“From start to finish...FIVE GLORIOUS STARS! Working with Megan has been a joyful and most valuable experience. Her comments are thoughtful, her advice priceless. When hiring an editor, writers wish for someone who speaks up when something needs addressing. Most editors do that. It can, however, be a much harder task to find one that will say what needs to be said in a way that prevents the writer from wanting to throw in the towel. Megan’s specific but kind advice fits the bill on all fronts. Bottom line...she improved my work, and she did so with expertise and grace. I will not hesitate to hire her again...and again.”
“ I feel incredibly fortunate to have found my amazing writing coach, Megan Close Zavala. She has been more than just a coach; she has been a true partner in my writing journey. Megan held me accountable with her insightful editing suggestions and her constant encouragement, which motivated me to keep writing. What truly sets her apart is the sacred space she created, where I felt safe and supported to open up and share my story. Megan was the first person to really listen and read my work, and I will always love her for that. Her presence and guidance were instrumental in helping me bring this book out of my heart and into the world. Thanks to Megan, I am now able to inspire healing in others and encourage them to share their own stories.”
“Megan is a gem. Insecurity no longer plagues me; she has convinced me that I can write. If you have ever dreamt about a book that you want to write, you might understand the weight that has lifted off of my shoulders. For over twenty years I have wanted to do this. Her encouragement and direction have led to me visualize this dream. Even if I never get published, at least I will have a legacy for my children and grandchildren, all thanks to Megan.”
“As a result of the work I did with Megan, I achieved complete clarity about the book I needed to write and the end result is ten times better. She was very affirming of my best writing so that I knew I had the potential to write in a compelling way. She gave very detailed feedback on the structure and content of my manuscript, which has enabled me to bring my best skills to every part of my book.”
“I was staggered at the insight, sensitivity and perception Megan achieved with understanding complex medical, psychological and delicate social issues, namely physical abuse. I have now, thanks to Megan, been given the tools to improve my book. I have realized that I am writing an autobiography and not a memoir, which has given me increased perspective. I cannot thank Megan enough for her professional skills.”
“Megan was a complete pro to work with! Timely and concise. Her editorial book coaching report was so helpful and detailed. I know exactly what I must do to clean-up my book and get it ready for print. Highly recommend her!”
“Megan...was excellent. Her help is exactly what I needed to move forward on my project. She gave excellent feedback and advice. She is very professional and responsive. I can tell she truly cares about authors and helping to create the best version of our writing. ”
“Working with Megan has been an absolutely wonderful experience! As a first time author, she was kind enough to answer my questions on the manuscript assessment process. She was extremely responsive, answering our message exchanges quickly. I highly value the manuscript assessment she did. Not only did it greatly improve the structure and content of my book, but through those recommendations, I learned valuable writing lessons & techniques. Megan was very open to discussing potential improvement options with me. She was always very positive and supportive which uplifted and encouraged me as a first time author. I would highly recommend having her work with you!”
“Megan’s collaboration and expertise was phenomenal! Her comments and insights were always clear and cogent and concise. It was an absolute joy to work with [her].”
“Megan excelled in organizing and refining the manuscript. Her insightful suggestions were crucial enhancing the quality of the book’s quality, and communicating with her was effortlessly smooth.”
“I worked with Megan for several months during the writing of my book manuscript. She provided thoughtful guidance and revisions to strengthen the manuscript throughout. Her support kept me on deadline, and allowed me to submit a final manuscript that was much stronger than what I would have produced through my own efforts alone. In addition to her expertise of the publishing world, and what it takes to develop a winning manuscript, she was a pleasure to work with - extremely professional, hitting deadlines, and also being flexible to my specific situation. I highly recommend Megan and her services.”
“[Megan] was exceptionally responsive, punctual, and professional throughout [our work together]. Megan’s work product was impressive. She identified several thoughtful recommendations at a macro level that I plan to abide, which should enhance my manuscript’s appeal. A few of these suggestions were novel and wouldn’t have occurred to me. She also demonstrated a keen eye for detail, raising dozens of helpful questions throughout the draft concerning areas that required further clarification. Megan helpfully and swiftly responded to my questions, which numbered more than a dozen. Megan is a clearly an editing pro.”
“Megan is a true professional and easy to work with. I have used her for many projects and each one shows her dedication and expertise in helping her clients.”
“Megan...is professional, thoughtful, and kind; you can trust her with your project!”
“In my year-long journey of writing my manuscript I came across many obstacles and challenges, gurus and false prophets. I thought I had to read that how-to book, listen to that podcast, or join that writing group – all of which I did. Some helped, others were a waste of time. But in all that, what I [realized I] really needed was a good coach, someone who had experience in copy editing and story structure, to open up the guts of my manuscript and diagnose my story. Tell me its strengths, its weaknesses and what I needed to do to get it in the best possible shape I could.
Through working with Megan for three months she helped me bring my manuscript to where I felt the story I set out to tell was [actually] on the page: theme, character, plot, and prose. I recommended anyone who is serious about becoming a writer to work with Megan. She will help bring your manuscript to the next level.”
“Megan was direct and focused from the moment she accepted the assignment right up to delivery. Her notes and questions enabled me to dig deeper in order to enhance my writing. I would hands down work with Megan again!”
“Megan’s work exceeded my expectations. She provided exactly what she promised and finished before the deadline, which was a delightful surprise. Her suggestions were right on target and exactly what I needed to approach my goal... [I] will certainly plan to hire her again as my project proceeds. ”
“What makes Megan such an amazing editor/coach is her genuine passion for the written word, her ability to quickly grasp topics and make insightful suggestions regarding content and structure, and her deep knowledge of what editors need to see in manuscripts and proposals alike. At the same time, she’s also incredibly fun to work with and very responsive. I worked with several editors on my most recent manuscript before I found Megan and she quickly exceeded all in her ideas, attention-to-detail, and responsiveness. In short, hiring Megan will be the best book decision you’ve ever made.”
“Megan was a huge help in assisting me with my first business book proposal. It was so well written that it easily landed an agent, a book deal, and two more book deals following that. She gave me excellent perspective on writing proposals, building a platform, and growing my influence. Don’t hesitate to work with her; she’s amazing!”
“I cannot say enough about Megan. This was my first stab at writing a book and I was nervous. She made the whole process seamless. I’ve read that some editors change the voice of the author - not Megan. Her edits and suggestions completely matched my writing style. Her feedback was timely and easy to follow. She truly made my book better and I will forever be grateful to her!”
“Megan’s work is exemplary, I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Megan and will certainly be utilizing her services in the future. She is prompt, efficient and her comments not simply constructive but uplifting. Do give Megan a call, you will find her services of great benefit to you wherever you are on the writing trail.”
“I absolutely love working with Megan! She was prompt, kind and very helpful. I will use her again!”
“Megan was extremely professional and, above all, honest when working with me and helping me with my project. Her feedback was thorough [and] practical and will help me progress with my project.”
“Megan is an absolute joy to work with. As a first time author, I felt held in every way by her. Excited to publish! ”
“I [am] very happy I chose Megan to edit my manuscript. Her years of experience editing and her professionalism [are] very evident. Megan gave me solid, clear, and detailed feedback - she even returned my edited project to me a few days ahead of time. I appreciate her attention to detail and I learned a lot about writing from the notes and feedback she left for me. I would definitely work with her on future projects.”
“Professional and on time, I heartily recommend Megan.”
“This is my second collaboration with Megan. She is thoughtful, thorough, patient, and effective. I look forward to many more collaborations with her in the future. ”
“Megan was great to deal with...she was very knowledgeable and gave great insight into how I could make my book the best version of itself. I would recommend Megan!”
“I’m so grateful for Megan’s notes and help regarding my screenplay. I’ve never written a screenplay before but now that I’m getting professional and articulate advice from Megan, I feel one hundred percent confident that I will produce a more compelling and complete script. I’m very happy I came across her services and will only be going to her for the duration of this screenplay and any other ones I decide to write. I highly recommend her services to any novice or seasoned writer looking for that extra help. ”
“As a first-time author who is new to this whole experience Megan was excellent to work with. She impressed me with her insightful and honest edits and thoughtful comments/feedback. She is highly professional and to the point. Not only was she timely but she completed the work ahead of schedule. I am very appreciative of her high-quality work. I would definitely hire her again.”
“Megan was enthusiastic and a great communicator. She took the time to explain in detail what her editing work would include and then came through 100% . I plan to work with her again on another project!”
“Megan was very helpful and worked her magic! She was kind, competent and great with communication.”
“Very professional, knowledgeable and easy to work with. Brings a great attitude.”
“Insightful, intuitive, straightforward critiques and commentary. Megan’s contemplative responses and itemized notes about the restructuring of a book-gone-rogue were as illuminating as they were helpful in reigning in and re-designing said rogue book. I am deeply appreciative of the professional quality of Megan’s work.”
“Recently, I had the pleasure of working with Megan on a project. She was supportive and sensitive to my needs as a writer. The editorial work included providing me some genuinely helpful tips on publishing and marketing content. In addition to sketching out a few strategies to move my career forward, I received an honest and realistic appraisal of my goals. I felt that my book was in the hands of a true professional; I happily endorse her!”
“Professional, fast, and extremely knowledgeable.”
“Her changes were perfect, keeping my thoughts and personality in every word.”
“Megan was professional and had good points for a beginner writer like me. I highly recommend her.”
“Megan’s insight into how character moves plot helped me smooth out the false beats in my story and her positive critical method better engaged me with my own material.”
“As this was my first time to actually try to submit my work for publication, the prospect was rather daunting. I knew I had a good story, but it needed a lot of work to shine it up...I’m so happy with the result.
Megan finished the project ahead of schedule with an amazing assessment. And I’m so impressed by how approachable she is, even after our business is concluded. Her feedback was so positive and constructive, giving me suggestions and advice I had never considered before, but now make perfect sense. I definitely will seek...Megan out again for my next project!”
“Megan took charge of my project, wasted no time, and gave me exactly what I wanted: a mistake-free manuscript and an excellent query letter. I could not be more pleased. I will definitely work with her in the future.”
“Megan was amazing and gave me great feedback and was very timely. I would highly recommend her services to those looking to complete their work.”
“Very good input and comments. Would definitely use again.”
“Megan did an awesome job...she made so many great improvements! ”
“I love this lady! She’s professional and friendly!”
“Megan is very professional. I look forward to working with her again.”
“Megan was responsive, professional, and generated great work product. I will work with her again.”