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What they're saying
“I’ve worked with Jim Thomsen on five novels over the course of two years, and I count him as my most important ally in publishing and writing craft. As a developmental editor, Jim’s specific, direct, and actionable feedback has improved my books immensely, and learning from his critique notes has made every future book better. Jim understands (and explains to me) what’s missing in my plot arcs and suggests how to drive conflict and raise the stakes. I rely on his feedback more so than any critique partner or beta reader.”
“I gave Jim a book that I loved, but that had been languishing in my computer for five years because I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with it. Within a week, Jim not only identified the problem, but suggested a terrific solution; he then worked with me as I revised the manuscript. Jim’s help went beyond structural issues, though. He did a terrific job finding minor mistakes, smoothing out my prose, and reining in my wayward em dashes — in other words, correcting the countless little details that can make or break a book. I am so thankful for Jim’s keen eye, and plan on hiring him for all of my future books!”
“As a line editor, Jim hunts down key details, goes down the research rabbit hole to ensure arcane references are done right, and offers authoritative justifications to his editing and style choices. Jim has the facility and patience to handle both developmental and line edits, which is a rare gift. I’m proud and very lucky to have him on my team.”
“Jim Thomsen is one of the truly great editors. Along with excellent line-editing on several of my novels, Jim jumped in and did major cuts and a complete reshaping of my fictional history novel New South Britain. The novel over the years had started to run too long and had become much too complicated. Most editors would shy away from such a task but Jim rolled up his sleeves and got to work. I was thrilled with the end result and the feed back from readers has been great. On my Eli Cutter novels Jim immediately latched onto what I was doing. He helps to bring the true story and unique mental twists of the lead character to light while catching me when I drift away from the primary story. Combine those traits and skills with delivering his work on time and within budget and you have what writers look for but rarely find in an editor.”
“Jim gave me the notes that I needed, not simply the ones that I wanted. He put his thumb on my novel’s soft spot and pushed, hard. It hurt, but that honest criticism spurred me to rewrite three middle chapters. The result is better story clarity and more consistent characterization through a tricky transitional period in the plot. This is the first time I’ve worked with Jim; it won’t be the last.”
“Jim has a talent for taking my words and making them shine. He’s worked on all six of my books and my two short stories. I trust him to know my writing style and remain true to it, rather than tying to impose his own. I wouldn’t consider publishing without him.”
"Jim Thomsen did a thorough job of going through my manuscript to make sure that it was polished and ready to go. His careful eye for detail left me feeling like my manuscript was in good hands; he caught things I missed and offered sound advice. His work was completed as promised, plus he was easy to reach and a pleasure to work with. His knowledge of the industry and contacts demonstrate that he is a professional and serious about his work. I have no doubt that he will have continued success as an editor; he may well edit the next New York Times best-seller--hopefully it'll be mine!"
— Wendy Hinman, author of Tightwads on the Loose and Sea Trials (which earned a Kirkus starred review.)