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Reviser Editorial

Jay Fernandez

  • WHAT EXACTLY IS EDITING?
  • WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?
  • WHO AM I?
    • Bio
    • Awards
    • Publications
  • WHAT DO I COST?
  • Clips
    • Commentary
    • Q&As
  • Testimonials
  • WRITING SHOTGUN
  • Contact

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Harnessing the power of language
one word at a time.

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WHAT EXACTLY IS EDITING?

(And How Does It Work?)

I’m glad you asked.

The mission of any good editor is simple: to help make a writer’s work more persuasive, more entertaining, more comprehensive, more memorable, and more impactful. Even the most talented writers benefit from a critical eye with no stake in the process other than wanting to help the author improve her work and make it as strong as possible. I will read for clarity, structure, transitions, style, language, voice, detail, depth, humor, and much more.

Language is an incredibly powerful tool that has the same potential as magic. I will help you bring more smart and heart to your art.

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WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?

(Services Offered)

 short or long fiction
 nonfiction & journalism
 research
 creativity coaching
 temporary help
 editorial consulting
 college essays
 website copy
 restaurant menus
 potpourri

Publications Where My Work Has Appeared

The Washington Post Book World
Los Angeles Times
Time Out New York
The Hollywood Reporter
Los Angeles
USA Today
New York Review’s The Reader’s Catalog
ELLE
Code
In Style
LIFE
National Geographic KIDS
Signature Reads / Word and Film
Boston Review
Variety
Columbia Journalism Review

Entertainment Weekly
Premiere
Seventeen
Indiewire
Fishbowl L.A.
Savoy
ACCESS DirectTV
TV Guide

Testimonials

“Jay is a gifted writer and an unbeatable editor, but in my heart, his greatest role will always be as a coach. With kindness, candor, and good humor, Jay improved not just my novel, but my entire approach to writing. He is one of those rare people in the world with the ability to help others achieve more than they ever imagined for themselves. If you have the chance to work with him, don’t pass it up!”

— Blair Pasalic, author of the in-progress historical novel The Wild Flowers of Sarajevo

2023-09-13T17:52:58+00:00

— Blair Pasalic, author of the in-progress historical novel The Wild Flowers of Sarajevo

“Jay is a gifted writer and an unbeatable editor, but in my heart, his greatest role will always be as a coach. With kindness, candor, and good humor, Jay improved not just my novel, but my entire approach to writing. He is one of those rare people in the world with the ability to help others achieve more than they ever imagined for themselves. If you have the chance to work with him, don’t pass it up!”
http://www.revisereditorial.com/testimonials/blair-pasalic/
“The reason we hire editors is to get our books over the finish line. Thanks to Jay’s thorough notes and comprehensive guidance, my memoir RUSE: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street was published! I can honestly say it would not have happened without his expert help.”

— Robert Kerbeck, author of Malibu Burning: The Real Story Behind L.A.'s Most Devastating Wildfire and RUSE: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street

2023-09-13T17:56:02+00:00

— Robert Kerbeck, author of Malibu Burning: The Real Story Behind L.A.'s Most Devastating Wildfire and RUSE: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street

“The reason we hire editors is to get our books over the finish line. Thanks to Jay’s thorough notes and comprehensive guidance, my memoir RUSE: Lying the American Dream from Hollywood to Wall Street was published! I can honestly say it would not have happened without his expert help.”
http://www.revisereditorial.com/testimonials/robert-kerbeck/
“As an editor, Jay has the sensitivity of a fine-tuned instrument and the swift precision of a special-ops unit. In my writing, every sentence he touched got better, and there was never any mystery as to why or how. Jay is that rare editor who is consistently able to improve not only a piece but also the writer behind it.”

— Jennifer Croft, critic, novelist, and Man Booker International Prize-winning translator of Flights

2018-07-29T20:50:53+00:00

— Jennifer Croft, critic, novelist, and Man Booker International Prize-winning translator of Flights

“As an editor, Jay has the sensitivity of a fine-tuned instrument and the swift precision of a special-ops unit. In my writing, every sentence he touched got better, and there was never any mystery as to why or how. Jay is that rare editor who is consistently able to improve not only a piece but also the writer behind it.”
http://www.revisereditorial.com/testimonials/jennifer-croft/
“Amazing editor! Jay’s judgment, keen eye, and attention to detail are matched by his genuine respect for the writer’s vision and process — I’d love him to edit everything I ever write.”

— Tara Ison, Los Angeles Review of Books critic and author of Ball: Stories and Rockaway

2018-06-01T22:00:19+00:00

— Tara Ison, Los Angeles Review of Books critic and author of Ball: Stories and Rockaway

“Amazing editor! Jay’s judgment, keen eye, and attention to detail are matched by his genuine respect for the writer’s vision and process — I’d love him to edit everything I ever write.”
http://www.revisereditorial.com/testimonials/tara-ison/
“Jay was a go-to writer for me. He never disappointed. He is a thoughtful and independent interviewer and an inspired writer who can craft informative, entertaining, edgy content confidently and quickly. He meets his deadlines with great copy and is always a pleasure to speak with. Highly recommend.”

— Carole Braden, former features editor, Time Out New York

2018-06-20T20:46:48+00:00

— Carole Braden, former features editor, Time Out New York

“Jay was a go-to writer for me. He never disappointed. He is a thoughtful and independent interviewer and an inspired writer who can craft informative, entertaining, edgy content confidently and quickly. He meets his deadlines with great copy and is always a pleasure to speak with. Highly recommend.”
http://www.revisereditorial.com/testimonials/carole-braden/

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WHO AM I?

(Bona Fides)

My name is Jay A. Fernandez, and I’ve been a writer, reporter, and editor, both on-staff and freelance, for more than 20 years at a number of top-tier publications in Washington, D.C., New York, and Los Angeles. From The Washington Post and Premiere to the Los Angeles Times and The Hollywood Reporter, I have fashioned a multi-faceted career as a reliable, thorough, imaginative, versatile content craftsman. As an editor, I can improve most any kind of writing — and do it on a deadline. I simply love language, from the profane to the poetic.

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