Client Testimonials
Writer Success Stories
If you are looking for a book editor, Gail Kerzner is the one!
"Gail’s goal is to evaluate your content so it’s inspiring, engaging and she pays attention to all the minutiae because your finished product is just as important to her as it is to you. She made necessary changes while respecting my thoughts and the format that had already been laid out. I’m so grateful to know her and will continue to seek her guidance for my future writing projects. Gail is the coach and cheerleader I needed to get across the finish line."
Jan Thrope
Author of Healing the Space Between Us: Connecting Across Racial and Economic Divisions
If I find another book in me, I’ll be giving Gail a call to bring it out.
"My book project took a major step forward when I discovered Gail’s editorial capabilities and services. Her many years of experience in working with authors and knowing the ins and outs of self-publishing proved to be the jumpstart I needed to complete my first book. She was always responsive with valuable information and advice on the many steps necessary to complete the publication process. If I find another book in me, I’ll be giving Gail a call to bring it out.”
Alan Ladwig
Author of See You in Orbit? Our Dream of Spaceflight
Chief, To Orbit Productions
Masterful at assuring clear and correct language ...
"When you’ve completed your draft, and it’s time for insightful editing and precise proofreading, consider working with Gail Kerzner, The Savvy Red Pen. She is masterful at assuring clear and correct language that tells your story your way. Her background in publishing is a bonus, as her knowledge of graphics and marketing is most valuable."
C. William Keck
MD, MPH, author of Working Together...On Collaboration
She makes sure you are more than in love with your book
"Gail is in love with words, making sure they say what you want them to say. She edited and proofread my book, and I could not be happier. She helped me become more creative and was passionate about making me look as good as possible through my words.
I will be working with Gail again as I start my second book because she makes sure you are more than in love with your book and you’re proud to put it on the market."
Bob Arnold
Author of The Uncanny Power of the Networking Pencil, Founder of Onward Networking, and President of Arnold Architectural Strategies
Gail was my stellar editor and coach...
"Gail was my stellar editor and coach for my debut book. Her endless knowledge in writing, editing, and publishing helped me discover what was best for my project, and she helped me shape sentences that became more effective without changing my meaning and tone. She delivers necessary feedback with kindness and tact, providing lots of compliments that inspired me to keep moving forward to completion.
I would not hesitate to work with Gail again, as I have referred her to others who are also happily utilizing her services and gifts. She is a fantastic person as well as a top-notch professional."
Lori Peters
MS in counseling, Author of Getting Married at Last: My Journey from Hopelessness to Happiness, Contributor to Huffington Post and YourTango.com, Creator of Happiness Hangout®
. . . for a writing coach, editor, proofreader, and project manager, Gail’s your gal.
"If you’re looking for a writing coach, editor, proofreader, and project manager, Gail’s your gal. I knew what I wanted to say, but she helped me organize my chapters, refine my anecdotes, and made sure I was presenting my expertise and personality in the most effective way. I am grateful for her encouraging me and being patient with me when I stalled, always showing respect and love."
Tony Stastny
Author of 52 Ways to Skyrocket Your Sales Career: The Next Level Sales Workbook, a regional director of Business Network International (BNI), Business coach with The Next Level Workshop.
Thank you
"Thank you for guiding me and supporting me to write a #1 new release! You believed in me and gave me the courage to do it! Thank you for all you do to help people like me write!"
Jianny Adamo
Author of From Love Trauma to Fearless Love
Gail’s professionalism, attention to detail, and patience never wavered.
“If you look up the words ‘professional’, ‘detailed’, and ‘patient’ in the dictionary, there must be a picture of Gail Kerzner for each of these words.
Once I finally settled on writing and finishing my book (This was my third proposed book, by the way!), her expertise really kicked into high gear! She was there every step of the way, and her guidance was invaluable.
I know she can do the same for you if you are writing a book. She will take great care of you!”
Bob Pacanovsky
Author, Chief Hospitality Officer, The Black Tie Experience
Gail is a top-flight editor...
"Gail is a top-flight editor who demands precision from her writers without being heavy-handed. She is extremely well organized and understands numerous styles. Her suggested approaches to subjects are always on target. Gail knows her stuff, whether she’s working with a business or nonprofit. And she is a pleasure to work with—always professional, always respectful."
Mary Ethridge
Owner, Visible Inc. Midwest
Gail Kerzner not only “got” my story but held me to the purpose for which I intended it!
"Gail’s developmental editing was the power and momentum behind my getting an offer to be published! She did the needed pre-work to grasp my memoir’s key messages and characters and to help me flesh them out. Thorough and meticulous, she was equally attentive to both content and clarity. A single word or sentence masterfully executed excited her, and an inconsistency in the storyline did not escape her. Most important, she believed in my story.
Gail’s sensitivity, enthusiasm, honesty yet affability, cultural awareness, and attention to detail make her outstanding at what she does. These qualities not only speak to her experience and talent, but clearly come from a place of care. I wholeheartedly recommend her and will seek her guidance for my next writing project."
Leslie Ahmadi, PhD
Trainer and Educator on Language, Culture, and Diversity Issues
Soon To Be Published Author
Student Success Stories
I've tried many essay services, but Gail's are the complete package.
Gail worked with me on communicating my ideas in an elegant and concise manner. Her professionalism and flexibility helped me produce quality work and meet my intense deadlines. She has been my writing mentor during high school, as a college undergraduate at OSU, and as a dental student at Case Western Reserve University. I am glad to say she is my essay specialist for life.
Hounein Arbaji
Accomplished graduate student, accepted to Case Western Reserve University Dental School
I will be attending my dream school, UCSB, because of Gail’s coaching!
Before I met with Gail, I had written several essays I believed were good enough to submit to my college choices, but after meeting with her and brainstorming new ways to express myself through my writing, I realized I was only scratching the surface of what a college essay should entail. Not only did Gail help me improve my writing and grammatical skills, but she also helped me dig deeper into the meaning I wanted my essays to convey and the personal growth I wanted to show. Because of her coaching, I will be attending my dream school!
Izzy Hart
Accomplished student, accepted to UCSB
Gail helped me edit my college application essay for the changes it needed to sound more professional. She was able to take all my ideas and put them into an order that flowed and made sense. I knew what I wanted to say, but I was struggling to put my ideas into my essay and make it sound how I wanted while meeting the character count.
Madison Stubbendieck
Accomplished student and graduate of The Ohio State University
Gail ... coached my daughter through being self-expressive and grammatically correct.
“Part of growing up is becoming a self-expressed individual with opinions that differ from one’s parents. My daughter initially used her college entrance essay to express her opinions; however, I wasn’t sure that was the best venue since I would be fronting tuition.
Thankfully, Gail stepped in and coached my daughter through being self-expressive and grammatically correct without being offensive or anti-establishment. Through patience, knowledge and respect, Gail eliminated the family tension over content and deadlines. My daughter was not only admitted to college but was also awarded as well-deserved top scholarship!”
Andi R.
Parent of student accepted to college
Gail is an effective teacher of the written word ...
“Gail worked with my daughter to perfect her college essay. My daughter knew what she wanted to say but needed guidance. After several revisions, they came up with a great essay. Gail took the time that was needed to understand my daughter so she could show her how to arrive at the desire result through the changes and corrections. My daughter saw the changes and was amazed at the difference they made in her overall expression. Gail is an effective teacher of the written word through gentle guidance, and I would highly recommend her to anyone that is struggling to put on paper what is in their mind. I truly believe that the essay was the final factor for my daughter to get accepted in her dream school.”
Mark S.
Parent of student accepted to college
5-Day Challenge Success Stories
I made incredible progress in 5 days!
Amanda, who’s writing a memoir, shared, "The 5-Day Writing Challenge motivated me to kick-start my book writing journey. I was able to fine-tune my theme, clarify my purpose, and better organize my thoughts via mind mapping. The handouts were invaluable so I could easily understand the course content. I made incredible progress in five days, and I want to keep this momentum going, so I've signed up for the 45- Day Writing Challenge!"
Amanda Cotton
Gail creates an environment of energy and accountability.
Lee-Ann, an advocate for seniors in transition writing a roadmap for the future of older adults, shared, "Working with Gail inspired me to review and refine stories I wrote 12 years ago and finally bring them forward. The past 15 years in my business advocating for seniors in transition brought me first-hand knowledge of how it goes, and how it can go much better for them. People need this information, and this book will make their lives and transitions better and easier. Gail is helping me to get the roadmap for success out to them. She creates an environment of energy and accountability.”
Lee-Ann Spacek
I can now write my book using the clear steps in the challenge.
Suzanne, a business owner helping women discover their inner confidence and joy, is working on a book to help mom entrepreneurs build their lives around their priorities. She confided, “Every time I thought about writing a book, I felt like it was an impossible task. With Gail's help in the writing challenge, I was able to narrow my big idea focus and draft my first outline. Now I feel like I can write this book using the clear steps in the challenge.”
Suzanne Harvey
45-Day Challenge Success Stories
I got a solid start on my book and a well-defined plan to continue.
Amanda Cotton, writing a memoir about loss of her mom and her husband, commented, “At the beginning of the challenge, I had only a vague idea about how to write a book. I knew I wanted to write one, but I didn’t really know how to start. The challenge helped me to narrow my book’s focus and purpose, organize my thoughts more cohesively, and create a story arc for the book. I got a solid start on my book and a well-defined plan to continue writing it. Thanks for the motivation, accountability, and opportunity to collaborate with a group for feedback.”
Amanda Cotton
The daily, intentional focus helped me get over my fear and procrastination.
Jill W, a leadership coach working on a book about her clients’ struggles and triumphs, shared, “I had made significant progress in the 5-day Kick-Start Challenge, but I really “got it done” in the deep-dive 45-Day Challenge. I more fully grasped practical applications and got motivated to build the habits I needed to sharpen my plan and draft engaging chapters. The daily, intentional focus helped me get over my fears and procrastination. And I loved being part of an encouraging peer group and sharing feedback.”
Jill W.
I can now write my book using the clear steps in the challenge.
Suzanne, a business owner helping women discover their inner confidence and joy, is working on a book to help working moms build their lives around their priorities. She confided, “Taking a guided walk through the writing process in the 45-day challenge was just what I needed. The 5-day challenge gave me the kick start, and the extended work of the 45-day group allowed me to make real progress on my book. I loved the interaction of the group, and the ‘get it done’ time with Gail was so helpful. The book writing process now feels achievable, and with Gail’s guidance in this group, I now have actual parts of my book written and the confidence to continue to completion.”
Suzanne
For the first time, I believe writing a book is possible!
Joy C., co-owner of NextHome Cutting Edge Realty and business coach to realtors and entrepreneurs, thought many times about writing a book to help those in her field. She admitted, “I really didn’t know where to start and assumed it would be such an overwhelming task. I was immobilized. However, after taking Gail’s writing challenge, I totally changed my perspective. She breaks down the writing components, and the prompts really helped me form book ideas. Doing the worksheets was fun, and I got into a creative space where my thoughts flowed. She helped me discover why I’m writing the book. I’m grateful for Gail’s passion and desire to help others pursue their writing dreams. If you have EVER thought you’d like to write a book or even a blog, you owe it to yourself to take this challenge and get started!”
Joy C.
Self-Publishing Success Stories
The coaching clarified the steps I needed to take.
Dorie, a psychologist writing about eating disorders, confided, “I was close to panic before taking the program. I didn’t know what to do first, and the modules plus the coaching clarified the steps I needed to take to turn my manuscript into a real book I could sell online and in person. The feedback from Coach Gail and the rest of our group was incredibly helpful.”
Dr. Dorie
My goal is now possible and achievable!
Suzanne, a business owner helping women discover their inner confidence and joy, is working on a book to help mom entrepreneurs build their lives around their priorities.
She shared, “I’ve been thinking about writing a book for a while but never did anything but think about it. Step by step, Gail took me through the self-publishing process. She provided simple, actionable steps with easy-to-follow instructions. Her course really helped me jump-start my book process without fear and overwhelm. I believe my goal is now possible and achievable. I’m so excited to be on my journey to becoming an author.”
Suzanne
I feel like a weight has been lifted.
Tony, who is working on a business book about sales, shared, “I feel like a weight has been lifted. I had poked around on the Internet to look at the different publishing options, but I was so confused. Gail’s explanation and her handy dandy comparison chart helped me figure out what kind of questions to ask and some advantages and disadvantages.”
Tony
All I need to know is right here!
Norma, also known as the No-nonsense business coach who is writing a book on personal branding, told me, “All I need to know is right here! There’s so much I started to research on my own, but I was overwhelmed and disillusioned. The program showed me who is important to have on my publishing team, and what I can do myself to save time and money. Now I can move forward with more confidence.”
Norma
Every week, I felt like I had accomplished so much.
Alan, retired NASA scientist writing about space tourism emailed, “All of the tips made moving forward so much easier. Every week, I felt like I had accomplished so much. And Gail’s advice on the business documents and going to the bookstore to scope out other book covers in my genre made all the difference.”
Alan
