VIP/Deep Dive Days
I went into my VIP Deep Dive Day looking for clarity on the publishing process and what it entails. During my time with Peter and Colleen, I received detailed answers to my questions and concerns regarding publishing a book. I walked away with a clear understanding of what’s involved with writing, publishing, and marketing a book. After our session, Peter and Colleen provided a comprehensive book publishing plan complete with dates and tasks needed for my manuscript to be professionally published. Also included were two follow-up calls which allowed me to review the plan and ask questions, which Peter and Colleen thoroughly answered in order for me to realize my goal of professionally publishing my book. If you’re ready to navigate the publishing process and have no idea who to trust or where to start, I highly recommend Peter and Colleen to help you navigate your path to publishing.”
Sandy Phillips Kirkham, Author/Speaker/Advocate
I was fortunate to meet and then work with Peter and Colleen on a VIP/Deep Dive Day. After working with Peter and Colleen I walked away with clarity on my goals and my path to publishing my book.
My goal for the day was to understand what a book plan looked like, how it was used, how I could move forward with the plan and become a published author… All of my questions were answered and if I didn’t remember to ask something during our time together, included in their package were two 20-minute follow-up calls so I could ask questions about the book plan or other issues from the VIP/Deep Dive Day.
After our ‘day’ was over, Peter and Colleen didn’t stop there. They wrote and provided my personalized book plan complete with all the steps needed to produce my professional self-published book which I published in June 2017!”
Janet Kassalen, Author
Author Assistance
Providing Professional Author Assistance with integrity is of upmost importance to us. We are the resource for speakers, coaches, and entrepreneurs as they progress through their journey of writing, publishing, and marketing their books. Through this journey they understand the processes and we educate them on the importance of marketing – marketing a book continues for the life of the book. It doesn’t stop after publication day! Seeing our client’s satisfaction when their book is published/launched is priceless.
After working with Peter and Colleen during my VIP Day, I decided to work with them through the comprehensive editing and publishing process for my book. They also worked with me on the initial marketing of my book (it is never too early to start).
I was not interested in doing all the “background work” and trusted Peter and Colleen to do what was needed for my book to be professionally published. When my original publishing date was delayed, they reworked the plan, advised me when tasks were needed to make my deadline, answered questions, put my mind at ease, and they made sure the tasks were completed for my launch date.”
Sandy Phillips Kirkham, Author/Speaker/Advocate
I’ve written two books. The first, written years ago, was bought by a major publisher who paid me a hefty advance, sat on the manuscript through three publishing seasons and then decided not to publish it.
This year, when I wrote a very personal book about the deaths of my daughter and my husband, called “Words for the Unbearable,” I wanted faster, better results and decided to self-publish. A friend recommended Colleen and Peter at Your Literary Prose. They quickly took over the publishing process, connected me to book designer Wendy Dunning and worked collaboratively with my local editor, Penny Kramer.
We began the process in June. I imagined a quick turnaround, with a publication date of September 27, my seventy-fifth birthday. I didn’t know whether this was a naive request, but Colleen and Peter made sure that by my birthday the book was completed and selling on Amazon. Wendy was a gifted designer, Penny an outstanding editor, and Colleen and Peter handled all the mysterious legal matters (copyright, Amazon account, etc.) and dozens of questions along the way confidently and quickly. I’m delighted with the beautiful book they helped me produce.”
With many thanks to my team,
Enid Sanders, PhD, author of Words for the Unbearable
For my two books, Colleen assisted with copyediting and formatting the book proposals as well the Author One Sheets. After working with Colleen, my anxiety level decreased 100%. Thanks for everything! PERFECTION!”
Karin Kirkendol, Author
Colleen was the best author’s assistant I could ever have had. She and her son Peter helped me get my first book published and a gave me a great start on marketing it. They were professional, friendly, honest and organized. They gave me advice, shared feedback from friends who had read my book, and let me make decisions. I feel confident they helped get all the important matters for my book set up properly, including a Library of Congress Control Number. I would recommend Your Literary Prose to anyone wanting to publish a book.”
Janet Kassalen, Author
Colleen and Peter were so easy and attentive to work with. Colleen truly believes with passion what she has a gift in. She sometimes offers the push and relentless need to get your project finished. Peter is a very articulate listener! He also has a tremendous way of knowing what you want to convey before you do, which is the exact thing I needed to complete this project. I totally recommend Colleen and Peter highly for your next project. You will greatly appreciate their fast, articulate, heart-centered work. Thank you so much to you both!”
Patti Raggets, Life Coach/Author
Professional Editing/Proofreading
I had the joy of working with Colleen during her tenure as editorial managing editor at 20/20 VSC. It’s rare to find a talent like Colleen who masterfully wordsmiths submissions with a keen eye for detail. Her ability to retain my unique voice throughout her critiques and edits is nothing short of remarkable. Colleen consistently saved me from any potential literary missteps, a testament to her exceptional editing skills. Her rewrites not only preserved the essence of my messages but also made them clearer and more comprehensible for my readers.”
Laura J. Brandao, Partner at EPM & CEO Lighthouse Advisors, LLC
Cheerful. Professional. Punctual. These three qualities summarize my experience working with Colleen Wietmarschen.”
Eric O’Keefe, Editor, The Land Report, The Magazine of the American Landowner
I had the privilege of working closely with Colleen during her tenure as the editorial manager for the Women With Vision and The Vision magazines. Colleen’s dedication, expertise, and unwavering attention to detail left an indelible mark on my experience as a writer and contributor to these publications.
What truly sets Colleen apart is her remarkable ability to do more than just edit and proofread; she has an extraordinary talent for transforming ordinary articles into polished and impactful pieces of content. Her commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality consistently shone through in her work, and her pursuit of excellence was truly inspiring.
What impressed me most about Colleen was the sheer passion she poured into her work. Every task she took on was approached with boundless enthusiasm, and her genuine love for the craft of editing was unmistakable. Colleen’s invaluable insights and suggestions consistently elevated my writing, making it not only more refined but also inherently more engaging for our readers.
Colleen’s professionalism, reliability, and impeccable time management skills made collaborating with her an absolute pleasure. She seamlessly met every deadline, and her contributions were instrumental in ensuring that Women With Vision and The Vision maintained their well-deserved reputation for delivering top-notch content.
Without reservation, I wholeheartedly recommend Colleen’s editorial services to anyone seeking to enhance their content and marketing efforts. Not only is she a highly skilled editor, but she is also a joy to work with. Colleen’s unwavering commitment to excellence and her tireless pursuit of perfection make her an invaluable asset to any project she undertakes.
It was truly an honor to have had the opportunity to work alongside Colleen, and I have no doubt that her expertise and passion will continue to make a profound impact on any endeavor she chooses to pursue.”
Ruth Lee, CMB
Peter provided comprehensive editing for my book. His constructive suggestions and feedback allowed me to fine-tune my manuscript yet keep my message intact. Peter was very professional and easy to work with during the intense editing process.
Colleen’s attention to detail, excellent grasp of grammar, sentence structure, and spelling is second to none. She provided timely and meticulous proofreading(s) for my edited manuscript.”
Sandy Phillips Kirkham, Author/Speaker/Advocate
Colleen’s investment in the quality of her service saved me from huge embarrassment. Because Colleen’s initiative went the extra distance to check the name spelling of individual’s cited in my book, gross errors were found and eliminated. Colleen’s specific knowledge, high standards and keen attention to detail bring comfort to anyone who wants to put forth a quality product. You are putting in so much of yourself, have Colleen polish your work to present it in its finest form.”
Ellen Seigel, LISW-S, Hypnotherapy/Psychotherapy
Speaking Testimonials
We’re honored to have testimonials from speaking events. Speaking is a way of telling a story to connect with people so they leave with at least one, if not more, tangible steps for immediate action.
At a recent event in Syracuse, NY, I had the pleasure of hearing Colleen Wietmarschen speak on the importance of messaging in your business marketing. There was no doubt that Colleen was an expert in this arena with more than 20 years of copywriting experience. I found her presentation to be fresh, easy to absorb and included lots of tips on how to improve your business writing.
I would recommend Colleen Wietmarschen as a speaker or workshop presenter as she was inspirational, relatable and we left this event wiser than when we arrived. Colleen is a true professional in every aspect of the word!”
By: Susan Beebe, President, Lighthouse Marketing, Inc.
Colleen and Peter of Your Literary Prose offer clear, practical advice that is easily applicable to marketing and branding in any industry. Their presentation was engaging, and I was impressed with the research and examples Colleen gave for our specific industry. Her instruction for creating a clearer message for your marketing efforts was easy to follow and made very memorable with her stories of experience. I would recommend working with Colleen and Peter for anyone looking to update, improve, and implement new marketing. I look forward to continuing to work with them.”
Jack Phelps, Perfect Wedding Guide
Very engaging and entertaining; stories were memorable which everyone could relate to starting with high school. Thought provoking: 90+ steps to writing a book; essential nature of Printer’s Proof.”
Kay Fittes, CEO, High-Heeled Success, LLC
Great tips on how to be specific and target your audience.”
Michelle Miller, Entrepreneur
Colleen arrived and was excellent at engaging with the group in attendance prior to speaking. She introduced herself to everyone, creating a relationship, and by the time she spoke everyone was attentive to what she was going to say. There were some electrical problems and Colleen was very professional and changed gears as needed for her one-hour presentation. She made the group think; made them laugh; and gave them hope and encouragement as she spoke with passion and strength. I will have Colleen speak again in the future.”
Carroll Hall, Marketing Director
Writing/General
As creatives, both of us (Peter and Colleen) enjoy assisting clients with their written word, but it’s more than putting words on paper. It’s about flow, style, being concise, using correct grammar, spelling, yet making sure it’s in the client’s voice and taking their story/message to the next level.
Wow, how fortunate that I got connected to the services of Colleen Wietmarschen. When you require written materials she needs to be your “go-to” person. The press release she created for me was flawless and the first one ever written by a service that didn’t have to be rewritten! Thank you, Colleen, for the professional work and for being a joy with whom to work.”
Kay Fittes, CEO, High-Heeled Success, LLC
I’m delighted I have had the opportunity to work on projects with Colleen. In working on newsletters and marketing campaigns, it can be challenging to maintain “fresh eyes.” I rely heavily on Colleen to correct the awkward phrases, fix incorrect grammar usage, and punctuation mishaps. She has dramatically improved the quality of our publications! Perhaps even more importantly, her writing is simply seamless and beautifully done. I count myself lucky to have the opportunity to work with Colleen.”
Nancy Seeger, Owner, Arts Assistance
Colleen does an amazing job copywriting. Her knowledge and expertise in this area is over the top!”
Emma Farmer, Cybertary Charlotte
A few years ago, I branded myself as Styling With Amy, and I created my Styling With Amy website on Sitebuilder. At the time, I wanted to save money and took great pride in creating it all by myself!
Along comes Colleen and Peter with an offer for a rewrite on a website – hmmmm – was it time to invest a little money and hand my website over to the professionals?
I decided to take a leap of faith and hire the professionals!
I completed an information form and had a zoom conference with Colleen and Peter – I was on my way to a fresh new look to my website!
My website now features well written segments with great verbiage that elevates my site to a new level!
I tell my NYGARD fashion clients to try on items of clothing/outfits, look in the mirror – if their reaction is “it’s ok or I’m not sure I like it,” I tell them you are not loving it, you do not need it – it will be an orphan in your closet. I then proceed to say “if you try something on, and you are jumping up and down because you love the way it feels on your body, or you love the way you look – you need to think about adding it to your closet!”
To sum up my reaction to my newly revised website – I am jumping up and down – I love it! Check out my new website – it is a big WOW ! Thank you Colleen and Peter! I appreciate all the time and hard work you put into creating such a fabulous website for me!”
Amy Elliott Elberfeld, Fashion Stylist
Event Planning
I’ve been planning events for over 35 years; I’ve hosted parties at our home for over 100 people. I enjoy the details from beginning to end, and my friends’ have always quoted, “the only thing Martha Stewart has over Colleen is finances!” Seeing events start out as a dream and moving into the creation process and finally day of event excitement is completely fulfilling. Whether it’s a dinner party you’re looking to have, a reception for a wedding, or anything in between, event planning allows me to put my creativity into action!
I have worked with Colleen on charity events for over ten years and she is amazing! She has innovative ideas, and an ability to think outside-the-box. There is no limit to her imagination nor to her willingness to go above-and-beyond. Her attention to detail will ensure that everything at your event is perfect. Her energy is inspirational and it has been an absolute pleasure to work with her.”
Denise Stacy, Relay for Life Committee Chair 2000-2011
I would like to try and express how grateful I am about having Colleen Wietmarschen playing on my side. Some of the biggest obstacles I face as entrepreneur is following through with the little tasks and making sure that nothing important is ever forgotten.
Working with Colleen Wietmarschen has been a real pleasure and the results and the boost of performance speaks for itself; truly amazing service. But don’t take my word for it… Give it a try.”
Melody Willett, Owner
I could not do what I do without Colleen and her team. Colleen is up for any challenge, is extremely detail oriented and keeps me on track and I try to juggle a million different tasks and priorities. She is an excellent writer. If you are looking for someone who just plain helps you get things done. Colleen is your go-to-gal.”
Meredith Eisenberg, Owner, The Launch Ladies
Workshop/MasterMind Testimonials
I’ll be honest, my goal for 2019 is having my first of many retreats for six to eight people on the beach with a pool and work with like-minded people who are ready to take their business to the next level. Are you in?
The Media Workshop including knowledge on what’s needed in an editorial calendar and PR Kit was full of information and there was a lot of interaction.”
Amy Elliott Elberfeld, Fashion Stylist
I loved the interaction with the boards and ideas from everyone on the brainstorming (Media Workshop).”
Anonymous
What a vast amount of knowledge and how generous sharing it! Being an entrepreneur can be somewhat isolating at times. It was great to be able to share my challenges, successes and business with a vibrant group in a fun and supportive atmosphere and walk away with an actionable plan!”
E.L.
So prepared for the MasterMind weekend retreat. We had a supportive, encouraging atmosphere in which those in the group could share aspects of their lives/businesses that might be rather personal, and yet we all felt safe to share and to offer suggestions to others in the group. Great relationships were built and it is always a benefit to get “away” to focus on your business and yourself! Even though I gave her a hard time – the music was fun and added great memories (thank you M. Colleen!).”
Gwen Pietzuch, USANA
I learned so much from the Mastermind weekend and left with ideas of how to take action once I was back to my business. The SWOT analysis was enlightening not only for listing and discussing mine, but seeing that I am not alone in my weaknesses!”
Janet M. Goudy, JMG Organizing Solutions, LLC