Client Books

"I owe my writing career to Stacey Donovan. I was astounded at her instincts and her talent to not only point out opportunities for improvement, but to offer concrete guidance as to how to implement necessary changes.

I had no idea that inspiration, editing excellence, and patient teaching could all be wrapped up in one individual.

Now that I'm working on my fifth book, I look back with gratitude to Stacey who so generously shared her expertise and provided such valuable direction."

—Patricia Gussin
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author,  winner of the Florida Book Award

"...you're TOO good.

"I knew there was ONE sentence that dangled. I liked the sentence. I couldn’t find a place for it. So I stuck it in somewhere where I thought I could get away with it without anyone noticing that it didn’t relate much to the sentence before it or after it. And by G-d – you found it. That one orphan sentence. So you shamed me into having it become more relevant. But I can’t believe you noticed that.

"As I said, you’re TOO good."

—Jane G. Goldberg, Ph.D.,
Author of Wired for Why: How We Think, Feel, and Make Meaning

“If you want an editor who will not give up on making your work, be it fiction or nonfiction, the best it can possibly be, then Stacey Donovan is the right choice. I've worked with Stacey on several published works, and the one indefatigable quality that defines her is an unwavering dedication to excellence. She is a writer's writer – intuitive, resilient, tireless – with an emphasis on craft, authenticity, and surprise. Stacey knows down to her bones what is ineffable in any creative work.”

—Elise D'Haene,
co-author (with Stacey Donovan) of the acclaimed Red Shoe Diaries, based on the Showtime series by Zalman King, and winner of several screenwriting and literary awards

“How much do I love Stacey Donovan? Let me count the ways: professional, industrious, intelligent, sensitive, encouraging, communicative, supportive, precise, punctual, thoughtful – and she led me to publication of both my fiction and non-fiction books.”

—Peter W. Yaremko,
nonfiction and fiction author of four published books

“Stacey Donovan is the right woman at the right time. I was with a terribly muddled manuscript and when Stacey worked her magic on my writing it suddenly came to life. But that wasn't the best part of what she brought to bear on my manuscript. It was the level of organization she found. After years of my messing with the book (as well as several other editors who tackled the job and failed), I didn't seem to have what it took to give birth to this baby on my own. Stacey is the one who birthed it and made it a coherent whole.”

—Dr. Jane Goldberg, PhD,
author of eight published books

"Stacey Donovan is more than a good editor. What makes her better than just good is an unerring ability to work with an author. She brings to the table not just an eye for weakness, but the creativity to make suggestions that the author can work with. Naturally, the writer's talent is a factor, but with an editor's help, the writer can give it his or her utmost. Stacey makes you work and work better than you ever thought possible."

—Robert Boris Riskin,
author of three published books

"Stacey Donovan was my editor on my first novel, Skinless, currently in production with Austin Macauley. I must say that she is a rare gem in the world of editing. Not only is Stacey very professional in all of her communications and deadlines, she displayed a keen interest in my writing, and she also clearly put her heart and soul into the edit she created for me. My particular style of writing contains a lot of my own urban vocabulary and turns of phrase, which could be difficult for some traditional editors because it pushes the boundaries of language and style. Stacey got right on board and I could tell that she really immersed herself with feeling each character, lived in the scenes and understood the through-lines and overall themes to the story. A huge gift to any writer. Throughout our process Stacey provided me a superb edit."

—Maggie Moor,
author of Skinless

“I utilized Stacey Donovan’s services for developmental editing and proofreading of my first novel. She was immensely helpful. She was prompt in her communications and responsive to all questions and inquiries. The enthusiasm she showed for my early draft and throughout the process was very encouraging. She found the areas in my earlier drafts that needed work. Areas I just couldn’t see any more from rewriting it so much. She helped point me in the right direction to ratchet my novel up to the next level and make it shine. All constructive criticism is done with a positive and optimistic approach making the spoonfuls of critiquing go down easy. I would certainly recommend you consider utilizing her editing services.”—Peter Archon,
author of Transforming Tommy

“I found her work to be thorough, insightful, thought-provoking, and even downright funny at times. Without a doubt, the manuscript is far better than it was after receiving feedback from my beta readers. I would recommend Stacey to any writer or author seeking to take their work to the next level.”

—Avanti Centrae, award-winning thriller author of Van Ops: The Lost Power

"Stacey is a consummate professional. She provided specific and clear suggestions for strengthening plot, character development and style. I applaud her ability to deliver a no-holds-barred critique with the tact and sensitivity that left me feeling inspired to go back and work to make my manuscript better."—Martha Milot,
author of Trail of Evil

"This was my first experience working with an editor, so I had no idea what to expect when I hired her. I think I got damn lucky. Stacey did an excellent job. I was impressed by the depth of commentary she provided about my manuscript, and the organized way she reported it. I thought her critique was particularly insightful, and I liked that she described in detail her opinions on the strength and weaknesses of the characters and the story. I had several followup questions, and saw the same attention to detail in her responses. I am working on the revisions, and there's no doubt that the story has improved as a result of her input. I would work with Stacey again, and I recommend her work to anyone looking for a thorough evaluation of a manuscript. She's a pro.”—Vicki Marie Stolsen,
author of The Bachelor Chapters: A Thinking Woman’s Romance

"Was very impressed with the quality of work my consultant put into my memoir proposal. She went above and beyond in every aspect, especially the research involved, to make sure my project stands out. While her own style and experience in proposal writing shine through beautifully, she was also very mindful in formatting the work to the satisfaction of my agent. The further she got into the project, the more I felt it meant as much to her as it does to me. As a veteran journalist, I can't express how priceless that is."

—Catherine Bosley