I am a happy writer who was extremely lucky to have found Taylor Graham to edit my book, Duck And Cover: A Memoir of My 1960’s Brooklyn.
I had worked on the book for the better part of two decades and was sure my manuscript was in the best shape in which I could present it, due to all my rewrites and the proofing it had undergone by my husband, family, and friends (some of them professional writers themselves). Then, Taylor read it and I learned how wrong I was!
She not only liked and understood my work, but really understood what I was aiming for in my writing and “got” me as a person and a writer. I happily and diligently worked with her via the internet and by phone for several months to polish my book even more. During that time, she succeeded time after time in bringing my writing to a higher level while simultaneously respecting the integrity of me and my work.
To say she is a fine editor is an understatement!
Her professional knowledge and skills as an editor are uniquely combined with her understanding, appreciation for the written word and compassion for the human being undergoing the editing process. She also made me laugh at my mistakes and change my words for the better because of her lovely sense of humor—something no editor/writer combo should be without!
I am beginning work on my next book and can’t wait to work with Taylor again during the editing process. Her professional insights and kindness are sure to ease the writing and revising process even more the next time around!
As a wonderful writing teacher once taught me: “I am not a writer, I am a rewriter” and I consider Taylor to be my good and true partner in the process.
I really felt like I found a gem of an editor when I met Taylor. Being a first time author, I had no idea how important (and difficult) the editing phase of writing a book would be. At first, it was overwhelming to see the task laid out before me because Taylor always made sure to honestly tell me where work was needed, and there was a lot. She was thorough and genuinely invested as if it were her own book. I felt like she cared and wouldn’t allow my book to go to publishing until it was ready which gave me great confidence and peace in working with her. She was able to identify areas of weakness and make constructive suggestions on how to move forward, yet she never did the work for me. She mulled over sections with me until it was just right, challenged me to keep at it, pushed me to grow as a writer, and warmly encouraged me every step of the way. And through it all, she was incredibly humble and patient and funny even, which made the entire process so enjoyable.
Thank you Taylor for making this daunting task a delightful one and for helping me achieve my goals as a writer. You were a joy to work with!
I am a first-time author, who was privileged to work with an extraordinary editor named Taylor Graham. She enabled me to see the audience's point of view and explained the necessary preparations needed to get my book ready for publication. Taylor was gifted in polishing and enhancing the manuscript, without losing any original authenticity. Each recommendation was honest, straight-forward, and without pressure. The decisions regarding them were left entirely up to me.
Simply put, Taylor Graham has a gift for making things better. She made me feel comfortable every step of the way, and I am thrilled with the results.
Taylor Graham is an amazing person. After agreeing to step into my project at the eleventh hour, after the original editor had to step down, Taylor dug into the work enthusiastically. She produced her first commentary in record time, recommending appropriate edits in a supportive way, and she didn’t bat an eyelash when the second draft I submitted to her had more content revisions than I’m sure she anticipated. I’m an experienced writer and have worked with a number of editors. Taylor is prompt, professional, and lovely to work with. I highly recommend her, and I hope she and I will have the opportunity to work together again.