“I think of Jim as an excellent coach, one gifted with an eye for potential and an intuition for how to realize it. He sees where I’m pulling my punches and shows me where I can jump higher. Dumbfoundingly, I jump higher, and then I do it again.”
—Rachel Hartman, New York Times bestselling author of Seraphina and Shadow Scale
“Jim Thomas is the gold standard of editors. His sensitivity to story, theme, character, and divining an author’s intent is uncanny. His understanding of the castle politics of publishing and the vagaries of the marketplace are second to none. He possesses the requisite skills of a midwife, and the bedside manner of a beloved small town doctor. I can’t envision the project that wouldn’t benefit from his discerning eye, I can’t imagine the writer whose life would not be enriched by his presence in it.”
—Mark Frost, New York Times bestselling author of The Paladin Prophecy, and co-creator of the TV show Twin Peaks
“Jim Thomas achieves a perfect balance between an editor’s two contradictory jobs: to be thoroughly picky and at the same time constantly encouraging. He made me stop and think, and he made me eager to keep going. I could not have had a better editor.”
—Jeanne DuPrau, New York Times bestselling author of The City of Ember
“Jim Thomas provokes and inspires. He brings out his writer’s best intentions—intentions the author may not even have been aware of. He reads and parses, goes back, combs, relates, asks why, remembers where you were before, prods and sometimes spears, remarks recurrent themes and arcs, sometimes suggests some, roots out the languorous, and bridles the errant hobby horses. He’s rigorous like a drill sergeant readying his troops for battle. His bubbles-in-the-margins technique is unavoidable, not like the usual editorial letter one opens like something from a doctor and puts away for later reading. He talks to you incessantly, peskily, helpfully, inescapably. He’s the best, the real thing.”
—Alan Armstrong, Newbery Honor-winning author of Whittington
“Jim Thomas is one of the sharpest—and kindest—editors in the business. I’ve always been impressed with his taste, insight, and ability to bring my authors’ work to the next level. A Jim Thomas book has always been a mark of quality, and it’s an honor any time I—or one of my authors—have the privilege to work with him.”
—Josh Adams, Adams Literary
“I could not speak more highly of Jim. He’s operated at the upper echelons of a major house, edited bestsellers, and is—wholly and truly—a fan of quality stories who only wants to make them better. He’s not only a sharp, shrewd assessor of prose, characters, and story, he’s a positive, can-do person. A pro’s pro. Hire him. You will not find a better, more experienced and insightful editor. The fact that he’s even freelancing at all is your good fortune. He is undoubtedly the best editor I have worked with.”
—Henry Neff, The Tapestry series
“I felt an instant connection with Jim. He heard me. He heard the story I was trying to tell. He has amazing insight, picking up on nuances embedded within the words that even I missed after four thorough rewrites, reconnecting me with characters I thought were going to be flat and uninspired forever, and setting the course for me to consider new avenues and fresh approaches to rejuvenate a story that had lost her way. His professionalism and unbounded capacity for helping his authors is both rare and precious. When I’ve sent panic-laced emails, he has responded with calm and reassurance. I cannot say enough, in gratitude. My only hesitation in recommending him to you, dear writer, is that I want to keep him all to myself.”
—Jennifer Sommersby Young, Sleight
“What discipline I have in my writing, I learned courtesy of the pencil of Jim Thomas. His great gift to me was his ability to hone and refine my work with a firm loyalty to my own vision. Jim is the trainer who got me into professional writing shape. I benefit from our work together every time I’m at the keyboard.”
—N.D. Wilson, Leepike Ridge, the 100 Cupboards and Ashtown Burials series
“Jim Thomas is an extraordinary editor. His knowledge of the children’s book market ranges from the youngest readers just learning to pick up their own chapter books to the farthest reaches of teen and new adult. From the silly, funny, and frothy to the serious, sophisticated, and edgy. I’ve seen Jim work side-by-side with authors to dismantle a manuscript and rebuild the story from the ground up, resulting in a better, faster, stronger book that is more saleable, yes, but also a worthier book at its heart. And most importantly, he understands what the author needs—when to push, and when to listen. I highly recommend him.”
—Dan Lazar, Writers House
“Working with Jim on my novels has been exiting, intense, and worthwhile. Not only has Jim helped me make my novels better through challenging insights and ideas, he’s helped me pinpoint some of my habitual weakness in order to overcome them, as well as to recognize my strengths so I can do better with future projects. Thanks to Jim, I’ve leveled up as a writer.”
—Tessa Gratton, the United States of Asgard series and The Blood Journals series