“Laurel Marshfield is an outstanding developmental editor. She has a tremendous command of how to communicate complex ideas at a practical level. She is extremely responsive to author’s inquiries and understands well what an author needs in order to be able to communicate their thoughts and ideas.
From my experience, I can say that Laurel worked very closely and diligently with me to make sure that what I wanted to say made sense and was easy to understand. I highly recommend Laurel’s editing services. And I will definitely hire her again for future projects.”
— Matthew R. Kutz, Ph.D., ATC, CSCS, CES, www.roundtablegroup.net http://tinyurl.com/ank54wd http://tinyurl.com/aufoytu
“Even if you’ve sold many copies of your book self published, having a formal book proposal is still a must if you’re seeking a literary agent to represent your book to a Big 6 publisher. Finding someone to create a good proposal can be as difficult as finding an agent, since a book proposal has to be written a certain way.
By way of good fortune, I came across Laurel Marshfield while looking for someone to write my book proposal. She is very talented and knows what agents and editors are looking for, and the proposal Laurel created got me a book deal with Simon & Schuster!
Now, no one can guarantee that your book will be represented by an agent or picked up by a Big 6 publisher. But having someone like Laurel Marshfield create a proposal for your book gets you a lot closer to that possibility.”
— Dr. David Che, Total Law of Attraction http://amzn.to/XK84jy
The #1 Law of Attraction Book On Amazon
“Laurel Marshfield is like a personal trainer for writers – she motivates, instructs, and pushes you to achieve more than you could on your own.I had already published three business technology books when I turned to Laurel for help on a creative piece: a memoir. It had been 16 years since I had done any creative writing, and my skills were rusty.
Laurel helped me find my voice and the right techniques to tell my story in a way that was more compelling and emotionally engaging. She’s helped me persevere through the most painful parts, pushing me when I needed pushing, and cheering when I needed a pep talk. I highly recommend Laurel for any writer looking to write better!”
— Cindi Howson
Successful Business Intelligence: Secrets to Making BI a Killer App http://tinyurl.com/aad3ork Cindi Michael, Cracks in the Sidewalk
“Laurel Marshfield transformed the first draft of my book, Don’t Let Chronic Illness Stand in Your Way, into a highly readable, compelling self-help book. Through her skillful editing, she captured and strengthened my message, making it both clearer and more inviting to the reader. My voice came through on each page as a confident, experienced, and empathic professional Life Coach.
I appreciated Laurel’s support and encouragement throughout the entire editing process. She broke all tasks into manageable steps, emailed in-depth answers to all my questions immediately, and provided on-going helpful information about publishing and marketing. Overall, Laurel turned a potentially overwhelming experience – editing and publishing a first book – into an enjoyable, deeply satisfying experience.”
-– Sylvia Lippmann, M.A., M.S., CLC,
http://www.FeelBetterNow-CI.com http://tinyurl.com/aqp28u6
“I began working with Laurel as a first-time novelist, looking for expert advice in shaping my story. A fellow author had given me several editors to consider, and Laurel was the first to respond. I have appreciated her timely, professional responses ever since. She has been my consultant, manuscript editor, restructuring coach and mentor—the best support thus far in my “new” career.
More than her professional expertise, Laurel infuses her advice with genuine thoughtfulness. Sometimes I feel like a big, important client due to her special attention, though I know I am still one of “the little guys!” She takes extra time to send me tidbits of information related to my story, author comparisons—anything that might enrich me as an author.
In large measure, Laurel has given me the confidence and the tools to continue my endeavor. Her advice immediately improved my novel, and I would gladly request her services on any future projects. Laurel Marshfield is a true professional with a heart that equals her intellect.”
— Paige Kimball, Halo, a Trilogy
For my own sanity, I began writing about my experiences as a caregiver for my aging parents suffering from dementia. Eventually, this became the foundation for my book, Motorcycle in the Attic.
However, the overwhelming and puzzling maze of the current publishing world stopped me cold. I didn’t know what to do next. Should I try to get an agent? Should I try to self-publish? What kind of editing did my book need? Would anybody be interested in reading what I had to say?
Laurel Marshfield helped reassure me that my book had potential, pointed out specific ways to strengthen the content and make the book more marketable, and offered several internet resources for publishing.
She also helped me address the structural issues involved in combining a self-help book with a memoir. Most importantly, she helped me clarify my overarching goal: to help readers access their own strengths in times of painful struggle.
— Judy Davidson, Motorcycle in the Attic
“After spending several years researching and writing my family’s story, I at last finished my first book. But when it came to positioning my memoir for the marketplace, I felt clueless. How could I promote my story so readers would love it as much as I did? Laurel gave me such a different viewpoint from the approach I originally thought might work — one I certainly would not have developed on my own. She helped me expand the appeal of my story, and create a proposal that would truly reflect the essence of what my book was about. Her encouragement and helpful suggestions were more than I expected to receive when I engaged her services. So I certainly came to the right place when I needed help!”
— Gretchen Stahlman, www.WriteAngleOnline.com
“As an unpublished mystery author with two books under my belt, I was desperate for a professional assessment of my work. Laurel Marshfield was that professional. She introduced me to several great resources for building my basic foundations as a writer. And she provided a detailed, twenty-four-page analysis of my first manuscript. Covering everything from plotting to character development, and from sentence content and structure to grammar, she pointed out my strengths while addressing my not-as-strong areas, offering clear advice about how to become a better writer. She was objective, knowledgeable, and — I was especially grateful for this — highly encouraging. Laurel provided me with the professional assessment I needed. But she also gave me a solid plan for nurturing the evolution of my career as a mystery author.”
— Andy Greenwood, www.AndrewGreenwoodMystery.com
“Laurel was not just a writer to me — she was my voice. She had a gift, an inner knowing, of what my message was in writing my book. And she understood the whole process, from making my book’s message clear, to synchronizing that message with all the other areas of my company’s growth. I call on Laurel whenever I get stuck.”
— Sierra Bender, Bootcamp for Goddesses™, www.sierra4bodyfit.com
“When I was writing my first book, I sought out a copyeditor who could find spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes in my manuscript. Luckily for me, I found Laurel Marshfield, because she provided so much more. Laurel performed a complete substantive edit of my work. Her suggestions for improvements in the flow, presentation, and structure of my writing helped me fill in the “communication gaps” in my book. By blending constructive criticism with ongoing encouragement, Laurel showed me how to improve my writing without altering the message I wanted to convey. She delivered her edits on time, every time. But what I appreciated most was Laurel’s expressed interest in my success as an author. I simply can’t imagine working with anyone other than Laurel in the future.”
— George Brymer, The Leading from the Heart Workshop®, www.allsquareinc.com
“It was a pleasure working with Laurel Marshfield. Her editing suggestions were most helpful. And, since I had a publication deadline to meet, I really appreciated that she always met our agreed upon timelines. Thanks, Laurel.”
— Robert E. Linneman, Ph.D., www.Renaissance-not-Retirement.com
“Laurel Marshfield provides a range of services, from simple line editing to complete book development, including ghosting, with lots of in-between options, like author motivation and hand-holding, manuscript organization help, and more. Laurel delivers, above and beyond the ‘call of contract,’ giving lots of little extras along the way — and she continues to be helpful, even after the project is done.”
— W. Town Andrews, Jr., www.sleep-without-pills.com
