Penny Carroll
Writer & Editor
Testimonials
Kind Words from My Clients
Here’s some of the lovely things my wonderful clients have to say about working with me.
“Penny is my secret weapon!”
“Penny helped me secure not one, but two traditional publishing deals in the space of a year! She initially provided a brilliant copy-edit on my first contemporary romance novel, which was acquired by Harlequin Escape. She then completed structural and copy-edits on my second and third novels, which were subsequently picked up my Pan Macmillan in a two-book deal. Penny has a special knack for understanding the essence of your manuscript and what it’s trying to say, and helping tease out that brilliance via deeper characterisation and more engaging/realistic plots, while having immense respect for voice. Penny is my secret weapon and I refuse to write anything without her expert assistance! The results clearly speak for themselves!”
— Karina May, author of Duck A L’orange for breakfasT, never ever forever and Under The Influence
“If you want to take your book from good to phenomenal, penny is your go-to editor”
“Penny is both the gentlest and the most sharp-minded editor I’ve worked with, and I can’t recommend her highly enough. She frames all her comments in a positive and supportive way, and nothing feels overwhelming or even remotely discouraging. If you want to take your book from good to phenomenal, Penny is your go-to editor. Highly knowledgeable and instantly able to connect with your voice and characters, she has such a strong grasp on story, character, and theme, and will undoubtedly make you a better writer.”
— Natalie Murray, author of Love, Just In
“I felt that my story was safe in Penny’s hands”
“From our very first email conversation and sample edit it was clear that Penny would provide a critique filled with considered advice that would be delivered in a supportive way. I immediately felt that my story was going to be safe in Penny’s hands and that feeling has never wavered. It’s like Penny is a friend who will always help my story shine as brightly as possible. She is approachable, professional and has the keenest eye for details. For me, there’s a feeling of relief that comes with receiving the editorial report, manuscript comments and the follow-up chat because I know that there will be suggestions for how to fix some of the problems that I have already identified. But the bit that I love the most is discovering the opportunities to strengthen the areas that I have missed. My goal is always to deliver the most polished, enjoyable book to readers I can, and knowing someone as skilled as Penny has assessed it gives me the confidence I need to hit publish.”
— Emma Mugglestone, AUTHOR OF The Wattle Junction SEries
“I immediately feel more confident about publishing”
“When I received my on-page edits and editorial report from Penny, I was blown away by the amount of detail and work put into my manuscript. Penny’s suggestions are provided in a way that is supportive and never felt like she was trying to take over my words. She also provided assistance with plot holes and timeline issues in a way that wasn’t overwhelming. The on-page edits were so thorough that I feel immediately more confident and excited about publishing. I was hesitant to book a copy-editor due to the expense but the editorial report has taught me so much and will benefit my future books as well. I highly recommend Penny for your next edit!”
— STEPHANIE HAZELTINE, AUTHOR OF YOU WEREN’T WATCHING
“Penny’s feedback helped me take a big leap forward when my energy was flagging”
“At a moment when I was too close to the manuscript to see inconsistencies and gaps in plot and character development, Penny offered clear and practical insights. Her feedback helped me further develop character arcs, tighten up structure and strengthen rising action. It was invaluable. Receiving Penny’s report made me almost teary with how deeply she had understood my story and how seriously she engaged with it. Her feedback helped me take a big leap forward when my writerly energy was flagging. It was so wonderful to have a smart, insightful and experienced editor helping me after a long time in the writing trenches all alone.”
— N Roberts, literary fiction writer
“we call her the magician”
“Penny has been helping morey media with writing and subediting support for several years. We call her the magician because she turns things around quickly, efficiently and the changes she makes always make the work sing. I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
— Jane Morey, founder and owner of morey media
“Penny made me fall back in love with my manuscript”
“Penny ‘got’ my manuscript, perhaps just as much as I did writing it. She understood my characters and could see the direction I was trying to head with the story and she was able to steer me back on course where sections had lost their way. Penny highlighted the aspects I couldn’t see from being so close to my own work – she also made (brilliant) suggestions for fixes, instead of just pointing out issues/plot holes. Penny’s feedback gave me the confidence to take on the next draft as I now know where the strengths and weaknesses lie. She made me fall back in love with my manuscript.”
— Alison Richards, literary fiction writer
“Each change clarified the storytelling”
Penny is everything you are looking for when you nervously send out a manuscript after years of work. Reliable and timely, Penny’s focus is to elevate the integrity of the writing’s ability to communicate a story. She hones in on the writer’s style, and from that space makes appropriate changes that clarify character and dialogue. Penny is the keen set of eyes that picks up inconsistencies in the story, clarifies character descriptions and cleans up sagging details. Together, this ensures a final draft is elevated into a polished manuscript. Penny treats your manuscript with the same level of concern and care as the writer. In other words, an editor whose sole endeavour is to make your work as good as possible!”