Amy Wilson
Hello, and welcome! As an agented writer myself, I know how vulnerable it can feel to offer a manuscript for critique. In our editing collaboration, I want to help you achieve your vision for your story. I am here to cheer you on, to point out what shines in your manuscript and what needs development, and—most importantly—to help you grow as a writer.
My strengths as an editor come from my years at a high-volume editorial service. I can quickly see the strengths and weaknesses both in the larger plot and character arcs and in the prose. I love to edit and try hard to return projects quickly—I know how agonizing the waiting process can be!
I specialize in genre fiction for all ages, including historical fiction, mystery, thrillers, suspense, romance, fantasy, and science fiction. I read widely in these genres and have a strong foundation of category expectations, current market preferences, and conventions in middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction.
I especially love to work on picture books. In such short manuscripts, every word matters, and I love to help writers tease out the heart of their story and express it on the page.
Memoirs are a bit of a passion for me because they matter on an intrinsic level. I love assisting memoirists to express their lived experiences more effectively with the tools of creative writing.
No matter what kind of project you have, pitching it correctly can make or break it! Submission packages are such a treat, to build on a query to a synopsis to first pages that will entice an agent or editor to ask for more. Finding the perfect comp titles is especially fun for me.
I write historical fantasy for children and adults. My bachelor’s and master’s degrees are both in humanities, with minors in English and Russian. I edited academic and creative writing for many years before joining the Good Story Company in 2018. I also teach the Story Mastermind picture book class with Mary Kole.
When my nose isn’t in a book, I like to bake caramel rolls, beat my family at strategy board games, and buy sparkly jewelry.
please use the below form to contact amy directly about your project.
What People Are Saying
“You are one of the very first people I wanted to share the news with: I am about to sign with the agent of my dreams ... and it is, in large part, thanks to YOU! I can't tell you how valuable your suggestions and corrections were to me. Thanks to you, my manuscript went from being promising to outstanding. As soon as I was done revising it, I just knew it was going to be snatched up by someone. I am deeply indebted to you. You probably don't need a reminder, but you are INCREDIBLE at what you do. I will definitely be coming back for more when it's time for my next picture book! Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
— Anonymous
“Amy honed in on what was working and what wasn't with very specific feedback on my manuscript overall and in depth notations in the comments. I was impressed with her insightful suggestions. She showed me my strengths as a writer and where I could improve. I was left with a definitive plan of action for my rewrite. She is totally amazing as an editor and knows the marketplace well. In many places she told me to add in certain material that would gain an editor/agent's attention. You just don't find this feedback anywhere else.
The feedback I received on my manuscript from Amy Wilson was so detailed I was truly amazed when I read her big comments and her line by line editing. Amy focused on areas which needed to be changed and made suggestions in how to make my story stronger. She's also a very insightful and creative editor and was able to highlight my strengths as a storyteller which gave me lots of encouragement. Needless to say I had a clear sense of direction for my revision I would never think of going anywhere else after experiencing the expertise of Good Story Company. In fact, I am just finishing up a new manuscript to send in again. “
— Marcia Matalon Nass
“I received more guidance than I could have hoped for. Amy's sense of the story, and her care were clear from her first comments. I so appreciate her positivity, honesty, and knowledge of what makes a story work, and what does not. Her emphasis on character's interiority turned on a light for me that I cannot acknowledge enough. Her work was worth every penny, and I would not hesitate to call her again, or recommend Good Story to others. Nothing but gratitude.”
— Richard J.
“My dream is to write a successful novel. I was tired of constantly running into roadblocks. I'm sure you're familiar with Albert Einstein's quote: ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’ After 24 years of PURE INSANITY, I stopped and hired Amy. Guess what? It turned out to be an epiphany. I realized what I’d been doing wrong all those years — I was able to get down to business and end the downward spiral. Now, I hire her for all my copy writing needs.
Not only is Amy thorough and the best editor with whom I’ve ever worked, her lightning-fast turnaround time never ceases to amaze me. Plus, she always goes the extra mile to help me if I have any additional questions, and she is a delight to work with. In the long run, I save a ton of money and heartache working with Amy! Amy knows her stuff! Not only is she a grammar and formula whiz, she's up on the current market.”