Testimonials

“Ronlyn is a meticulous reader who is able to see both the big picture and the details. She understands—deeply, intuitively—how patterns of subtle particulars come together to build a whole, whether that whole is a world, a mythos, a character, or an effect. When you're not quite done figuring out a story, she has a knack for asking just the right questions to show you what is missing. I don't know what I'd do without her critical eye.”
—Mary McMyne, author of The Book of Gothel and Wolf Skin, winner of the Elgin Chapbook Award

“I have been a professional writer for 25 years now. Over the course of these years, I have received a lot of feedback for my work. I have been in several writers groups and worked with many editors, yet never in all that time have I experienced feedback as deep, meaningful, and helpful as that I received from Ronlyn Domingue. Ronlyn not only respects the writer, but she also respects the story itself. She reads a story for the living thing that it is, and from that place she is able to make suggestions and comments that help lead the writer delve more accurately and authentically into what the story is offering to the world. Ronlyn's feedback was not only helpful, it was also profound.”
—Nancy Peacock, author of The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson and Life Without Water, New York Times Notable Book

"Let me tell you about Ronlyn Domingue: She's the best. When I had pieces but no whole of my memoir, Ronlyn very generously and meticulously combed through all the words to find the thread and shape it. I STILL go back to the notes she wrote on my manuscript, now five years ago, despite the fact that it's gone through so many changes, it's not even the same story. But more than that, despite my unorthodox approach (mixing my father's art with my words), Ronlyn never questioned the vision, which has been the most challenging part of Living in Twilight for all wordsmiths. She critiqued well but never insensitively. One of my early readers, while skimming over her notes, said, 'My god. This is a master's class in writing.'"
—Quenby Moone, author of Living in Twilight

“Ronlyn Domingue is an incredible editor. She reads deeply, sees what you're trying to accomplish, and gives her honest and yet never soul-crushing advice for how to best achieve your goals. She sees the big picture and talks about how to create those themes specifically within the text. Her line edits tighten the piece so that it's still your voice, your words, but in sharper focus, highlighting the poetry and the movement of the story. I recommend her without hesitation, not only for manuscript editing but also for confidence building.”
—Susan Henderson, author of The Flicker of Old Dreams

“Ronlyn is head and shoulders above other developmental editors I’ve worked with. One thing about her editing style that was particularly useful to me is her structural approach. Because I was writing the life of an actual historical person, my manuscript had massive structural problems. It sprawled over time and distance. Ronlyn helped me take control of the narrative by forcing me (in the nicest possible way) to find and develop an arc that would stay true to real events but also focus the story and give it shape. In the course of working with her—over three revisions—I learned to understand the importance of structure and to see how I could rely on it to give my saga a cohesive energy that would carry the reader from one implausible incident to the next. Because she works on only one manuscript at a time, Ronlyn immerses herself in your story the way you do yourself. Your work has her full attention, and you can feel how totally she commits to the success of every writer she works with.”
—Claire J. Griffin, author of A Rebellious Woman

"One of the best things I have ever done was ask Ronlyn Domingue to edit my novel. Her feedback and observations were an invaluable second sight into my story, my writing, and myself. She has the ability to see things you haven't and is able to make you turn a fresh—yet still honest—eye to your own writing. As a result, you truly begin to see the real story lurking beneath the surface of your words. I rewrote 75% of my novel, it no longer resembles what it used to be, and because of that, I have fallen even more in love with my characters and my story. Ronlyn's critiques are never harsh, but they are firm and fair. In just a few short months after working with her and making the edits to my story, I am in awe as to how much of a better writer I have become because of her gentle guidance and critical eye. It has been such a lucky honor to have had the opportunity to work with this visionary writer and editor."
—Jules Archer, author of Little Feasts

"It is a common myth that writing is a solo endeavor. We might sit down at the page alone, but check the acknowledgments section of any novel and it becomes clear. Any successful writing project requires support. In my opinion, Ronlyn provides an entire acknowledgement page's worth of support. She has an unparalleled ability to delve into a text to help you through the central issues of storytelling. Ronlyn combines the deep work of a developmental editor with the razor-sharp skills of a copyeditor. As a result, she has been able to help me bring my visions to fruition. Many writing books can teach craft—but few people can help anchor a writer in craft and simultaneously guide a writer as he or she dives into a story. Ronlyn is one of those rare gems."
—Penelope Dane, MFA, PhD, winner of the 2015 Faulkner-Wisdom Prize for an Essay and winner of the Ann Veronica Simon Dissertation Award