"When I decided to publish independently, I knew I needed the best editor I could find. Joshua Essoe was exactly the personal trainer I needed to whip my book into shape and push me to work harder than I ever had before. He saw opportunities for plot and character development that I had missed, and made suggestions that brought [my books] up to a more professional level than I could have achieved on my own. His comments were insightful, challenging, and encouraging. I learned a lot about editing, and my own writing process, and I look forward to having the same experience with him on future books."
-- Kate Sparkes, USA Today bestselling author of the Bound trilogy
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"I hired Joshua because I wanted someone to read my manuscript as attentively as I would myself. He didn't disappoint. Joshua carefully considered every chapter and every paragraph and every sentence of my work. He thought through the implications, then pointed out plot holes, characterization issues, gaps in worldbuilding and the like. He gave me exactly the sort of detailed feedback I needed.
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"On top of that, Joshua's observations about the story as a whole were spot on and led to significant large-scale improvements. Highly recommended!"
-- Tom Crosshill, Writers of the Future winner, author of The Cat King of Havana, and short fiction in Lightspeed, IGMS, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies
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"Joshua Essoe is a gifted, insightful editor. His attention to detail and commitment to seeking out the innermost core of my story landed me a book deal (with the house that launched Fifty Shades of Grey), and even though I have an outstanding in-house editor, I'm still relying on his expertise for book two in the series.
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"Joshua's intuition is startling, and his ability to push beyond the words on the page and draw out the essence of the story through questioning and comments are what set him apart from other editors. His laser-precise word grenades aren't for the timid or faint of heart, because he exploits the tiniest crack in a plot or description to force you beyond average wordsmithing. His editing made me grow as a writer, made me think beyond where I thought this story was capable of taking a reader, and made it a far, far better read."
-- Jen Greyson, author of the Alterations series, the Cowgrrl Up series, Snowed Under, The Lost Legend of Jevalya, and others.
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"Joshua Essoe has a strong understanding of the craft of writing and fiction that surpasses genre, and I would trust him with any manuscript. His view encompasses big picture elements like plot, pacing, story and character development, and narrows in to the gritty mechanics of scene structure, continuity, and emotional context. He has a copy editor's understanding of the nuts and bolts of grammar that is invaluable. He's a pleasure to work with and I plan to hire him for my future projects."
-- Jess E. Owen, author of The Summer King Chronicles
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"Joshua Essoe saved my sequel. Personal events last year caused me to draw out the writing of the book, I lost focus, lost track, got buried in subplots and strayed from the main story arc. Joshua, with his eagle-eye for story structure, pace, plotting, and character arcs, through honestly concerned, positive critique, drew me back on track. He saved my villain from dreaded one-dimensionality. He pointed out places where, literally, the main plot line disappeared from the page (and from the main characters mind!), and he drew my attention to severe pacing issues toward the end of the book.
"He saved me from lazy writing, lazy structure, and a rushed, lukewarm story. My readers are lucky I have Josh on my side."
-- Jess E. Owen, author of The Summer King Chronicles, after book three in the series.
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