at how incisive and insightful Katie was about my manuscript, and how sensitive. She managed to preserve what already worked well, making suggestions for revisions that enhanced those elements while improving others. In short, Katie helped Light Fell become the book it was meant to be, which is the essence of the editorial profession.”

—Evan Fallenberg, author of Light Fell and When We Danced on Water


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“Katie Herman edited my first novel, Alcestis, with a clear eye and a light touch. She developed a vision of the book that could appeal to historical fiction readers without sacrificing my nerdy interest in structure; she suggested strategic cuts and asked smart questions about historical context, always keeping the reader’s experience in mind. Her notes were practical and direct, yet gently phrased. Her line editing was wonderfully precise and she was always responsive and utterly professional. Working with Katie is, in short, a delightful experience.”

—Katharine Beutner, author of Alcestis


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“I’m the type of writer who needs an excellent editor, which can be difficult in an era when most agents and editors expect a manuscript to be polished and complete the moment it crosses their desk. I feel extremely lucky that the manuscript of my novel, A Stranger on the Planet, found its way to Katie Herman at Soho Press. Katie knew, as I did, that the novel required extensive revision, but she recognized the possibilities in my novel—she puts the ‘vision’ in revision—and her brilliant suggestions provided me with the direction I needed to bring out the full potential of my book. Katie is also an excellent line-by-line editor. After she’d gone through my manuscript with her red pencil, I felt as if my prose had received a $500.00 haircut.”

—Adam Schwartz, author of A Stranger on the Planet

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“I count myself enormously lucky to have had Katie Herman as editor for my novel, The Rose Variations. She acquired the manuscript for Soho Press and assisted me with revision and editing, all the way through. Her critiques were clear, precise, and bracing. Her limpid intelligence and complete lack of pretentiousness helped me focus on the work and move forward briskly. Smart, funny, and always helpful, she was like a wind at my back. When her line edits arrived, I flinched at the sight of red ink. She tactfully followed up with a phone call, and I nearly fell out of my chair laughing, as she interpreted her comments as a very light edit. Who knew? From there, I dug right into my final work on the manuscript. She has that effect on writers. That she’s freelance now should be noted as a tremendous opportunity.”

—Marisha Chamberlain, author of The Rose Variations

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“Not only was Katie willing and able to meet each of my stories on its own and what felt like my terms, but while we were at work on a story, she also seemed to perceive life through my characters’ eyes. She was always on the lookout for other readings and radio shows that would help me crack the problems of the story at hand. I’m grateful to her for helping me finish a number of my stories and publish my first work.”

—Lisa Sardinas, author of stories published in Water~Stone Review and Chicago Quarterly Review



“My debut novel, The Step-Spinsters, is a mixed genre book of young adult, historical fiction, and fairy tale retelling. This blend made it very difficult to find an editor who was well versed in all three. After much searching among many talented editors who focused on one genre, I finally found Katie. I felt like I had struck gold. Katie was like three editors combined in one. She understood the tone I was going for, working within the voice to keep the style fluid and consistent. With her knowledge of medieval history, she fact-checked even the minutest detail, catching mistakes on dates, wording, and artifacts that would not yet have existed in Medieval France. This being my first novel, I was very shy and hesitant about numerous aspects, and Katie was a great guide throughout every step of the process.”

—Madina Papadopoulos, author of The Step-Spinsters

“The goal of editing is to elevate the manuscript in ways the author, by definition, cannot. Katie’s incisive eye saw what I could not in my manuscript and her investment in my work resulted in the collaborative alchemy all authors hope for. From strengthening the narrative thread to helping characters shine, Katie’s recommendations were exactly what my manuscript—and I—needed to submit my novel with confidence to my agent.”

Joanne Cleaver, author of The Career Lattice and first-time novelist