Overview:

My passion resides in the written word! I've been an editor and writer for the past 20 years and have a knack for detecting what's right and what's wrong, what works and what doesn't.  I've helped numerous writers hone, revise, and refine their work into publishable shape.  My clients have gone on to obtain agents and some have had their work published.  Seeing hard-working, talenteed authors receive their due gives me tremendous satisfaction.

 

Education:

I have a BA in Latin American history from UC Berkeley and an MA from the Johns Hopkins Writing Program. I've attended several writing workshops, including Bread Loaf, Squaw Valley Community of Writers, and Iowa.

 

As a writer:

I was awarded the James Jones First Novel Fellowship and an Artist Fellowship in Literatur from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for my novel in progress.  A previous grant from the DCCAH funded travel to Peru, enabling me to complete the research for my novel, an exerpt of which was featured in the 2007 edition of Provincetown Arts Magazine.

I am currently working on a memoir as well as a series of short stories and essays.  A number of these have appeared in literary journals and in an anthology, including The Sun, Lullwater Review, The Potomac Review, The Griffin, Big Muddy, and Enhanced Gravity.

After countless rejections, the first acceptance feels like an immensely satisfying victory.  In fact, it is an affirmation of you work and provides the stimulus to keep churning out stories. 

 

In my Previous Life:

After attending UC Berkeley's graduate journalism school, I worked as a reporter, editor, and press secretary. I've published numerous articles, particularly about human rights violations and childhood injuries (the leading killer of children in the U.S.), and also publicized those and other issues. I co-founded and then was executive director of the National Safe Kids Campaign (now Safe Kids Worldwide). I taught English at Montgomery College and currently dedicate part of my time to Safe Kids Worldwide as co-founder. I'm originally from Europe, speak German and some Spanish, and live with one husband, two sons and three pets in Washington, D.C. I also love orchids. If I had to choose between husband and orchids, well…maybe there's a story there!

 

Tips: 

Check your area and Poets & Writers magazine for writing grants. I highly recommend applying, when possible, as they provide you with money (to support your writing jones!), affirm your writing, and give you a little prestige. They also enhance your writing resume.

 

I also recommend attending the occasional workshop, writing class or seminar to recharge your batteries. It's a great place to workshop your writing, connect with fellow writers and develop a network of colleagues. You may even meet your future agent and/or publisher there.

 

Capture the reader's attention with a catchy beginning. 

 

I have used the help of Writers' Relief (www.relief.com). Short story contests can also work for you.

 

I look forward to working with you…send me your thoughts, problems, manuscript issues…agent and publishing questions…I'm happy to help. 

 

Client Endorsement:

My manuscript will move forward in a different and much better direction because of your advice.  Some of your critique is tough, as it has to be if the story is worth telling.  You're the first editor I've worked with who bothers to take the time to explain "why."  Anyone can say you should change this or change that, but we as writers need to know why.  How else can we improve?  You really "get" the big picture and not just commas and quotation marks.  Thanks for your excellent work, Herta.

David Martin, author, River Ice

 

As writers, we put our heart and soul into the written word.  It is often  an emotional process, laying it all out, hoping someone- an agent, a publisher, a reader- will connect with our work.  Luckily, there are people like Herta who can help guide us through the process. 

 

She provided excellent advice on dialogue, plot, and POV issues.  Most important to me, however, was that she actually cared about my story and my characters.  Sh worked with me to bring out the best in my writing.  She was professional and reliable every step of the way, and I can't say how much her input and recommendations meant to me.  I look forward to working with Herta again in the very near future.

Harmony Verna, author, The Beacon of Anonymity