Michael Carr
is an
editor, copy editor, and writer—some
300 titles and counting, for major
publishers including Time Warner
Books, Penguin Putnam, Kensington,
Regnery, Holcomb Hathaway, Globo
Libros, and many others. His fiction
editing and copyediting credits
include hardback literary and
historical, crime/mystery, adult and
young adult drama, romance, fantasy,
and science fiction. Representative
crime fiction titles include New
York Times Notable Book of the Year
winner Archer Mayor’s Gatekeeper and
The Surrogate Thief, Brad Meltzer’s
political thriller The Zero Game (#3
NY Times best-seller), Robert
Greer’s Heat Shock, and Patricia
Smiley’s Cover Your Assets (L.A.
Times best-seller). Fantasy and
science fiction works include Beyond
Infinity, by Gregory Benford (who
has cowritten with Arthur C.
Clarke), Stewart and Cohen’s Heaven,
and Michael Moorcock’s The White
Wolf’s Son, to name but a few.
Nonfiction titles run the gamut:
from scholarly to self-help,
business, and motivation; from
health and psychology to history,
politics, world affairs, and popular
culture, with a little forensic
science and true crime thrown in.
Representative nonfiction titles
include Bernard Goldberg’s Arrogance (NY Times best-seller), CNN
Crossfire host Tucker Carlson’s
Politicians, Partisans, and
Parasites, the Reverend Al
Sharpton’s Al on America, and CNN
host Lou Dobbs’s Exporting America.
Michael’s own published work
includes narrative nonfiction, short
fiction, and poetry, as well as
mainstream articles on everything
from adventure travel to martial
arts. Michael has an MA in English
and has taught creative writing and
poetry at the University of Colorado
at Boulder.
Every
day terrific manuscripts get tossed
because of avoidable problems with
grammar and punctuation, factual or
logical oversights, or an inelegant
transition or turn of phrase—things
that a professional edit could have
fixed. A good editor, like a good
doctor, knows what to fix and what
to leave alone, and remembers
always, "First, do no harm."
Partial list from some 350 titles edited (developmental,
substantive, or copyediting)
Crime/mystery Will Adams, The Alexander Cipher Leslie Banks, Betrayal of Trust Leslie Banks, Dark Dreams James Scott Bell, Try Darkness Marc Blatte (as Goodman Brody) Humpty Dumpty Was Pushed
James Cobb, Robert Ludlum's The Arctic Event Mark Cohen, Bluetick Revenge Jeffrey Cruikshank, Murder at the B-School Robert Dugoni, The Jury Master Robert Greer, Heat Shock Archer Mayor, Chat Archer Mayor, Gatekeeper Archer Mayor, The Second Mouse Archer Mayor, The Surrogate Thief *Brad Meltzer, The Zero Game Marcia Muller, Cape Perdition Marcia Muller, Cyanide Wells Marcia Muller, Dangerous Hour Gary Phillips, Bangers David Rosenfelt, Play Dead Patricia Smiley, False Profits Patricia Smiley, Cover Your
Assets Jeff Stetson, Justice Donald Westlake, The Road to
Ruin Donald Westlake, Thieves' Dozen Donald Westlake, Watch Your Back Donald Westlake (as Richard Stark), Nobody Runs Forever
Fantasy Ashok Banker, Prince of Ayodhya Gregory Benford, Beyond Infinity David & Leigh Eddings, The Elder Gods Michael Moorcock, The White Wolf's Son
Ian Stewart & Jack Cohen, Heaven
Drama, romance Wendy Alec, The Fall of Lucifer Wendy Alec, Messiah Cheri Paris Edwards, Plenty Good Room Aisha Ford, Flippin' the Script
Dorothy Garlock, Song of the Road Nancy Lieberman, Admissions Lauren Lipton, It's about Your Husband
Jane Porter, The Frog Prince Robin Schwarz, Night Swimming R. D. Snowcroft, The Blanchard Brothers Film Company David Soos, The Gilded Cage Michelle Stimpson, Boaz Brown Michelle Stimpson, Divas of Damascus Road Caroline Upcher, Falling for Mr. Wrong
Spanish-language romance Luz Borges, Deuda de amor
Lourdes Carvajal, Bésame mucho
Diana Escalera, Jugando con candela
Berta Platas Fuller, Todo de mí
Diana García, Aviso oportuno
Leticia Gómez, Dulce destino
Yvette González, Canto de amor
Victoria Márquez, Cortejo cálido
Sylvia Mendoza, Olas de pasión
Liliana Monteil-Doucette, Conquista
Reyna Ríos, Destino amor
Hebby Roman, La mejor apuesta
Lynda Sandoval, Solo tú
Lynda Sandoval, Soñando contigo
Caridad Scordato, Con todo mi corazón
Dalia Vargas, Blue Moon (translation to English)
Consuelo Vázquez, Estrella
Psychology/self-help/religion Leigh Broadhurst, Natural Asthma Relief Brendon Burchard, Life's Golden Ticket
Brendon Burchard, The Monkey Bar Mind-set Brendon Burchard, The Student Leadership Guide Carlene Cross, Fleeing Fundamentalism David Dempsey, Better to Best: How to Speak for
Extraordinary Results &Every Time! Ken Futch, Take Your Best Shot Dra. Isabel Gómez-Bassols, Dónde están las instrucciones? (Spanish)
James & Beth Hood, Where's the Map? Create Your Own Guide to Life after Graduation
*Russ Harris, MD, The Happiness Trap Harold Levinson, MD, Smart but Feeling Dumb: New Research
on Dyslexia Laurie Martin, Smile across Your Heart David ben Moshe, The Secret of the Jews: Letters to
Nietzsche Will Patterson, The Baron Son Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner, Quarter-life Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties
Dan Thurmon, Success in Action
Political/documentary/memoir Robert Ankony, LURPS: A Ranger's Diary of Khe Sanh, A
Shau, and Quang Tri Tucker Carlson, Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites Lou Dobbs, Exporting America: Why Corporate Greed Is
Shipping American Jobs Overseas Rusty Fleming, Drug Wars: The Colombianization of Mexico Samantha Glen, Best Friends: The True Story of the World's Most Beloved Animal Sanctuary
*Bernard Goldberg, Arrogance: Rescuing America from the
Media Elite Steve Jackson, No Stone Unturned: The Story of
NecroSearch International Joan Potter, African American
Firsts: Famous Little-Known and Unsung Triumphs of Blacks in America
Reverend Al Sharpton, Al on America Jewel Woods, Don't Blame It on Rio
Fiction and Nonfiction: Literary,
How-to, Psychology, Self-Help, Crime
Fiction, Adult, Young Adult, Drama,
Fantasy, Sci-fi, True Crime,
International Relations, Current
Affairs, Nature and Science,
Military History, Forensic Science,
Travel
Feedback
"Michael Carr did a great job cutting the fat and increasing the tension. I imagine there are a lot of good editors who deal effectively with sentence-by-sentence editing for typos, spelling, grammar, and punctuation, but a gifted editor puts fresh eyes on a piece of fiction and sees problems and stylistic opportunities that the author misses. Carr is a gifted editor. The story was all there when I sent it to him, but when I got it back, less had become more—the prose was so much cleaner and clearer. Before, it moved; now it races. Judicious cutting also added to consistency of voice and thereby to dramatic unity. Even though I had written the book, I got deeply into reading the edited version because I wanted to know what happens next. I was so engrossed, I forgot that I already knew. Oh, yes, right, wow!" — George Davis, author of The Melting Points, and also of Coming Home, on which the movie starring Jane Fonda and John Voight was based.
"Michael Carr provided excellent advice that I could clearly understand and use. He gets to the problem areas and doesn't mince words. I wish that I had used his knowledge and perspective a year ago." — Ron Winters
"Michael was fabulous; responsive; encouraging but also pointed out areas that needed improvement; enthusiastic; truly truly helpful. He worked quickly and we stayed on schedule. As I read his suggestions, I could see that he often chose words with more 'punch' and that his selections greatly enhanced the impact. I could not be more pleased and am grateful that I 'found' him. I'm really delighted." — Christine M. Whitehead
"Michael Carr is one of the sharpest, most conscientious and diligent editors I have encountered in the more than ten years I have worked as a writer and publisher. His knack for finding the precise words and turns of phrase is exceeded perhaps only by his wisdom as a human being. Whatever the subject at hand, he has displayed a priceless ability to make writers better." — Adam Gamble, On Cape Publications, Dennis, Massachusetts
"Michael Carr's copyediting made the language sing. His pleasant cajoling, diplomatic manner, and artful buffing unquestionably improved the final product. I recommend him without reservation—except I fear that he will become too busy for our next project." — David J. Dempsey, JD, CEO of Dempsey Communications, LLC, Author of Legally Speaking
"Quality of editing was excellent. My agent has recommended Mike to all her other clients." — Steve Goldblatt
"After living in California all these years, it's a pleasure to be hit with this big dose of New York energy. A broad spectrum of characters appears here, dangerous flaws and wild humanity intact." —Marianne Rogoff, book reviewer, San Francisco Chronicle
"Michael Carr has professional skills and artistic talents that proved invaluable in his work on my manuscript. ... He was pleasant, prompt, and candid. It was an education and a pleasure to work with him." — Robert C. Ankony
"The work that Michael did exceeded all expectations. Thanks to him my novel is cohesive, easily comprehended and wonderfully descriptive. I have forwarded a couple of blurbs that I've gotten from people who write for The New York Times and The San Francisco Chronicle. All of the good things that they say are in part a reflection of his artistry." — Goodman Brody
"Looking back, I didn't pay enough for Michael's services. He was insightful, constantly available and consistently on the money with every aspect of my writing. He made it a thoroughly enjoyable working, as well as learning, experience. I can enthusiastically recommend him." — Richard R. Bobé MD
"Michael Carr is the finest editor I have ever worked with. His attention to detail, ability to choose the perfect word or phrase, and mastery of syntax and grammar is nothing short of remarkable. He truly made each sentence of my project sing with clarity and rhythm. Just as important, he provided "big picture" feedback on the overall message of my book – saving me on multiple occasions from taking tangents that would have harmed my credibility and impact with the reader. I'm thrilled with the final product. An overall phenomenal experience." — Brendon Burchard
"Michael is the best editor I've ever worked with. His instincts for what needed to change and his razor sharp eye for detail were brilliant. His knowledge of a wide range of subjects and complete command of the English language amazed me. Michael understands how to make a piece of writing technically solid as well as lovely to read. Besides all that, he is a delight to work with! I won't submit another book for publication without his help." — Carlene Cross, Author, The Undying West, Sacred Deceit
"I can't say enough about how pleasant the entire experience of working with Michael Carr was. He was at all times gracious, patient, and helpful. And he had to work with someone (me) who had been using an out-of-date program and had written a long, unwieldy novel. Michael put it all together with a more focused story line, still using all of my many beloved original small town characters. There was never a phone call or e-mail that went unanswered, never a doubt or stumble on my part which wasn¹t met with his voice of assurance." — Marianne Gage, retired teacher, writer, artist
"Michael, the rewrite is spot-on. You made us look good. We plan to have you canonized." — Sara Ann Freed, Ellery Queen Award–winning crime fiction editor, Time Warner Book Group
"I must thank my editor, Michael Carr, who kept me on track throughout the development of my novel by questioning my occasional assumptions and resolving any of my literary and grammatical shortcomings with his stellar expertise and suggestions." — Clyde Payne, author of Trailing the Moccasin
"Michael Carr is an excellent editor. All of his comments and suggestions were offered with grace and style and professionalism. There were days when personal hardship brought crushing weight into his life, and not once did he allow it to diminish his cheerful demeanor, his high quality efforts, or his concern for my well-being as a writer." — Harley Carnes
"Thank-you, I could not be any more pleased with your service. Retaining Michael Carr's editing services made the difference between writing two hundred pages of never ending thoughts that would end up stuck in my computer for the rest of its life and; having an informative and entertaining manuscript that has a real shot at getting published in the near future. His professionalism and exceptional skills have been worth every dime. I would recommend Michael and your service to any writer regardless of their experience or lack thereof. This was the best decision I made in the entire project." — Gary Fleming Jr., Renavatio Productions
6. Describe your project: (e.g., book, business document, dissertation)
7. Describe the level of writing or editing required: (e.g., copyediting, proofreading, content editing, fact-checking, ghostwriting, formatting)
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10. Required manual of style, if any: (e.g., Chicago Manual, APA, MLA, AP, AAA, CBE/CSE)
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YOUR NAME MUST BE IN YOUR SAMPLE DOCUMENT OR IT CAN BE THE FILE NAME (e.g., johnsmith.doc).
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and/or
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Allow a longer response time if you sent your submission during the weekend or after U.S. business hours.
All of the consultants listed on this site are freelance. They are located throughout the U.S. The coordinator cannot answer cost/timeframe questions for each consultant. You must go through the submission process to receive direct responses from the consultants listed on this site.
Michael Carr
is an
editor, copy editor, and writer—some
300 titles and counting, for major
publishers including Time Warner
Books, Penguin Putnam, Kensington,
Regnery, Holcomb Hathaway, Globo
Libros, and many others. His fiction
editing and copyediting credits
include hardback literary and
historical, crime/mystery, adult and
young adult drama, romance, fantasy,
and science fiction. Representative
crime fiction titles include New
York Times Notable Book of the Year
winner Archer Mayor’s Gatekeeper and
The Surrogate Thief, Brad Meltzer’s
political thriller The Zero Game (#3
NY Times best-seller), Robert
Greer’s Heat Shock, and Patricia
Smiley’s Cover Your Assets (L.A.
Times best-seller). Fantasy and
science fiction works include Beyond
Infinity, by Gregory Benford (who
has cowritten with Arthur C.
Clarke), Stewart and Cohen’s Heaven,
and Michael Moorcock’s The White
Wolf’s Son, to name but a few.
Nonfiction titles run the gamut:
from scholarly to self-help,
business, and motivation; from
health and psychology to history,
politics, world affairs, and popular
culture, with a little forensic
science and true crime thrown in.
Representative nonfiction titles
include Bernard Goldberg’s Arrogance (NY Times best-seller), CNN
Crossfire host Tucker Carlson’s
Politicians, Partisans, and
Parasites, the Reverend Al
Sharpton’s Al on America, and CNN
host Lou Dobbs’s Exporting America.
Michael’s own published work
includes narrative nonfiction, short
fiction, and poetry, as well as
mainstream articles on everything
from adventure travel to martial
arts. Michael has an MA in English
and has taught creative writing and
poetry at the University of Colorado
at Boulder.
