I’m Denise Leora Madre, writer, editor, bibliophile, and owner of Prose without Thorns, a book editing and proofreading firm dedicated to helping writers uncover the best version of their work.
Prose without Thorns…
Clever name for a book editing service, right?
But what does it mean? I mean, we know what prose is, but where do the thorns come in? Is it true that prose—your novel or short story or inspirational book—can actually have thorns?
Well, yes. Prose can have thorns.
In fact, if your project was poorly edited…or not edited at all…it does have thorns.
And like thorns on the stem of a rose, thorns in your writing can hurt you.
Worse yet, they can hurt your readers.
What are the “thorns” in your writing?
So what are the writing thorns that can ruin your work? In fiction, these are issues like plot holes, inconsistent characters, and poor pacing. Nonfiction thorns show up as poor organization, filler content, and a lack of narrative focus. Not to mention the three-headed monster of grammar, spelling, and punctuation issues that have plagued you since middle-school English.
Why do these “thorns” matter? Because whether you’re writing a sweeping historical romance or a short-and-sweet memoir, you want readers to enjoy your work. If you skip the book editing stage, your project will have errors that can make it muddled, awkward, and unpleasant for your readers.
(Talk about a three-headed monster.)
That’s where I come in. As your editor or proofreader, I can tame the monsters and make your writing behave. I can remove the thorns, smooth the rough places, and help you produce the version of your project that ignited your imagination in the first place.
I have more than ten years of book editing experience on more than one hundred projects. Best of all, I am a published writer, so I know how it feels to share your writing with someone else, wanting their feedback yet fearing it just a little. But don’t worry. My red pen is fair, friendly, and focused on getting the best out of your work, and I’d love to use it to help you.
If that sounds good, click here and let’s get started.