Suzie Eckl
Hi, I'm Suzie
Welcome to my digital shingle!
I earned my MFA as a Henry Hoyns Fellow from the University of Virginia’s Creative Writing Program. There, I taught undergraduate writing courses and worked for several literary journals, including Meridian as editor in chief and Virginia Quarterly Review as an editorial assistant.
Far too long ago, I received my BA at Davidson College as a Patricia Cornwell Creative Writing Scholar. My fiction and poetry has been published in Kenyon Review, The Commuter, The Arkansas International, Nimrod International Journal, and Bat City Review.
A native Texan and current resident of Washington, DC, I’ve started my career as a programmer for several factual broadcasters and streamers, such as Smithsonian Channel and Curiosity Stream. Now, I edit full time at the Department of State. I am currently working on a collection of stories set in the American West.
Work
FICTION & POETRY
“Elinore Files a Claim” and “Elinore After the Storm” – Colorado Review
“Avalanche Weather” – The Arkansas International
Winner, Emerging Writer’s Prize
Interview with The Arkansas International staff
“Blanks” – Electric Literature
“Visitation” – Kenyon Review
“Gussie Remembers Winter in Circle City” + 3 other poems – Nimrod
Winner, Francine Ringold Award for New Writers in Poetry
“The Dead Letter Office” – Bat City Review (online)
Runner-Up, Short Prose Contest
AWARDS
Grantee, DC Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program
Sydney Hall Blair Award for Excellence in Teaching
EDUCATION
Henry Hoyns Fellow in Fiction, University of Virginia
Patricia Cornwell Creative Writing Scholar, Davidson College
RESIDENCIES
Tin House Summer Workshop
PLAYA Residency (canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic)
Alderworks Alaska Writers & Artists Retreat
Editing Services
Manuscript Evaluation
Get comprehensive feedback on your manuscript’s structure, style, and content.
Copy Editing
Ensure clarity, coherence, and consistency in your writing with copy editing services.
Proofreading
Eliminate grammatical errors and typos for a polished and professional final draft.
Why Editorial Services?
You want to hire a freelance editor — why? Maybe it’s because you have:
- A novel draft you want eyes on before you submit
- An academic paper that needs polish before you publish
- A work-in-progress thesis that lacks clarity and energy
- A professional website that feels undercooked
- A query letter that doesn’t yet capture your book’s essence
- …Or maybe it’s something else?
Whatever your project, I’d be glad to discuss what you need and whether I’m the right editor for you.
I’m best known for my work editing short and novel-length fiction. As a developmental editor, I’ve helped authors to take their novel draft to the next level. As Editor in Chief of Meridian: An Annual of Poetry & Prose, I worked with contributors to sharpen their short fiction and essays before publication. I’ve also spent a career writing, editing, and analyzing content in both higher education and in broadcast and streaming media.
What's my editorial philosophy?
If you want someone who can help you take your work to the next level, we might make perfect partners. I want your work to shine. When it comes to fiction and more artistic forms of expression, I see my role as more big-picture. I’m not line-editing your work but rather considering it as a whole. I’m here to:
- identify issues related to characterization, pacing, and voice
- ask questions that allow you to explore your work more deeply
- point out where your prose sags — and also where it grabs me
- and identify smaller bugaboos like as continuity errors, lapses in logic, and writing tics.
When it comes to non-fiction and academic work, I focus on clean, clear, and logical prose. Where will two words work instead of ten? Where information is muddled, assumed, or made redundant?
That’s what I’m here to tell you.
What do I provide?
Every project is different, and what I ultimately provide to you is up for discussion.
That said, I’ve mostly worked with creative and academic writers who have requested the below.
For fiction or creative prose projects, I serve as a development editor. I rarely change the words on the page but instead leave you commentary about my experience reading the story or essay. My comments address my reactions to the story as it unfolds, the productive questions I have as I read, specific suggestions for improvement, and more. Additionally, I can provide a detailed editorial letter that outlines my feedback in detail.
For academic work, I serve in a copy editor capacity. I focus on tightening and rearranging your prose for clarity and addressing concerns such as redundancy and leaps in logic.
What do I charge?
I typically charge based on word count, rounded to the nearest 1,000 words.
On a by-word basis, I charge less for fiction than I do for academic copy editing, as academic work takes more time.
Please contact me to discuss your project in more detail and to receive a quote.
Not convinced?
That’s okay! Reach out anyway. We’ll talk about your project without any obligation on your part.
Let's Connect
Whether you’re just starting to look for a partner who can help bring your project to the next level or you’re already at the “Sign me up!” stage, please reach out. I’d love to talk about your project, whether it’s a novel-in-progress, an academic essay, your business website, or something else.