Praise
Read what people are saying about working with Melanie Votaw…
“Melanie is a total pro and a pleasure to work with. My clients have truly benefited from and enjoyed collaborating with Melanie on book proposals and books that sell.”
~ Wendy Sherman, Wendy Sherman Associates, Inc. Literary Management
“Melanie Votaw’s experience and devotion to the crafts of writing, editing, and publishing bring my heart and voice alive on the page with grace, depth, precision, and radiance. I am grateful to have her by my side for each of my books and wouldn’t want to write one without her.”
~ Nancy Levin, author of the Hay House books Jump and Your Life Will Appear, Worthy: Boost Your Self-Worth to Grow Your Net Worth, Permission To Put Yourself First, and Setting Boundaries Will Set You Free
“Working with Melanie Votaw on my book, The Good Death, was an incredible experience. We laughed, we cried, and we stayed on track. Her professionalism and talent are the absolute best. But I think there is magic that she brings to her work and her life that you just don’t find very often in this world. I will be forever grateful to her for helping me bring this book to life. Here’s to many many more together! [She is] not only a brilliant writer, but an incredible human being.”
~ Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN, Founder of the Doulagivers Institute™ and author of the upcoming book, The Good Death: A Handbook for Supporting Your Loved One Through the End of Life
“Working with Melanie was an absolute pleasure! She was a true professional. She’s thoughtful, inquisitive, and used her experience to demystify the writing process. We’re thrilled with our book and are grateful for the opportunity to have partnered with her on our passion project! [Her] talent is truly remarkable, and witnessing it firsthand has been a privilege beyond words.”
~ Keri Ohlrich, PhD and Kelly Guenther, authors of the book, Whatever the Hell You Want: An Escape Plan to Break Out of Life’s Little Boxes and Live Free From Expectations
“I will forever be blessed by the way Melanie brought my memoir to life. I knew I wanted to work with her after I learned that she worked on Nancy Levin’s books and so many Hay House authors. The first time I talked with Melanie, I felt instantly connected by her kind and nurturing spirit and knew she was the one for me. God knew I needed her keen eye, expertise, professionalism and motivational support to lead me into becoming the author I was meant to be. There are not enough thank yous in this world to acknowledge my appreciation for everything she did for me. I highly recommend Melanie with my whole heart and soul to anyone who is in need of a book coach or editor. She is a Godsend.”
~ Marla Lackey, author of Faith and a Tube of Lipstick
“Melanie has been incredible to work with. She has such depth of knowledge when it comes to wellness and mindfulness that I felt as though she understood me, my story, and my method of teaching. She was easily able to translate my ideas into a cohesive proposal that “popped” on the page. Additionally, she was amazing at keeping with deadlines and keeping me on task. She is a skilled and quick writer who can bring your ideas to life. I can’t recommend her enough!”
~ Erin Stutland, creator of Shrink Session and author of the Hay House book, Mantras in Motion: Manifesting What You Want Through Mindful Movement
“When I met Melanie, I was feeling overwhelmed and discouraged about ever finishing my first book. Working together over the past four months, I’m pleased to say that every interaction with her has been a confidence-booster. She has proven to be professional, highly efficient, and affordable. I know I made a wise investment. But best of all, her delightful sense of humor kept me moving forward with a happy heart. With her intuitive gifts and seamless editing, she preserved my ‘voice’ while making the message sing. Wherever you are in the writing process from ‘I’ve got a book inside me’ to ‘Help! I’ll never get this book finished,’ you will be glad you made the decision to work with Melanie. My final draft is now complete, and with her support, it all happened with joy and ease.”
~ Lee Sumner Irwin, author of Radiant Wise Woman: Breaking Free from the Myths of Menopause and Aging
“Melanie, who you must know has ghostwritten many bestsellers, is a brilliant writer. What you may not know is that she’s also amazing at helping a first time author take a concept and turn it into a cogent proposal. She was very patient with my many questions! She was encouraging and helped me take it from concept to what some of the bigger agents in the literary business have called a solid, well written proposal. And my subject is not straightforward. It is not an easy thing to put into words, and Melanie helped me make it clear and accessible. She’s also very knowledgeable about the industry, about getting an agent, etc. and is generous in sharing her wealth of knowledge. I highly recommend working with her.”
“Melanie was incredible to work with. Truly is such a gem. She is quick and timely to respond to all questions and concerns throughout the entire process. I have yet to work with someone that is so prompt in responding like she was. In addition, she was extremely professional and well-mannered. She was polite, kind, and heard all of my concerns and thoughts before working together. And lastly, she is a brilliant writer. She had a way of carefully taking my voice and ensuring that it was not lost in my work. She was able to continue to make my voice heard, while ensuring it was edited and ready to go for submission. Couldn’t imagine going through this process without her, and would work with her again in a heartbeat!”
“Melanie Votaw is a gifted editor, who was able to approach my nearly completed (or so I thought) manuscript, Self Belonging, with a laser-focused eye on just what parts of the piece needed to be rearranged, removed, or tweaked to transform the book into a page-turner. Here’s what one author said, who recently looked over the piece to give me his opinion: ‘You have identified and synthesized your material in a way that I have never seen before…’ I am convinced that Melanie’s keen insights contributed enormously to this author’s experience of the material. Furthermore, in working with her, I never felt judged or criticized–instead, simply just supported in getting my message out to readers in the best way possible. Melanie was great with deadlines, efficient, and really good at what she does. Hire her!”
“I had the pleasure of working with Melanie Votaw on 3 of my books in 2015 and 2019, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the outcome. Melanie demonstrated exceptional attention to detail, a deep understanding of my vision, and a commitment to enhancing my voice without altering its authenticity. When she got my first manuscript, she told me it was not a book yet. It was disorganized and lacked direction. Her insightful feedback and skillful editing not only refined the manuscript but also elevated the overall quality of the book. Melanie was consistently professional, reliable, and responsive throughout the entire process. When you work with Melanie, you become a better writer. I highly recommend Melanie to any author seeking an editor who brings expertise, clarity, and passion to their work, especially first-time authors.”
~ Ana Chaves Barreto, author of Embrace Your Success: 8 Tools to Improve the Quality of Your Life
“Melanie Votaw is a talented writer/editor who helped me with the editing of one of my books and was instrumental in the polishing of my manuscript. I admire her work ethic and have already recommended her to a friend, who has also been very happy with her work. I would not hesitate to recommend Melanie again to anyone who needs writing or editing assistance.”
~ Debra Fine, Author of the Hyperion book, The Fine Art of the Big Talk
“I asked Melanie to help me when I was writing “What Your Website Doesn’t Work”. The simple fact was that I got well and truly stuck at a critical juncture (constructing and writing an exemplar case study). Melanie’s thoughtful probing and questioning did an excellent job in breaking the logjam. I’ve known Melanie for many years and am happy to recommend her services.”
~ Chris Davidson, Author of Why Your Website Doesn’t Work
“I highly recommend Melanie for any of your editorial needs. She helped me to revise my book proposal, making it more clear, concise ,and professional. She has the knowledge and expertise to lead you through your entire book journey, whether as a book coach, as an editor, or for ghostwriting your entire book. I have enjoyed working with her and will seek her editorial services again. Melanie is a truly special person who fully supports each author and their unique voice. Thank you, Melanie!”
~ Patricia Lynn Mann, RN, MSN
“Melanie Votaw is fantastic to work with. She gives her clients personal attention, she’s a total professional, and she knows her stuff. I highly recommend her…. Her feedback was knowledgeable and valuable. On the personal side, she is warm and caring and smart.”
~ Dorri Olds, professional writer
“Melanie is a joy to work with, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone who needs help with editing/writing. She is very dependable and works hard to meet deadlines. Melanie will go the extra mile to make sure her work meets or beats expectations. She is very ‘client-conscious,’ consistently checking back to make sure the work she is doing is consistent with what the client needs. A delight to work with!”
~ Brenda Bence, Founder and President of BDA International, Ltd. and author of The Forgotten Choice, Leading YOU™: The Power of Self-Leadership to Build Your Executive Brand and Drive Career Success, Would You Want to Work for YOU™, Smarter Branding Without Breaking the Bank, and Master the Brand Called YOU™
“I worked with Melanie in multiple ways. Early on, we discussed my ideas for the book and possible titles. Later, she did a developmental edit and most recently worked on a book blurb for publication. She has been very responsive and insightful in all our interactions and added tremendous value. I would not hesitate to recommend her, and I look forward to working with her on my next project.”
~ Donna Ferris, author of Bounce Back Stronger and host of the Bounce Back Stronger podcast
“Melanie is a super loving woman. She can see your divine gifts. She is authentic, committed to serving, and talented. If you want to finish your book with a system that is proven, Melanie is your girl.”
~ Georgia Saler Histon, RDN
“Melanie’s skills are evident as an editor when proofing a project or doing a full edit on someone’s written work. The amount of time to detail is greatly appreciated where she notices mistakes overlooked by other eyes. Highly recommend her to other authors.”
~ Gregory G. Allen, author, speaker, arts enthusiast
“Melanie Votaw edited my “How To” manuscript and did a spectacular job! She corrected all the grammatical errors, reworked many poorly worded sections, and suggested the deletion of sections which were self-congratulatory, speculative, previously presented, or detraction’s from the main theme. She turned a raw manuscript into a professional one, and I am gratified by the result. I would recommend her to anyone who wants a professional editor.”
~ Mike Ghelardi, book author
“Thank you so much for all of your help with our speech for the California Dental Association show in San Francisco. The convention was a great success, and the presentation you delivered played a large part in bringing people to our booth. The professional presenter even thanked me for writing a speech that was in a conversational tone. Over the course of two days, we tallied more than 500 people who sat through our presentation. I look forward to our next project together.”
~ Alex Frangadakis, Director/Business Development of California Dental Arts
“I had no idea what I was doing to get my memoir across the finish line when I reached out to Melanie. I had attempted to work with three other editors by the time I found Melanie. Each one had come up so very short from their promises that I was about to give up, but I gave it one last try. And I am so glad I did. I knew I was a good writer, but not a great writer. I have lots of room for improvement, and Melanie took the bull by the horns and drove my book to where it needed to be in order for it to create the bang I thought possible through the power of the memoir. When writing a memoir, I found it difficult to create the feeling that the pages were alive. She did that and more. I had read my story tons of times, but when I read the first 25 pages of her edit, I am not going to lie – I welled up with tears. I couldn’t quite place what she had done besides sheer magic. My words had come alive. She pulled them together and made the prose tight and vivid. My story had become something with breath and power, just what I had envisioned, but unable to do on my own. Working with her saved my memoir and has created a longing to learn more and perfect my craft in writing more. Thank you, Melanie. Thank you so much!”
~ Mark Turnipseed, author of My Suicide Race
“I hired Melanie to help me finish my Hay House book because of her depth of knowledge in the publishing industry, her vast experience understanding how to put together a bestselling book, AND her ability to help me feel calm and confident through the entire process. I recommend her without hesitation!”
~ Sage Lavine, author of the Hay House book, Women Rocking Business
“I couldn’t have done my book proposal without Melanie! Her expertise, experience, strong writing skills, and dedication to her craft are second to none. I love how she gracefully guided me through the proposal process each step of the way. Mel really knows her stuff and is the real deal! I’m thrilled that we were able to create such a clear, focused, dynamic proposal together! Thanks, Melanie!!”
~ Kate Eckman, Model, Confidence Coach, and author of the New World Library book, The Full Spirit Workout: A Ten-Step System to Shed Your Self-Doubt, Strengthen Your Spiritual Core, and Create a Fun and Fulfilling Life
“Melanie Votaw is a top rate professional. Within the last year, she completed three writing projects for our company. Each exceeded the editor’s expectations, and each was delivered well before the deadline. The content was original, thoughtful, and well-organized, and required ridiculously little editing. Melanie is truly an editor’s dream.”
~ Deborah Grandinetti, former Senior Editor, Running Press Book Publishers
“There are not many things in this world that are all they are cracked up to be. You, Melanie, are all you are cracked up to be and more.”
~ David King, book author and personal trainer
“Melanie was instrumental in collecting my thoughts and structuring them in a way to facilitate a strong book framework. Feedback from publishers and my book agent acknowledged the quality of the book proposal that Melanie professionally created. She was there every step of the way, from conceptualizing to providing moral support along with industry knowledge, empathy, and grace. Melanie has a way of taking my words and organizing them to make the most impact with the intended messaging. Worth every penny!”
~ Yvette Murray, author of the upcoming book,The Mental Health Contagion™️: Navigating Yourself Through a Loved One’s Mental Well-Being Decline
“I can’t thank Melanie enough for her incredible support and expertise in helping me with my Goddessology book proposal. Despite the last-minute timing, she made space in her schedule and approached the hefty project with both professionalism and kindness. Her insightful suggestions and encouraging words were exactly what I needed. She not only polished my proposal but also boosted my confidence. Melanie Votaw is now my go-to editor, and I will absolutely call on her for future projects. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a talented, dependable, and encouraging editor!”
~ Trish McKinnley, author of Intuition Breakthrough: Reclaim Your power in Just a Few Minutes a Day
“Melanie was so helpful with getting my book proposal done and my Hay House book written. She’s a true writing professional who kept me on track and allowed me to turn in my manuscript early! If your goal is to write and publish a book, I highly recommend working with Melanie.”
~ Mary Lynch Barbera, PhD, Author of the Hay House book, Turn Autism Around: An Action Guide for Parents of Children with Early Signs of Autism
“I extremely enjoyed my time working with Melanie. She was so helpful in taking my disjointed ideas and helped organize and write them in a way that was understandable. She also really captured my voice and ideas well. She drew from her wealth of knowledge often and was extremely willing to learn about topics outside her normal interests. I am super glad I found her and that she was such a helpful guide on this journey!”
~ Zack Butterfield, CMHC, BCN, Author of the upcoming book, Hunting for Happiness: The Outdoorsman’s Guide to Getting Rid of Buck Fever, Cowboying Up, and Enjoying Life
“Embarking on the journey of writing my first book as a new author has been both thrilling and uncertain. In my search for the right editor, I consulted with multiple individuals to ensure I found someone familiar with my subject matter. Melanie simplified this process for me, bringing ease and invaluable expertise to the table. Working with her has been an enlightening experience. Melanie’s knowledge, guidance, and coaching have proven priceless, contributing significantly to my learning curve. The edits she made to my manuscript not only elevated its quality but also improved the overall flow of my ideas. Melanie’s patience and kindness were particularly noteworthy, creating a supportive environment that encouraged me to ask questions and deepen my understanding. I recommend Melanie to both new and experienced authors; her exceptional talent and gifts shine through in her work.”
~ Brenda Hukel
“I had the pleasure of working with Melanie on my book, Solving the ADHD Riddle, and her editorial skills are exceptional. Melanie has a keen eye for detail and a natural talent for helping to refine complex topics into clear, engaging, and accessible language. She not only enhanced the readability of my book but also maintained its authentic voice, a rare skill in an editor. Her professionalism, insightful feedback, and dedication were evident in every interaction, making her an invaluable part of the process. I highly recommend Melanie for any project requiring top-notch editing and content development.”
~ Connie McReynolds, Ph.D., author of Solving the ADHD Riddle
“Accessible and accommodating, Melanie’s industry insight and experience make her an exceptional writer and coach for her clients. Melanie writes and supports her clients from the heart.”
~ Vicki Wilbur Murphy, Intuitive Business Coach and author of Energy Body Book & Guide for Body Energy Cards: What Your Body is Telling You About Your Soul Plan
“I really appreciate all the information and resources Melanie shares. Her expertise is invaluable. Before I met her, I didn’t have any direction with my writing. Because of her mentoring, I am confident that I will be a published author!”
~ Georgette Georgiadis Van Vliet, author
“I loved working with Melanie on my book proposal! She is warm, friendly, talented, accessible, and quick-minded. Melanie is so well-versed in the publishing industry that she’s able to easily convey ideas and offer suggestions. She took my mess of a draft and transformed it into a clear, focused, well-written proposal of which I was very proud. Oh, and here’s the other thing she offered besides all her nuts-n-bolts expertise: she gave me tons of support! That meant so much to me as I was in the writing process. I would definitely work with Melanie again!”
~ Sherry Richert Belul, author of Say It Now: 33 Ways to Say I LOVE YOU to the Most Important People in Your Life
“I recently had a 30-minute coaching session with Melanie. As it was a short session, my hope was that she could read a chapter and offer me professional feedback on the quality of my writing and her opinion on the flow. Melanie gave me more help than I expected in this short session. Within the first few minutes, she was able to suggest a relocation of a significant paragraph for a much greater effect and engagement with the reader. Amongst other things, she also helped me with editing suggestions, understanding where the chapter had flow, where it was choppy, and where it needed rewriting. I was amazed how quickly she was able to lift the quality of my work. Thank you, Melanie.”
~ Lesley, coaching client
“Melanie’s expertise as a developmental editor greatly improved the quality of my manuscript, and her feedback about specific issues and the more general concept of the material was very valuable. She also has an educated eye for cover design, titles, and subtitles, helping me match industry standards. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for editorial help.”
~ Kristine Jensen
“Melanie is an excellent writer with a distinct writing style. She can really make a topic come to life, while possessing the talent to get into the reader’s mind and heart.”
~ Acey Gaspard, Internet Publisher
“Telling a story well is an art form that Melanie Votaw has mastered. When I had the privilege of working with her, she guided me gently yet firmly, and her feedback was always spot on. What I respect the most about her is that she wasn’t afraid to tell me when something didn’t work. It was moments like those that I knew she had my best interests at heart.”
~ Nicole Black, author of Fat Shame: Ditch the Shame, Get Confident, and Claim the Life You Deserve
“Finally I have gotten a chance to look at your work. It is brilliant. Thank you so very much for your fine work and speedy delivery to this project. If I ever need some more help in this area, I know I can count on you! THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH!!!! You are appreciated. If you need a referral, have them call me.”
~ Merrill Ronning of Ronning Leadership
“Melanie took my very raw 22,000-word manuscript and turned it into a book-ready format. She is an excellent editor and writer. She kept the book true to my voice, yet made it very readable. Melanie is personable and professional. Her fees are an excellent value for the talent she brings to the writing/editing project. I definitely will use Melanie for my next book.”
~ Michael Duke, speaker, coach, and consultant
“Melanie has handled a range of writing assignments for us. She has interviewed our staff to develop material for our website. She has drafted collateral material for our direct mail campaigns. She has edited highly technical white papers and documents. We have used her over and over because we can count on her to get it right the first time. Melanie’s work is consistent, reliable and technically excellent. She is a great, flexible, team player that can be counted on to complete her assignments in the allotted time even when we are in a time crunch. Melanie has been a critical element of our success and we wouldn’t be nearly as successful without her excellent work.”
~ Lee Rosen, Esq. of Rosen Law Firm
“One of my first choices when I’m looking for an excellent Word Chef. Fast, creative, dependable, great writing, a pleasure to work with.”
~ Dan Davenport of Davenport Marketing Communications
“We really enjoyed this project with Melanie. She exceeded our expectations. I can guarantee that our company will be using her again. For anyone looking for creative writing services, look no further – select Melanie.”
~ Ethan Eyre, AreUniverse