Faith Hickman Brynie is an experienced writer and editor of both fiction and nonfiction.
In her nonfiction work, she specializes in science, medicine, and health. She has a Ph.D. in science curriculum and instruction. She has authored 17 books for children, young adults, and general readers. She is an experienced editor of science activity books, trade books for middle school and high school, and textbooks K-college. She has worked for major publishers as writer, substantive editor, developmental editor, copyeditor, and fact checker. She excels at communicating complex ideas clearly and simply.
Faith Brynie also loves fiction, and has written three novels, all published by Geneses under a pseudonym. She has won several contests and awards for her short fiction, which has been published in such magazines as Thema, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Midnight Zoo, Aberrations, Over My Dead Body!, Haunts, and others. She critiques mainstream, science fiction, horror, and mystery manuscripts, helping authors develop their characters, plot, dialogue, voice, and style. She also does developmental editing and copyediting of fiction manuscripts.
2006 Society of School Librarians Honor Book award winner: 101 Questions about Sleep and Dreams that Kept You Awake Nights...Until Now
Faith Hickman Brynie is the author of 17 science and health trade books for children and young adults. Some of her books have earned awards from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Science Teachers Association, the Children’s Book Council, and the International Reading Association. She holds a Ph.D. in science education (curriculum and instruction) from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is a former high school biology teacher and university professor. She was the first “Scholar in Residence” to serve the American schools overseas. She is a frequent contributor to Odyssey, a popular science magazine for middle school children. She edited a college chemistry textbook for Houghton Mifflin and an activity book on astronomy for Wiley. She frequently contributes to elementary and secondary science textbook series, and she teaches scientific and technical writing to adult audiences.
Fiction
Faith Brynie published her first fiction in 1992, but she’s been a student of fiction all her life. She is particularly interested in the horror, science fiction, and mystery genres, but she also writes mainstream and literary fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Thema, Over My Dead Body!, Heart Attack, Obligatory Sin, Next Phase, Midnight Zoo, Dark Infinity, Nightdreams, Haunts, and the Good News/Bad News Anthology. One of her stories was selected for inclusion in High Fantastic: Colorado’s Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, and Science Fiction (Ocean View Books, 1995). She has won several contests. Her story “Desert Raiders” won first place in the children’s fiction category, National League of American Pen Women, 1997. “Cowboy in the Computer Age” won third prize in the 24-hour short story contest, Spring, 1999, sponsored by Writers’ Weekly. She took second place in the Next Phase science fiction competition with her story “Procrastination.” She has authored three novels, all published by Geneses.
“Sometimes fiction writers wonder whether they need a critique, developmental editing, or copyediting,” Brynie says. She thinks a critique is often the best place to start. “Before you worry about polishing the language, it's important to build a solid foundation of fiction's elements. You want to make sure that your characters are rich, your plot is plausible (within the genre), and your theme and conflict are well developed,” she says. When Faith Brynie critiques a work of fiction, she reads the entire manuscript (often several times over) and write a 5-10 page criticism, outlining what she sees as the strengths and weaknesses of the work as a whole. She suggests ways of reorganizing the manuscript for content and structure. She offers advice on plot, character development, and narrative style. In sum, she provides the author with a blueprint for revision. Her clients learn more than what's wrong with their fiction. They learn how to make it right.
For clients who are confident about the structure of their stories, Brynie also provides developmental editing and copyediting services. In addition to correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling, she can offer suggestions for improving sentence structure and increasing clarity of communication. Her training as a scientist makes her detail oriented and precision driven. “I write nonfiction for a living,” Brynie says, “but my passion is fiction. I love writing it and I love helping others shape their fiction works. There is no greater thrill than exercising the imagination—mine and theirs.”
She welcomes inquiries from writers of mainstream, science fiction, mystery, and horror fiction. No romance, fantasy, or swords and sorcery, please.
Specialties
Copyediting
Developmental Editing
Rewriting
Ghostwriting
Juvenile / Young Adult Fiction and Nonfiction
Genre Fiction
Critique and Evaluation
Are you trying to decide whether you need an edit or a critique? Before you worry about polishing the language, it's important to build a solid foundation of fiction's elements. You want to make sure that your characters are rich, your plot is plausible (within the genre), and your theme and conflict are well developed. Therefore, a critique is usually the best place to start. When Faith Brynie critiques a work of fiction, she reads the entire manuscript (often several times over) and write a 5-10 page criticism, outlining what she sees as the strengths and weaknesses of the work as a whole. She suggests ways of reorganizing the manuscript for content and structure. She offers advice on plot, character development, and narrative style. In sum, she provides the author with a blueprint for revision. Her clients learn more than what's wrong with their fiction. They learn how to make it right.
Feedback
FEEDBACK FROM NONFICTION CLIENTS:
“Faith Brynie's writing and editing skills are of the highest caliber. She is a regular contributor to ODYSSEY magazine because she takes topics such as genetics and punctuated equilibrium and makes them fascinating and approachable for 10 to 16-year-olds. She is creative and resourceful, unflappable and cheerful regardless of how short a deadline might be. She works confidently with experts--from mathematicians to cosmologists--and her enjoyment in her work and determination to get it right set her apart from other highly competent writers and editors. Her research is amazing. The knowledge and experience that she brings to her own writing prompted me to ask her to edit a teacher's guide for ODYSSEY four years ago. The guide reaches the most important element of our buying audience. She dependably delivers it each month, often in addition to a heavy load of writing assignments from me. I definitely could use some Brynie clones!” -- Elizabeth Lindstrom, ODYSSEY magazine, Senior Editor, Cobblestone Publishing
“Faith's award-winning books are nonfiction at its best. Reviewers always point out her astonishing ability to translate difficult, cutting edge science into language that is both clear and eloquent. Faith's skills as a writer, researcher, and editor have been well appreciated by Millbrook and 21st Century Books for many years now. She's a gem!” -- Amy Shields, Editor-in-Chief, The Millbrook Press and 21st Century Books
“Faith Brynie helped guide my books to successful completion. Her feedback was wonderfully detailed. She told me where the manuscript was weak and explained how I might proceed. She wouldn't let me get away with mediocrity. It meant I had to rework sections I'd hoped to be done with, but the result was greater quality. Where my work was strong, her praise was just as specific. Her encouragement helped my confidence and kept me going.” -- Janet Parks Chahrour, author of Flash! Bang! Pop! Fizz!: Exciting Science for Curious Minds (Barron’s, 2000) and Zap! Blink! Taste! Think!: Exciting Life Science for Curious Minds (Barron’s, 2003).
“I am pleased to recommend Faith Brynie as a conscientious and creative writer. Faith is diligent in her research of a topic, innovative in her approach. and responsive to feedback in a timely fashion. I would personally seek her out for appropriate projects in the future." -- Grace Freedson, Grace Freedson’s Publishing Network (formerly Acquisitions Editor at Barron’s Educational)
"Faith Hickman Brynie was hired by The Philip Lief Group to edit a manuscript for a commercial chemistry book. She was very knowledgeable about the subject matter, she was thorough, efficient, fast, independent, and reliable. Our author was less motivated than would have been ideal, and Faith took it upon herself to fix what needed fixing and delivered an acceptable manuscript. Overall, I think her work was exemplary, and I would hire her again tomorrow." Jill Korot, project manager and associate editor, The Philip Lief Group, Inc.
"Faith helped us with editing our Operating Manual. She was very detailed in her work, which allowed us to use these changes as a standard for our future manuals. She was very easy to work with and also had a very fast turn around time. I am looking forward to working with her on future projects." Rita J. Juan, Turner BioSystems, Inc., Marketing Services Manager
"In a word, Faith was great. Very professional yet personable to work with. I felt she was accessible and listened to my needs and the needs of my content. Very detail oriented. Very quick to respond to my requests and had a very quick turnaround time. Nothing was compromised in the experience. I would recommend or hire her again in a second." Kristina Lamour, Professor, Graphic Design, The Art Institute of Boston
"The one quality that appeals to me the most about Faith, is her ability to pay close attention to details and to point out errors and possibilities. I had Faith look over a series of science related questions, and was impressed by the depth of her science background. She was able to scrutinize the type of questions, the difficulty level, the scope and nature of the topics involved with much ease. I feel very confident having had Faith review the sample science questions, and it makes me feel that this study guide will be a notch above my competitors given Faith’s impeccable work." Contact info on request
"Faith did a great job, met all deadlines, author’s queries were spot on. I’ve worked with dozens of editors, and she’s first rate.” (Contact info on request)
"Faith Brynie is a superb editor, thinker, and professional. I was impressed with her ability to take a large amount of information and distill my research into a high quality cogent presentation. She not only evidenced exceptional skills at organizing and extracting the “hooks” and “tag lines”, she did so without any alteration in my voice or message. She was a professional every step of the way. She was a joy to work with. I definitely recommend her to anyone who is serious about their writing and unafraid to roll their sleeves up and get the work done." Contact information on request
FEEDBACK FROM FICTION CLIENTS:
"The help that I received was invaluable. In a professional, authoritative, but flexible manner, Ms. Brynie helped me edit my manuscript so that the story flowed better. She honored my writing style while providing an honest critique of the overall manuscript. Her insights and recommended edits made the manuscript far more vibrant. I highly recommend her services." K. Reichert, Novelist
"Faith Brynie is a meticulous professional. I very much admire her understanding of craft and her diligence in providing me with an excellent analysis of my fiction manuscript. Her detailed notes reflect her thorough engagement in the editing process. Any writer who is serious about being published would be blessed to have the opportunity to work with her." Geoffrey Holland, Novelist
"Thank you for your insightful critique of my work. The many suggestions that you made will enhance my book and make it more entertaining when complete. I begin the rewrite with great confidence and look forward to your continuing assistance." Joyce McMaster, Young adult novelist
"I didn’t know what to expect from this service and I’m pleased to say that Faith over-delivered on every promise made. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with her again and would be happy to recommend her to anyone needing such a service. She was very patient with all of my questions and, even though she remained very professional throughout the process, I felt as though I were working with a trusted friend and advisor by the second or third email. I was a week late delivering the MS to her and she still finished on time. A wonderful experience!" Susan Goodwin (manuscript critique)
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Faith Hickman Brynie is an experienced writer and editor of both fiction and nonfiction.
“Sometimes fiction writers wonder whether they need a critique, developmental editing, or copyediting,” Brynie says. She thinks a critique is often the best place to start. “Before you worry about polishing the language, it's important to build a solid foundation of fiction's elements. You want to make sure that your characters are rich, your plot is plausible (within the genre), and your theme and conflict are well developed,” she says. When Faith Brynie critiques a work of fiction, she reads the entire manuscript (often several times over) and write a 5-10 page criticism, outlining what she sees as the strengths and weaknesses of the work as a whole. She suggests ways of reorganizing the manuscript for content and structure. She offers advice on plot, character development, and narrative style. In sum, she provides the author with a blueprint for revision. Her clients learn more than what's wrong with their fiction. They learn how to make it right. 
