Maggie Morris
Freelance Editor
Testimonials
Every author needs an editor, and every story needs editing. For my short fiction, I make sure to hire a freelance editor, to help me get it in the best shape possible. Maggie has done a wonderful job at that and I will definitely be calling on her for more help in the future!
— Kelley Armstrong, #1 NYT Bestselling Author
Maggie Morris is what you are looking for in an editor. She treats every manuscript with compassion and care, and she is thorough and fastidious. She even goes as far as to offer solutions to problems with plot, structure, etc. I was deeply impressed with her price, periodic check-ins, and her continual support even after the manuscript was edited and delivered. I will work with Maggie for as long as she will have me. She is a gift, and if you're reading this, the search is over!
— Mathieu Cailler, Author, Heaven and Other Zip Codes
"Maggie’s comments provide not only suggestions for changes, but a breakdown of the issue and why it’s a problem. If I don’t like her specific suggestion, I have all the information that I need to solve the problem myself. Not only that, but I can take what I’ve learned into my next project! I’m able to grow as a writer so much faster working with her. Worth every penny!"
— Elizabeth F. Shearly, author, Flash Fiction Collection 2023
I was stuck in a difficult place in my novel and could not get to the bottom of what was keeping it from flourishing. Then I decided to ask Maggie to take a look. She was amazing! She listened to my concerns and understood my intentions with the novel. She gave my work a deep, thorough reading and pinpointed exactly the elements that were inhibiting it. She was prompt, gracious, very insightful, and extremely professional. I wouldn't hesitate to work with Maggie on future projects. She made a big impact on my novel.
— Tim Antonides, Author, Rain
While working on my fourth novel, I became hopelessly stuck and could no longer see the forest for the trees. Maggie’s editorial intervention felt like I’d stepped onto a visible path, showing me the way out. Her feedback was thorough, detailed, professional, and timely. It was more than just fixing grammar and typos. It was breaking down the novel to show me how all the parts were working together, how some weren’t, and where and how I could address the troubled spots. The chapter synopsis spreadsheet alone was worth every penny.
— Kali VanBaale, Author, The Monsters We Make
I worked with Maggie on a four-book series. She didn’t just make the revision process less painful; her approach helped make it actually enjoyable! You can feel her investment in your work. She’s not just going through the motions; she’s right there with you, providing solid advice and suggestions that you can action to make your story stronger.
— Wanda Swan, Author, Power Hungry
Handing a finished manuscript over to an editor is both a relief and a scary time, but any fears I had were completely unfounded. Maggie honoured my story and voice consistently, while working some real magic at the line level. She is incredibly detailed in her work and shared her rationale for editing decisions in a clear way that gently revealed my writing weaknesses. In this way, Maggie’s editorial feedback has made my manuscript feel truly polished and has made me a better writer for future projects.
— Michelle Spencer, Author, Trading Stones
Admittedly, I was hesitant to hand my work over to Maggie. I need not have been. She is a wonderful, caring, talented editor, who treated my manuscript with as much attention as anyone could have, spotting so much (big and small) that I'd missed. Truly, your darlings could be in no better hands than hers.
— Chantal Corcoran, Author, If I Was You
What an absolute pleasure it was to work with Maggie Morris. As a first-time writer, I was naturally nervous to have my work put under such scrutiny, but Maggie put me at ease instantly with her delightful manner and complete professionalism.
Boy does she know her stuff! I thought my work was in fairly decent shape until this marvelous Indie Editor re-worked it. What a difference she made! Now perfectly polished, my book is something I can be extremely proud of.
Maggie holds your hand the entire way with lots of feedback and fun commentaries that make you smile. Her edits are all accompanied with an explanation, and if something doesn’t quite fit, she offers you alternative suggestions that trump anything you could have done. Simply brilliant. I couldn’t be happier and wouldn’t dream of using anyone else.
— Joy Jennings, Author, I'm Not Your "Baby"
I chose to work with Maggie because she made some very astute story recommendations for my novella in her sample edit. The reason I’ll choose to work with Maggie again in the future is that she not only makes fantastic editorial suggestions, but she explains them in a very helpful, conversational and collaborative way. She also gives very human reactions throughout as a reader, which I found so helpful to gauge how my story would be received. And! Her work includes technical edits to help with digital book formatting (who knew about non-breaking hyphens?).
A great experience all around.
— Harlow Miller, Author, Cake Face
I have given and received a great deal of feedback in my career as a teacher and writer, but never anything like this. It might be the "industry standard," but I was still blown away by the ten-page letter I got from independent editor Maggie Morris. Two things strike me especially about her work. First, she was able to enter into the spirit of the story I wanted to tell from the inside out. She saw what the big themes were, better than I did myself, and in the ten pages of the letter (as well as in the page-by-page editing) worked hard to use structure to bring out those themes, to make them compelling and unforgettable. She understood my characters, too, saw where I could tweak their motivation, their backstories, to make their actions more believable and more heart-felt. Second, Maggie understood the genre I was working in (fantasy) and knew how to work with (and sometimes against) existing conventions. I have often found myself thinking, as I've been revising, why didn't I think of that--that's perfect! But that's how good Maggie is. She is a sensitive and sympathetic reader and editor. I would definitely hire her again in the future.
— Christine Bolus-Reichert, Toronto, ON
Maggie Morris of The Indie Editor did an absolutely marvelous job of copyediting my novel manuscript, Luck Riders. I’ve worked with editors before (indeed, have been one) on non-fiction academic pieces, and have discovered that fiction has somewhat different requirements. Maggie fulfilled them all: She provided sound grammatical advice and suggested changes that did not alter my voice as she had made a point of learning my style. She diagnosed specific patterns of errors that I will be able to pay attention to in the future. As well, she found a few plot holes and collaborated with me on ways to fix them. She did all this in a way that was totally professional, efficient, and pleasant from providing an estimate, working to deadline, and submitting materials plus invoice. I can’t recommend her highly enough.
— Lynne M. MacLean, PhD., Ottawa, ON
Maggie's classes here at the Toronto Reference Library, in support of our book printing service, are excellent! She is professional, knowledgeable, and an engaging speaker with a thorough grasp of her subject area. Her feedback from students is always positive and she explores many vital editing issues that novice self-publishers and writers struggle with.
— Dawn Connolly, Toronto Reference Library, Asquith Press book printing service
I will forever be thankful to my muses for the completely serendipitous way that Maggie came into my life. If that wasn’t special enough, through the process of polishing my manuscript and offering me advice and encouragement all along the way, she elevated the whole experience to yet another level of betterment. She was at arms reach within minutes when I had questions and concerns, and when I read the final edit, I remember thinking, Wow, did I write this well from the start?
It delighted and often surprised me how her vision for a turn of phrase or word offered what I had written a clearer and simpler expression. Also important to me is the fact that as well as a very fine editor I found Maggie to be a sensitive and engaging human being. I am already hoping to work with her on book 2 and on . . .
— Sharon Cecelia Smith, Author, A Silent Bugle: Journals of an Alzheimer’s Daughter
When in the process of choosing an editor, I compared Maggie's sample edit against two others. Maggie caught things the others had missed with her attuned attention to detail. She also gave helpful suggestions that did not feel forced upon the author. She did an impressive job, and I am looking forward to sending her my next piece.
— Mark Westbrook, Author, Avaritia
As a debut author, I was incredibly nervous to find the perfect editor for my novel. But I found her. I couldn’t imagine working with anyone else to prepare my story for publication.
Maggie has a sharp eye for detail, and her suggestions were things I wish I had thought of. She helped tighten and smooth my story without altering the voice, and always gave positive, insightful feedback. I never had to question her comments because she explained everything clearly, walking me through each change she suggested.
The idea of a professional edit stressed me out—until Maggie worked her magic on my manuscript. I can’t wait to work with her on many future projects!
— Jessi Elliott, Author, Twisted Fate
Any writer will benefit from scrutiny of the work by a second mind, one able to see the wood and the trees. Maggie is one such editor, a professional who corrects, advises and dissents, always with forensic detachment and pleasing articulation. In other words, she'll gently elbow the writer in the ribs, or soothe the furrowed brow, as necessary. Her ability to keep each character on track is admirable, as is her spotting poor constructions that cause the reader to stumble. She is worth more than a shelf of how-to books.
— Ian Gair, Author, Edge
Thank you, Maggie, for your warm humor and expert editing skills. Such fine attention to detail. What a pleasure to work with you. Your insights definitely helped me build a better book. I’m humbled by your skill.
— Lilith Darville, Author, Rage
I recommend Maggie Morris to serious writers. She has an open, collaborative editing style that can be suited to the exact help your manuscript needs at the time. She has a keen eye for clarity, sentence structure and rhythm. Which are important aspects sometimes lost on writers when immersed in their work. I'm happy I found her when I did.
— Bradley McKenzie, Author, Dream of the Wolf
Maggie turned the stressful process of working with an editor into an amazing and fun experience. She is incredibly thorough in her edits, and she’ll make helpful comments on your document explaining her suggestions so there’s no confusion. No matter how many times you self-edit your manuscript, Maggie will find things you’d never even think about!
— Hudson Warm, Author, Not the Heir
From first contact, Maggie’s open communication style and genuine interest in my goals for my debut novel set me at ease. She took the time to build an understanding of my style, what I perceived as my strengths and tendencies, my motivation in writing the novel, and my expectations from her. When I received her completed documents and the edited manuscript, it was like she had seen into my head. Everything she suggested made perfect sense. Where she made recommendations, her style remained true to my voice, respecting me as the author. Her encouraging comments throughout built my confidence while keeping me receptive to her suggestions for improvements. Thanks to her technical expertise, I know I will be submitting high quality manuscript to agents and publishers. Maggie has become a partner and supporter on my writing journey. She is the first editor I have worked with, and as long as she is willing, she will be my only editor.
— Sylvia Barnard, Author, Rhubarb, Strawberries and Willows
Maggie's edits are concise, relevant, and poignant. She cuts right to the heart of the piece and works diligently to bring it out and make it shine. Not only is she efficient and professional, she is an absolute delight to work with.
— Lisa Shoemaker, Author, What Kind of Mother
An editor is essential in the writing process and Maggie delivers. She assesses plot, structure, pacing, and so much more. Her regular check ins and updates allowed me to be a part of the process, and I was never concerned my intended voice would be lost in the editing. Her editorial comments helped refine this manuscript and my ability as a writer. Not only is an editor essential but Maggie is essential! I can't wait to work with her again!
— Dixie Trudel, Author, Oak Castle’s Traveler
Every writer needs Maggie Morris in their life! She will not only go over your work with a grammarian’s eye for detail and an English professor’s eye for structure and themes, she does so in a caring and respectful way. You will come away with excellent feedback and a better understanding of your work. She is organized, thorough, timely and professional—be prepared to have your mind blown.
— Laurie Myers, Author, Trick Line