Chapter 4

Reviews: Josiah

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“I have to say, you are the most thorough editor I’ve ever seen. I’ve had four editors before. No one has ever picked my writing apart like that. I honestly had no idea about independent clauses and everything. And no one’s said anything about repetitive words or constructions. I’ve learned more from this 11,000 word edit than I’d learned from any editor or crit partner combined!”

— Angel Haze, author of Blood of Vengeance

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“Josiah’s editing service was excellent. He was easy to work with, has a great eye for detail, and gave me suggestions that made my story stronger. Those are the key things anyone should look for in an editor. He even edited this review you’re reading. That’s how good he is.”

— Matthew William, author of the Enoch Saga

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“As a debut author, I am grateful to have had my first editing experience with Josiah. He went through my manuscript with a fine-toothed comb and helped me smooth out the broader points with the characters and plot, along with a thorough tightening of the writing itself. He was also available to work with me between the editing stages as I applied his feedback to my book, and he was also able to give me his opinion on ideas I had for changes to the story. It was wonderful to work with someone with a genuine desire to help me make my story the best it could be.”

— Sophia Minetos, author of Graves for Drifters and Thieves

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“I came to publishing forums with a unique problem and a stressful timeline, asking for advice from anyone willing to instruct me on getting my book published. Two days later, Josiah emailed me and offered his services, and I am so blessed to have worked with him. He should’ve pulled out his hair due to all of the mistakes of this first-time author, but he didn’t. Instead he pointed out all of the flaws that were holding me back in my manuscript and helped show me ways to improve upon them. Thank you Josiah, for teaching this aging man how to tell a story, once again.”

— Will Carter, author of One Man’s Worth

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“So here’s the real deal about Josiah Davis. If you want someone who gives you honest, thorough feedback that elevates your work and makes you a better writer, and is also a great cheerleader, Josiah is your man. If you want to still be able to retain your author voice in the manuscript at the end of the editing process, Josiah is your man. And if you want fantastic editing with a quick turnaround, Josiah is definitely your man. It is an absolute pleasure to work with him and I can’t wait to send him my next manuscript!”

— Dobi Cross, author of the Dr. Zora Smyth Thriller Series

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“Thanks again to my amazing editor, Josiah, for editing and revising this book for me. I highly recommend his services if you are in a need for a thorough editor who will literally transform your book. I couldn’t be happier with the way my book turned out after he finished editing. Not only did he edit my book, but he also gave me many helpful tips that I know will be vital to improving my writing going forward.”

— Olivia Flaggert, author of Fractured

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“Josiah is an incredibly thorough and knowledgeable editor who knows how to communicate exactly what is wrong with a piece of writing and provides an easy solution to fix it. He turned the writing in my new book, a rough bit of earth, into a sparkling diamond. I recommend him to any author in need of a professional editor.”

— Phoenix Ward, author of Installed

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What really suprrised me about Josiah was his speed. Despite sending him a large manuscript, he finished in no time at all. And even then, he was thorough, both in his critique of my plot, my wording, and sentence structure. He was good to work with, and my story would be far weaker without his air. I will definitely use him as my editor in the future.

— Jacob Rasmussen, author of Phantom the Fall

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I could not be happier with the feedback I received. The critique was insightful and cut right to the heart of the problems I had in my manuscript. Not only did he help to point out where my novel was flawed, he also helped me see some of the crutches and shortcuts I had fallen back on. With his help I was able to not only make my novel better, I was able to become a better writer.

— BW Guy, author of Elemental Sprites

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“Hydra Publications loves Josiah’s professionalism and attention to detail. Completing projects is highly important for any small press, and Josiah always delivers and meets every deadline. ”

— Tony Acree, owner of Hydra Publications

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“I think overall he’s someone who people should go to. I gave him completely unedited versions and he caught literally everything grammatically. Stuff that got past literally five or six different people, he saw. That is really valuable.”

— William Dickstein, author of Ch05en

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“I highly recommend Josiah as an editor. He was fast, dependable, and affordable! I couldn’t have asked for a better editor.”

— Cosimo Yap, author of The Game3 series

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I clicked “Set pre-order date” and started panicking, because I was 90 days away from putting my first book out there. It was only after Josiah looked at my manuscript and told me some things to focus on that I truly felt confident enough to have that book out there. He didn’t just edit my book and fix the mistakes, he revealed to me consistent blind spots that I immediately fixed moving into Book 2 (which he also edited for me). I can’t recommend him enough if you want to grow as a writer and have a higher quality product!

— Sam Linton, author of Severance

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From beginning to end, Josiah was a thorough professional that I’d heartily recommend. He was prompt with his work. His line edits made the book clearer, cleaner, and just plain better. On top of that, his comments helped me be a better writer and self editor.

— Robbie Dorman, author of Coquest

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“Josiah provides a quality service at a reasonable price with expedient turnaround. If you’re considering working with an editor for the first time, fear not. Consider Josiah a personal trainer for keyboard jocks. His comments are always constructive and helpful. And—after working through a few hundred pages of edits, you’ll find your new writing is that much better.”

— Aaron Foster, author of the Adam Undercover Series

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“Josiah is hands down one of the best editors for indie authors. He works fast and has an amazing eye for detail. I had edited over my manuscript several times before sending it to him, and he found many changes to help elevate my writing. He’s especially good at pointing out structural changes to improve the flow and readability of your novel. His method of using comments to suggest changes also means you’ll learn a lot from working with him. If you’re the kind of author that’s always looking to grow and improve, Josiah’s the editor for you”

— EA Hooper, author of World-Tree Online

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“As a writer I am a newbie, hence my learning curve is dramatic, to say the least! Josiah has been very understanding in his approach to my work. I really enjoy his style of notes, rather than alterations. As he says, “It makes me look at my work so I understand the errors.” Josiah has helped me develop and improve my manuscripts immeasurably. A second set of eyes looking at the grammar is a must. He is thorough, understanding and very importantly sticks to deadlines.”

— Steve Braker, author of African Adventure

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“When I first saw the extremely reasonable rates for Josiah’s editing services, my first thoughts were likely the same of many people: that it was simply too good to be true. However, I was astounded by his professionalism from the very first correspondence. He got to my book ahead of schedule, and he returned the book to me only a few days afterward! On top of his meticulous corrections in terms of grammar and superfluous phrasing, he also offered constructive criticism and appropriate compliments that gave me the needed direction to make my writing have more of an impact. I would definitely recommend Josiah, and I plan to use his services again in the near future.”

— Peter Bolton, author of Tales from the Sixth Borough

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“My business partner found Josiah through reddit and suggested we try his editing services for my novel already published. There had been spelling errors detected and I really wanted to clear those up. Josiah was awesome to work with. When I got the manuscript back, the comments were easy to read and efficient. There were lots of small picky things that I had overlooked and by Josiah recognising these, it really helped the book to become more refined and polished. I am really excited to work more with Josiah on future projects – his service is professional and 5 stars”

— Courtney Peppernell, author of Keeping Long Island

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“Josiah’s feedback not only pointed out what could be improved, but why. His comments were detailed and self-explanatory. He caught not only grammar issues, like misused commas, but also consistency issues, like changing the spelling of a character’s name. He was generous with his time in responding to follow-up questions. I would definitely recommend him and use his services again.”

— Rose Wachowski, author of Sensate’s Curse

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“Josiah was amazing during the editing process. His comments and critiques were clear, helpful, and timely. He helped me edit my poem book, which is not an easy format to edit, but his suggestions not only made my writing stronger but also helped me convey my ideas in the best way possible. I highly recommend to anyone who needs a second pair of eyes.”

— Outis Black, author of A Ship-Wrecked Bottle

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“Josiah was great to work with. He edited my book quickly and thoroughly. The comments he made throughout his developmental edit were insightful and straightforward. The plot and characters in my book are much clearer and more fleshed out as a result of his work. In addition, he made a few notes about bad writing habits I didn’t even realize I had. Knowing about those things will help me improve my writing in the future, and for that I’m grateful. If you’re considering working with Josiah, do it.”

— Emily Kazmierski, author of Teen Spy

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“Writing is hard. For my first book, I was blissfully unaware of just how little I knew about pose, punctuation, and rhythm. Josiah showed me where I had made the mistakes, but more than that he explained the errors clearly and without condescension. Having your work looked at by someone professional like Josiah can be intimidating as a new author, but if you are thinking of having your worked edited—as you should—Josiah is the right person for you. He is honest and will not only make your work better, but make you a better writer as well.”

— James Bubela, author of Venator

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Being a first time author and having no idea what to expect during the self-publishing process, Josiah exceeded my needs for an editor! Lacking the writing expertise, many grammatical errors were expected. Josiah had no problem persistently correcting every mistake throughout my book. Fast, affordable, and efficient! I would recommend Josiah and will be returning for any future works of mine.

— Andrew Capiricho, author of Blessed to Announce

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Josiah did a round of line-editing for a novel of mine, and I plan on using his editing services again for the sequel. I was surprised by both how fast and how thorough he was in his edits, and he undoubtedly improved the quality of my manuscript. Josiah did a great job and, at his rates, I felt like I was getting a bargain.

— David Shaw, author of Alone in the Woods

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Josiah was responsive and professional, providing a quick and thorough turnaround of my novel. He coached me through weak spots, pointing out implausible plot devices, unrealistic character actions, and other inconsistencies. Truth be told, I was quite nervous to turn my novel over to a stranger for critiquing, but Josiah was kind and encouraging in his feedback. Best of all, he shared the same vision I had for my novel and provided great advice on how to improve the ending. Without a doubt, I’ll work with Josiah on my next project.

— Clark Solomon, author of Lethal

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 “Josiah’s keen attention to detail cleaned up my manuscript finding needed corrections I’d missed. His attention to detail and focus on clarity serves as a writer’s advocate for a reader. He’ll explain certain mistakes and overall observations to help you improve as a writer. Definitely recommend.”

— Patrick Harris, author of Survivor Response

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“Working with Josiah has been a pleasure. He has edited several of my novels and has always been punctual (even under extreme time crunches), professional, and efficient. He knows the voice I want to give in my novels and adds to it. The greatest service he provides is not in spotting typos and missing words, but restructuring my story in a way that takes something which was decent and makes it excellent. Highly recommended.”

— Stuart Thaman, best-selling author

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“Working with Josiah was a pleasure. Despite several rounds of self-editing and beta reading, there were many issues with the final manuscript, which included minor plot-holes. He caught everything and the manuscript is now far more refined. His experience helped me learn a lot about my own language shortcomings right at my first book. It’s certainly going to help me for my future books.”

— Gaurav Mhatre, author of Sicarius Assassin

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“A great freelancer that does the job fast with great quality. If you need editing for your book this service is highly recommended. For me the collaboration went extremely well and I was highly satisfied with the results.”

— Elias Michael Ericson, author of Learn WordPress

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“A few years ago, I spend a lot more money with another editor on a first draft of my novel. The results were somewhat disappointing given the cost and time of the exercise. JD did a great job, in a short timeframe. Over the last year I had reviewed the manuscript countless times, JD found numerous errors on every page, and provided some great insights on plot points. The finished book will now be something I can be proud off. Josiah, can’t thank you enough.”

— Stephen Kirkham, author of Black Ash

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“Being a first time author, and having no idea what to expect during the self-publishing process, Josiah exceeded my needs for an editor! Lacking the writing expertise many grammatical errors were expected. Josiah had no problem persistently correcting every mistake throughout my book. Fast, affordable, and efficient! I would recommend Josiah and will be returning for any future works of mine.”

— Andrew Capiricho

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“Josiah is a highly-skilled and efficient editor. Prior to reaching out to him, I’d done countless scrubs of my manuscript, but still, he managed to catch errors and recommend areas for improvement that never would have occurred to me. I learned from the experience, and my book is now better because of it. I’ll definitely be knocking on his door again for my next project.”

— T.M. Rain, author of Full Dive

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“I started writing because I had a lot to say. While I had many original ideas to convey, they were submerged beneath a sea of distracting mistakes. Josiah has helped me to recognize my weaknesses and polish my writing style so that I can put my best foot forward. I would recommend him for any first time author.”

— Judson W., author of Rise of the Guilds

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“It has been great working with Josiah. He delivered on a tight schedule and his edits were very useful. His edits made me improve my writing and the book with it. Communication was great, professional and timely. Thanks!”

— Victoria Botvinnik, author of How to Adult: Money

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“When it was time to get my second novel edited, I knew I wanted someone professional and experienced. However, I also didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars. Another indie author recommended Josiah, and after contacting him, I knew we’d work well together. I was particularly pleased with his open line of communication and flexibility when I had to change word processors. He helped make my novel really shine and I look forward to working with him again in the future.”

— Beth Martin, author of Quality DNA

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“I had begun to despair of finding a reliable and affordable editor before I found Josiah through Reddit. He completed his edit in a very timely manner and was incredibly thorough in his work; finding not only grammatical errors but also errors in plot and continuity. We were in constant contact throughout the process and his advice was always honestly given and consistently helpful. My manuscript is now in a far superior condition and I will definitely be a return customer. ”

— Jamie Rowe, author of Curse of the Skyfolk

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“Josiah found many errors and tiny details that I missed, no matter how many times I reread my story. He taught me grammar better than school ever did. I’m a much better writer for having worked with him.”

— Scott Normand, author of Blood Worth

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“I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have been referred to Josiah by another author. As I was going through his recommendations and making the suggested changes to my book, I couldn’t believe how shuffling a few words or changing the sentence structure made such a huge impact on how it read. He has an incredible talent of making suggestions and allowing you to see the best way of phrasing something while still feeling that they are your words. He also has incredible patience. I submitted my book to him feeling like I couldn’t possibly have made any further corrections and when he returned it, I was shocked at what I had missed. His attention to detail gave me the confidence to share my book.”

— Lily Nikopoulos, author of Christmas and Eve.

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“Thank you very much for your tremendous help in editing and proofreading my three books. Working with you during the past few months was a very pleasant and educational experience for me. You never made me feel ashamed of my mistakes, even the most obvious and stupid ones; you suggested the changes –never demanded or dictated. I want you to know that I feel much better about the book I’m currently working on because I know that as soon as I save the last page on my computer, my next click of the button will be sending it to you. Thanks a million for everything.”

— Marina Sardarova, author of Once and Forever

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“I really enjoyed Josiah’s work on my Interstellar Spring series. He deftly handled my atrocious punctuation, kindly rejected repeated words, and best of all, caught a few continuity errors I hadn’t thought existed. He was professional, prompt and seemed a good fit for my project. Actions speak louder than words though: I’ll be asking Josiah to edit the next book in the series. ”

— Joseph Mitchell, author of Interstellar Spring

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“Josiah is an amazing editor. His service is prompt and thorough. He helped me revise and restructure sentences that might have otherwise confused the reader. Without him, I wouldn’t have a polished or worthy book to publish. I can’t wait to work with him on future projects.”

— Bettina Busiello, author of Blame the Goth Girl

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“Just starting off in writing can be a very nerve-wracking experience. Luckily, I found Josiah Davis to edit my work. With precise care and consideration, Josiah combed through my piece, applying crucial notes and turning my amateur writing into professional material. Not only that, he recognized the position I was in and offered helpful advice on where to submit my piece and other tips with self-publishing. A polite and professional man through and through, Josiah Davis is my first and future editor from here on out. Plus his prices were cheap as hell.”

— Adam Sinker, author of New Renaissance

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“I sent my first book to be edited by Josiah. As it is my first novel, I was naturally nervous of the whole process, but Josiah was able to lead me through the editing and show me which items I need to address. He gave a very thorough reading of the story and gave advice on character development and story arc. When needed he gave relevant praise which boosted my confidence in the writing process. I found it a great learning experience. Josiah actually taught me some relevant writing skills, so this was highly educational. I highly recommend him.”

— Gabriel Ruse, author of Shangheist

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“I struggled for a long time to find the right editor for my book. It’s a rare thing to find a talented editor who not only delivers a wonderful product, but also doesn’t break the bank. That’s why I was so pleased when I was introduced to Josiah. He’s very professional and keeps to his time frame. I couldn’t be happier with how things turned out. I’m looking forward to our next project!”

— Tristan Schreck, author of The Vanguard

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“Josiah did an amazing job with editing my book. He was very on point with grammar, gave a lot of great suggestions, and even an analysis of the plot and characters. He worked fast and finished before deadline. I was a somewhat fussy customer, and he handled all my requests professionally and to our mutual benefit. Can highly recommend.”

— Boštjan Belingar, author of The Player

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“After hearing his name mentioned on various writing forums, I contacted Josiah about editing my first book. And boy, I’m glad I did! The book would have been a train wreck without his guidance. His prices are more than reasonable, and he is extremely thorough, picking up everything that was wrong with the book (and giving encouragement when things were right). Working with Josiah was a great experience, especially as a first tome novelist, and I’ll definitely be using his services again in the future!”

— Lee Mountford, author of Horror in the Woods

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“I loved Josiah’s work! The prices were very reasonable and he worked in a timely manner. Josiah caught several issues that I hadn’t noticed which went a long way to helping the consistency of the book. The grammar and sentence structure input and edits were very thorough without changing the voice of the work. Finding an editor that doesn’t change the author’s voice was like striking gold! I will definitely be coming back to Josiah for my future editing.”

— Amanda Booloodian, author of AIR

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“ Mr. Davis is a consummate professional. Good communication, great feedback, timely completion of contract. 10/10 would work with him again!”

— Chris Embry, author

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“After sending my manuscript to a few editors I thought I had ironed out most of the mistakes, but Josiah was able to find them yet. His constructive editing made it easy for me to realize what required work and how I needed to re-write areas. He is 100% committed to the craft and was honest throughout the whole process. A complete professional – I will be using his services in the future.”

— Elijah Cooksey, author of 700

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“I thought I’d use 50% of your input, but I found myself using far more. It also sparked me to make even more improvements to my book. I particularly liked your method of using comments. It made it easier for me not to miss anything, and allowed me to fix problems in a slightly different way if I had a mind to. Thanks for doing such a great job. Know that your name and company will be named in my book.”

— R. Marquez, author of Fallen Angel

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“Josiah Davis is easily one of the best editors I’ve collaborated with. He is very easy to work with, and his rates are very reasonable. He genuinely cares about the stories – and the authors – that he partners with.”

— Rebekah McAuliffe, author of Gears of Golgotha

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“Josiah will help you bridge the gap between an amateur book and a professional one. I revised some sections over and over again and Josiah still caught many mistakes. Josiah works fast and has a great understanding of plot and pacing. Your book *will* be improved after you work with him. The price is great, too I’m very happy with the results and will work with him again.”

— Hugo Huesca, author of Dungeon Lord

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“It can’t be said enough. Everyone, no matter how experienced, needs an editor. Josiah was great. He pointed out flaws and inconsistencies in my plot. He gave some feedback on character development. He noticed grammar, spelling and structural issues. He’s also smart, and was able to draw attention to things I’d overlooked. Did I mention, he was super fast too? So if you are an indie writer needing a second pair of eyes or just looking to polish your manuscript for an agent to review, Josiah is the one for you.”

— Melissa Abigail, author of Judge by the Cover

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“I wanted to thank you again for your work on my children’s book manuscript. I really needed a critical eye (and ear) and you certainly provided that. The changes you helped me to incorporate make for a more fluid and coherent storyline. Thanks again for your help and willingness to jump into a new genre with me. I look forward to working with you again soon!”

— Herb Griffith, author of The Great Cutlery War

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“I can thoroughly recommend working with Josiah. He worked with me to provide an intelligent and critical review of my manuscript. With his structured and analytical mind, he was able to identify some subtle plot continuity issues and highlight areas which might require more explanation or backstory. He has excellent communication skills and has always delivered on time and as agreed. It was a pleasure working with him!”

— Toby Weston, author of Denial: Singularity’s Children

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“I had edited my book about a thousand times before I sent it to Josiah, who immediately found loads of issues which I completely missed. Aside from constant minor mistakes on virtually every page, numerous major aspects of the book changed as a result of his work as well: a third-person narrative changed to first-person, for instance, and a number of dates which didn’t match up at all were finally corrected. Highly recommended and incredibly helpful.”

— Ian James, author of Saving Hitler

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“Working with Josiah has been a godsend! I needed to have a book transcribed that my grandfather had written and had no idea what to do. Josiah contacted me after I made a post online looking for help and I’m very happy he did! He was very easy to work with, answered all of my questions promptly, and provided me with a great final product. If I ever need this type of work done again I will definitely go to him first!”

— Andrew Gracia

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“Josiah was a breeze to work with! Everything was done quickly and professionally at a fair price. He caught many mistakes I had missed on my own passes and I think has given my book more polish and shine than it had before. Very valuable advice on my story structure as well.”

— James Hanlon, author of The Star Pirate’s Folly

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“Josiah was very helpful in providing needed feedback to improve my book in a timely and cost-efficient fashion. As a result of his comments, I am making a large number of improvements. I highly recommend Josiah for his editing expertise.”

— Michael Rozenfield, author of An Undying Sea

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“You provided some great input for me not only to improve this story but also my writing going forward. I think the comma and sentence structure input was the most valuable feedback you gave and I really appreciate it.”

— Arthur McMahon, author of Silhouette

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“Working with Josiah was awesome. He helped me find my weaknesses, he also understood the book’s tone and improved it hugely. The whole process was a great experience.”

— Em Levent, author of Dark as Black

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“Josiah was a pleasure to work with. He was happy to answer any questions I had, and the turn around was extremely quick. The insight he provided greatly improved my story. I will definitely come back for future projects.”

— Bryan Kwasnik, author of The Maple Tree Monster

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“I enjoyed working with Josiah immensely and was honestly excited to see his name in my email because I knew he had made more edits. He found a lot of mistakes that another editor missed, gave great suggestions, and found discrepancies within my timeline. He even worked on my book while he was on a road trip. I am currently working on another book and will definitely have him edit that one once I am done.”

— Michelle Michaels, author of Stand Up

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“As a first time writer I found Josiah’s proofreading very eye-opening. He picked up on repetitive word use, grammar issues, and timeline/character inconsistencies. Even though Josiah generally reads fantasy and historical novels, I can say that he is more than capable of editing other genres. I asked him to read my romance novel and it was very insightful to have him edit, especially from a male perspective. His fees are very reasonable and I would definitely use him again and would highly recommend him to other people.”

— Violet Win, author of 108 Roses

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“Josiah has been great in helping me get started on the path of writing. I am attempting to create an audio podcast format of story telling as opposed to traditional writing and he gave great feedback for a beginner. From things like sentence structure to narrative suggestions, he was able to give me enough information to go back to the drawing board and adjust what I needed to create a better story. I would highly recommend using Josiah for any of your writing needs as he will definitely be able to help!”

— Alexander Spivak, author of Chronicles

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“I have used Josiah’s Author’s Assistant editing package which gives me two passes—the first is for content development and the second is for line editing. I have been very impressed with both services from Josiah. He brings a fresh eye to my plot and helps me to both fill in holes and clean up things that made sense in my head, but didn’t come across to the reader. And as far as line editing, Josiah is very thorough! Not only does he find every one of those darn missing commas, he explains my grammar mistakes so I can learn from them.

He has edited both nonfiction and children’s fiction for me and I can say without a doubt that his excellent editing is one of the reasons both books are doing very well. I look forward to working with Josiah long into the future and already have four more books on his calendar for this year.”

— Emmaline Rose, author of the Hall of Travels Adventure series