– Terry L Probert, AuthorI first met Meg Dunley, when she had been engaged as the facilitator of our writing group, Wordsmiths of Melton. She proved eloquent, talented and it was easy for us to appreciate her communication skills, especially when it came to wrangling a room full of writers, all with different skill levels and keeping a few men with overblown egos to task.
At this time, I had finished a novel I had aimed at a middle-school to adult audience and, having lost track of its middle-school voice, put it aside. After discussing editing as part of one of Meg’s sessions, it became apparent that her skills may be the right fit for a manuscript I had invested a lot of me into. Toby, the main character had become like a family member and if I were to leave the work untouched, it would have felt like disowning a real child. He had to be saved. Several colleagues had read my first drafts and wished it well. Each of them saying, although they liked the story, couldn’t suggest what needed doing to make it submission ready.Meg began by reading the complete manuscript before agreeing to become my editor. She asked about my investment in the story and if I would accept some radical deletions. Knowing if Toby were to have a chance, I had to believe in her collaborative and objective approach.
Working together, dropping unnecessary characters and superfluous storylines, we cut almost forty thousand words from the manuscript. Within a few short months, the fat was gone and the story had changed from obesity to supermodel deluxe. Now it has a distinguishable voice and an easy-to-read narrative that entertains children from nine to ninety. Not an easy task, but by employing Meg’s skill as an editor, we managed to produce a work that I am extremely proud of.
I would recommend Meg Dunley as an editor to any writer exploring their desire to bring their manuscript from words on disc, to an edited version ready for submission or printing as an independent publisher.