Client Testimonials

I've met a lot of multitalented writers and artists over the years, many of whom write in more than one genre, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. One of the most satisfying things about being an editor is the creative relationship that develops between each author and me. A big part of my job is caring about my clients' intentions and helping them to achieve them. Another crucial part is making manuscripts as polished as they can be for publication.

These are a few of the authors I've assisted, who trust my judgment,

and who know I'm in the business of literary nurture.

Here's what a few clients have had to say about working with me:

"It has been a pleasure working with Eve on my full-length manuscript. Her clarity and intelligence have been invaluable. I submitted a series of general and specific questions about the book, and she answered each and every one with a thoroughness and thoughtfulness which reflect not only her experience but also her keen ability to consider a variety of perspectives and aesthetics. Eve is a very talented editor who is able to intuit both the panorama of a manuscript as well as the nitty-gritty. She is a natural!"

~Judith Terzi, Poet

“I’ve worked with Eve A. Hanninen on quite a few projects now. I keep coming back. She makes the editing process into a conversation, in which I feel supported and stimulated. After several collaborative endeavors in the form of articles and poems, I knew I wanted to employ her as editor for my own collection. Although I felt a bit scared to let anyone ‘edit’ my personal work, Eve has a light touch and easily grasped the essence of what I wanted to achieve. Working with Eve’s editorial assistance, I find often that I have learnt something, and the work she does can show me when I still have more to do myself. Eve brings out a healthy perfectionism in me. The result is more like what I wanted than I could have known.

“The insights Eve offers into every stage of the creative process always feel truthful. I have found her capable of moving between nitty-gritty editorial development and real sensitivity to artistic needs. I do not know which I value most, the detail of her notation or the far-reaching perspectives she offers. I think Eve combines qualities that make a writer feel “safe” due to her professionalism, while also understanding what it means to be a creator herself. It makes working with her intrinsically reassuring, and the sense of respect always a mutual one.”

~Gram Joel Davies, Poet and Photographer

“Many, many thanks for your input (The Joy of Lex, 2009, Black Lab Books). I get a very comfortable feeling when my poetry has been Eve-nly addressed.” . . . “It’s a great feeling knowing I can march into any pub house or self pub’r knowing my poems are the best they can be after you’ve vetted them.”

~John Thomas Clark, Poet

"Dearest Eve,

Adam speaking here.

You make life Paradise Garden . . .

It's just so seldom that I find an editor like you." . . .

"What a knockdown/knockout reply. You sound like Barnes, Noble, Emily Dickenson, Pablo Neruda and Bill Gates all in one brain. . .

Abrazos,
Hugh"

~Hugh Fox, Poet, Novelist, Non-Fiction Writer, Anthropologist

“Editors in the ’70s and ’80s not only checked facts, spelling, and grammar, but also made

suggestions about the overall shape of any piece of writing. Starting in the ’90s, my writer friends and I experienced an editing decline. Proofreading either is slipshod, or doesn't happen at all. Jacket copy may misspell the author's name. Suggestions often betray that the 'editor' didn't really read or comprehend the manuscript. I started [also] writing poetry in 2001, and I've been lucky enough to publish a good deal of it. [Eve,] you are the ONLY editor I've encountered [since then] who reads closely and offers editorial comment. Other editors have published my work with typos or omissions which make me cringe. You help me make lines clearer and stronger. You give your writers the enormous respect of caring about their work. You are rare. We are grateful."

~Margaret A. Robinson, Poet & Novelist

“I enjoyed working with Eve on a number of occasions. She has a great feel for language that balances with a great respect for the author’s own voice. Even when I didn’t go with a particular suggestion, her insights helped me figure out a better way to express the idea – sometimes this went back and forth, and my writing always came out more true because of it. I tend to think of her as part editor and part muse.”

~Erik Richardson, Poet, Writer & Educator