“I wouldn't be published without Erin seeing the beauty in my book that dealt with a heavy topic rarely covered in fiction. She didn’t balk at the topic, instead, she understood my vision, and her insightful and thoughtful editorial guidance reflected that. With compassion and a keen eye, Erin walked me through her notes which identified some plot and timeline inconsistencies. Not once did I question her abilities nor did her suggestions stifle my voice. Erin is my angel and I will always be grateful to her for her professionalism and her ability to reach below the surface and find the heart of a manuscript.”

— Terah Shelton Harris, author of One Summer in Savannah and Long After We Are Gone

“Both my debut and sophomore novels passed through Erin’s expert hands, and she could not have been more wonderful to work with. Her warmth and professionalism ensured the best possible results, and her keen eye and razor-sharp editing skills elevated my work beyond what I thought possible. For a new author learning the ropes, Erin’s guidance was invaluable, and her passion for my characters and my worlds was matched only by my own. When it comes to words on a page, Erin knows exactly how to make them shine.”

— Brooke Beyfuss, author of After We Were Stolen and Before You Found Me

“I worked with Erin on three manuscripts—all of which were immeasurably improved by her contributions. Not only did my work benefit, but my confidence as a writer matured. She is kind while thorough, encouraging while discerning, professional while personal, and perhaps most importantly she is organized and responsive. I was never left hanging, never confused, never lost during the editing process. From the broad and more demanding developmental edits to the meticulous line edits, I never—not once—felt unclear about the goal or was unsure of what we were trying to accomplish. Being a rather stream of consciousness, fly-by-the-seat of-my-pants-writer, I found Erin’s ability to go from big picture to minor detail all in a logical, ordered way immeasurably beneficial. She helped me to see what was already there and draw it out and also to let go of what wasn’t serving the story. And she always did so in a considerate way that allowed me to feel good about the process. I couldn’t wait to get Erin’s edits and relished going through a manuscript together. Our back-and-forths were meaningful, productive, and fun! My pages improved as did my mindset. Erin has the uncanny ability to see not one, but all of the diamonds in the rough. I am a better writer for having worked with her.”

— Lo Patrick, author of The Floating Girls and The Night the River Wept

“Erin McClary is a gentle, thorough, and thoughtful editor with a keen eye for improvements. As the editor on my first two books, I found her to be a tireless champion, a cheerleader at every stage, and a smart problem solver. Anyone fortunate enough to work with her will know they’ve landed in expert hands.”

— Sierra Godfrey, author of A Very Typical Family and The Second Chance Hotel

“I’ve worked with Erin on three books—and it’s been a privilege in triplicate! In every instance, she’s immediately seen my vision and pinpointed what I might do to enhance the story and my telling of it. She’s spotted where the narrative lags, highlighted detail that might be extraneous, and identified inconsistencies in my plot and characters. Erin’s experience, love of books, intuition, and professionalism are absolute. Her notes are incisive, considered, thorough, and easy to follow. With every manuscript, I’ve learned a great deal from her, which gives me great joy. Above all, I appreciate Erin’s ability to help polish my work while always preserving my voice as an author. There’ve been times I’ve sensed some wizardry about her calm, wise approach to developmental and line-level editing. That’s probably my imagination, I know, but the results are certain: we’ve created books I’ve loved writing, developing, revising, and seeing published, and about which I am enormously proud. Erin is an excellent editor and a delight to work with. Plus, she’s an animal lover, which says a great deal in my books!”

— Penny Haw, author of The Invincible Miss Cust, The Woman at the Wheel, and Follow Me to Africa (coming in 2025), and winner of the Philida Literary Award for 2024 “for an oeuvre of literary excellence.”

“Erin's depth of attention and expertise are game-changing after years of writing, revising, and piecing together tidbits of advice from beta readers, critique partners, instructors, and agents. Not only does she point out what needs reworking and why, she provides specifics on how and where this can be accomplished, with multiple options for the most challenging revisions, then relates everything back to feedback I've received from literary agents.”

— Margaret Alene Morse, developmental editing client

“I appreciated Erin’s promptness and respect for my time, her willingness to chat with me prior to making an agreement, and her attention to my areas of concern. She clearly understood the story I wished to tell and focused her suggestions on furthering that goal. She worked with the ‘words on the page,’ i.e., each comment and recommendation was relevant—not some generic bullet point one might hear at a writing workshop. Whether or not I adopt each of her recommendations, I know I received feedback worth having. I look forward to working with Erin on future projects.”

— Laura (Reedsy client)

“It has been an absolute joy working with Erin. As my editor at Sourcebooks she was an indispensable sounding board and an attentive second pair of eyes. She has a keen sense for spotting what I like most about my work and amplifying that!”

— Marina Gerner, author of The Vagina Business: The Innovative Breakthroughs that Could Change Everything in Women's Health

“Erin McClary gave me the biggest gift possible during her initial edits of my first book, The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line. That priceless gift is one of clarity. She brought clarity to my organization, my structure, my language, and, most of all, my vision. Without Erin, I don’t think this book would have been as complete, as focused, and successful as it has been! I owe a lot to Erin!”

— Mari K. Eder, author of The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line: Untold Stories of the Women Who Changed the Course of World War II

“A good editor is worth their weight in gold. When my recent book was published by Sourcebooks, I was extremely lucky to have Erin as my editor. Through her editing suggestions, she strengthened the book’s narrative arc, identified digressions, and, attentive to pace, guided me to create a much better book. Selecting an editor is always a scary and important process for a writer. In choosing Erin, you will be in excellent hands.”

—Margaret Willson, author of Woman, Captain, Rebel: The Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain

“As a writer, it is really rare to work with someone who makes you feel like 'Yes! That's what I meant to say.' Someone who can put an X over large chunks of text and somehow not hurt your feelings. Someone who shares your vision and even sees potential that you can only sort of imagine, and is willing to help be a guide to achieve it, while making it feel like it was your idea. Erin was that kind of someone for me for this book. A someone like that is a someone you don't soon forget. Thank you, Erin!”

—Annie Grossman, author of How to Train Your Dog with Love + Science: A Dog Lover’s Guide to Animal Behavior and Positive Reinforcement Training

“Erin had the vision to see what my book could become and the skill to move each draft closer to that vision.”

— Deena Emera, author of A Brief History of the Female Body: An Evolutionary Look at How and Why the Female Form Came to Be

“Erin was a pleasure to work with. Writing a book is a vulnerable experience. An author needs to have someone knowledgeable in editing to accordance with publishing standards, who also has the finesse to give constructive feedback in ways that help a writer fine-tune their work without bruising their delicate ego! Erin did all of that. She expressed an interest in my work, offered encouragement along the way, and reinforced the value of the material. Erin is an experienced and knowledgeable editor. I appreciate her being part of my journey. If you are looking for a great, supportive editor who knows her stuff, I highly recommend Erin!”

— Jeanne (Reedsy client)

“Professional writers know it’s editors who help make our words sing. Finding a good editor, one who respects your work and helps make it stronger without stripping your voice, isn’t easy. I hit the jackpot with Erin McClary. I knew I was in good hands from the moment we first connected. Erin is professional, responsive and thorough. She met deadlines and made sure I kept mine. More importantly, she made my book stronger through her developmental editing process. Erin didn’t cut corners and shared suggestions that improved my manuscript. Working with Erin on my book, 50 Ways to More Calm, Less Stress, was an honor. If you’re looking for a strong editor, Erin is the smart and compassionate editor every writer wishes to have on their team.”

— Megy Karydes, author of 50 Ways to More Calm, Less Stress: Scientifically Proven Ways to Lessen Anxiety and Boost Your Mental Health

“I was a bit cautious about working with a publisher before I met and worked with Erin.  Erin (and Cheddar) was amazing to work with and made my book so much better.  I’ve already referred people to Erin and you’d be lucky to work with her.”

— Jay Zigmont, PhD, MBA, CFP®, author of The Childfree Guide to Life and Money: Make Your Finances Simple So Your Life Without Kids Can Be Amazing

“Erin worked as a DE (developmental editor) on my latest novel, providing the standard editorial letter along with a marked up manuscript. I'm very satisfied with her work, professionalism, and insight. She provided me with exactly what I needed. She was encouraging about the project while offering important suggestions for improvement. I highly recommend her and will put her on my list of DEs for future projects.”

— Bill (Reedsy client)

“My eternal thanks go to the fantastic team at Sourcebooks: to my editor, Erin McClary, who has been a fantastic support, encouraging and enthusiastic at all times. Her innate sense of narrative and structure has been a brilliant guide for me, helping me shape the book into a work far better than I could ever have imagined.”

— Richard Mainwaring, author of What the Ear Hears (and Doesn’t): Inside the Extraordinary Everyday World of Frequency