Testimonials

From writers whom I’ve critiqued

  • “[Jane] was awesome! After receiving her professional feedback I want to pay someone like her to read the whole book. I have direction, I have true critical feedback, I have guidance, I have the eye of the tiger.” Read more from Pamela Hutchins.
  • “I sent out my first batch of new-and-improved query letters (thank you, Jane! the webinar helped so much) last week, and I got my first-ever request for a partial today! I had received some ‘you’re close, but make the query stronger and let your writing follow suit’ feedback from an agent, and I honestly think that your webinar gave me the edge I really needed to get that first request.” —Kim Snyder
  • “If you have a chance to take a Writer’s Digest webinar with Jane Friedman, DO IT! 2 for 2 w/me so far!” —Sara McClung
  • “If I told you that Jane Friedman, Brand Manager of Writer’s Digest and F+W Media, was a pusher, I would mean it in a good way. Without a doubt, she is a pusher of platform. This may put off idealistic writers, and it shouldn’t. Here’s the tough love.” Read more from Dave Malone.

From writers who’ve heard me speak

  • “Throughout the year, I listen to a lot of authors, writers, teachers, and publishers talk about the current state of writing and publishing, too often hearing something like: ‘Sure, go ahead and write, but don’t get your hopes up. …’ Jane’s message is very different. … After listening to her explain the current state of publishing, writing, and connecting, you could feel a lively energy buzz around the room, and uplifting of creativity, a juicy excitement about what we are all doing.” Read more from Linda Joy Myers.
  • “Every writer should hear you speak about the publishing industry. You were fabulous.” —Hyla Molander
  • “The instructor for most of the day was Jane Friedman who did an excellent job of teaching a diverse group of people about how to use the internet to advance their writing careers. As I am a self professed geek and computer guy I am ashamed to admit that I hadn’t even begun to think about using the social networking sites out there to get my writing career going.” Read more from Lystra Pitts.
  • “I heard a lot of information that I have not heard before – I love that!  There is nothing worse than paying for a conference or a retreat and hearing the same old, same old.” Read more from Jaime B.
  • “Jane Friedman (great speaker, by the way) stressed the importance of creating an online presence, a robust platform, a connection to an identifiable network;  creating waves!  gaining visibility!  being remarkable! All this took me about a month to digest before I could face the keyboard.” Read more from Jane Bretl.
  • “I wasn’t disappointed on any anticipated outcomes AND I got a lot more on some areas that I kind of wrote off unknowingly. You were very impressive. Your ability to hear the question behind the question showed that you understood what we thought/wanted and you gave diplomatic and useful answers, the kind that provoked positive and progressive action.” —Lisa Arnopp
  • “I took a seminar on the web from her this week (webinar), and it was great. Her blog is terrific, too. Very informative. Just the thing you need to read if you’re a writer.” Read more from Kerri Buckley.
  • “I attended a paid webinar ($79) with Jane Friedman on nonfiction book publishing last week. It was chock-full of useful info for aspiring non-fiction writers. … All of the information was at [a] level of directness. Hope they make the recording available; it was very powerful.” Read more from Joel Orr.
  • Read this great write-up by Helen Hoefele of the Writer’s Digest annual conference that I pioneered and programmed in 2009.

From writers who read my blog and online advice

  • “Any time people talk about publishing, I want to know what Jane Friedman thinks. Great perspective and insights.” —Will Entrekin
  • “I have a fantastic writing mentor in Jane Friedman, one of the top editors at the Writer’s Digest empire. She’s always posting a lot of great, free advice for writers all over the Web. I found this fantastic article on why netting and platforming is so important to do BEFORE you finish your first book.” Read more from Lynne Spreen.
  • “I love Jane Friedman. She gives great advice without being preachy or condescending.” —Anjanette Morton

From authors and colleagues

  • “She knows all there is to know about the publishing industry, about marketing, and she cares about each writer she meets or discovers.” Read more from Mary L. Tabor
  • “Jane has strong opinions and ideas about what publishing is doing and what it should be thinking about. You may or may not agree with all she says, but she is on top of everything that’s happening today, and she does a brilliant job of sharing all her knowledge and experience with those of us struggling to figure it all out. Her posts are not to be missed.” Read more from Becky Levine.
  • “Jane eats, breathes, and focuses almost all her waking hours on the publishing industry. She attends conferences, talks to agents, meets with authors, teaches classes, reads prolifically. She’s sitting in a place of ‘knowing’ since she leads a team of acquisitions editors.  She and I have become friends, and I respect what she says so much.” Read more from Debra Marrs.