“Once I had secured my book deal, the actual writing had to commence. I had loads of ideas and words but lacked somehow the ability to organize them into the correct order, to my publisher’s dismay and my personal chagrin. In stepped Nan. Imagine someone untangling matted hair, or perhaps, untying a severely knotted rope. Nan did that sort of thing with the jumble of my words and thoughts. Together we came up with strategies to organize and improve my story. Good ideas were amplified. Less good were trimmed. Ridiculous ideas were scrapped. Nan made a very painful process much less painful. She is talented, encouraging, patient, prompt, and, just as importantly, kind and smart and fun to work with. ”

“When I met Nan, I had one hundred and five thousand words and a story. Nan helped me shape that mess into an award-winning novel. Along the way, she transformed me into a writer.”

“First and foremost, Nan respects your story, your journey, and your process. Her famed patience and experience allowed me to unravel my story and rebuild it into a memoir that I am proud of. I started off being daunted but she held my hand throughout, helping me build my confidence as a writer and enjoy the process thoroughly. Looking forward to everything she does in the future.”

“When my editor at Random House suggested I work with an outside editor, I was panicked. And then I thought of Nan! We worked through very complicated structural problems in my manuscript until my editor wasn’t just pleased, but delighted. Nan is smart, patient, fun, and a clear and accessible communicator. I can’t imagine working with anyone else, and I recommend her every chance I get.”

“Every writer dreams of having a great editor, the one who sees the potential in a story and can help you turn it into a good book. Nan Satter was that editor for me. She is the brains behind my memoir Chosen by a Horse, which went on to become a New York Times bestseller, and of every book I have written since. I would not submit a book for publication without her, period.”

“If you are looking for an extra layer of editing, Nan’s eye is top-notch and her touch is delicate. She helped me develop the narrative that I was missing yet she never let me lose my voice. In fact, she elevated it.”

“Nan Satter is an eloquent orchestrator of the writing craft. She helped me take the rough stone of a book I had been working on for years and chisel it into a jewel. Nan is as much of a joy to work with as her words are to read.”

“Nan was a dream partner for me in writing my first book. As I got lost in the weeds, she would pull me back to the big picture — without her my book on storytelling might have contained no stories at all. And when it came time to attend to the weeds, Nan pointed out where rework and refinement were necessary in a way that didn’t compromise or alter my voice but rather let it shine through.”

“Nan’s capacity to skillfully tread the knife-edge of offering penetrating feedback without compromising my own voice was a true gift. The relationship between writer and editor is a precious form of intimacy requiring respect, risk, and vulnerability on both people’s part. Cultivating this relationship with Nan through several books has been one of the great joys of writing for me.”

“Nan is a detailed artist — a master craftswoman. Clarity with inspiration, grammar with vivid imagery, warmth with gravity! There is no one else I would rather work with for my books to come! Anything she puts her hand, heart, and name to is a work of love and integrity.”

“Nan possesses in spades the qualities that separate a good editor from a brilliant one: precision; commitment; honesty; courtesy; and vision. She is gifted in her ability to see the shape of a finished work through wordy overgrowth, and is unusually skillful at extending empathy to her clients while also demanding the hard labor necessary to produce excellence.”

“Nan Gatewood Satter is a brilliant editor and a steady guide for an author making his or her way through the labyrinth of the publishing world. My daughter and I could not have written our book without her.”

“Nan Satter is a master of her craft; she knows what it takes to make a book work. She has a deft touch and represents old school hands-on editing at its best. More than that, her clear thinking and enthusiasm kept me inspired through the many ups and downs of the writing process.”