Kind Words
"Diane is a brilliant editor and critic, incisive and perceptive. She has been my first port of call throughout my career and all my books have benefited one way or another from her wise judgements. What is so unusual is that she is as good at the overview - 'That plot line isn't working' - as she is at the detail. And sensitive and generous too: her suggestions are just that: suggestions, though nine times out of ten she is absolutely spot on. Experienced and novice writers will, I am sure, find that her advice helps them to clarify their thoughts and moves their work forward. A great resource!’
Joanna Hines - novelist, crime fiction and historical; author of 10 novels; www.joannahines.co.uk"It is thanks to my mother, Diane, that my early ideas for a children’s story developed into two fully worked books of four stories each, almost immediately found a top literary agency and received a four-book offer from a world class publisher. Advising me long distance by email and phone, Diane guided me all the way through numerous drafts and her advice was invaluable: my characters grew and the plots became infinitely more interesting and tauter, as much for what she advised me to throw out as to keep in.
My first stories needed a lot of help from Diane, but when writing the later ones I must have taken to heart her excellent advice, because she recommended far fewer changes. It was such a relief having someone who understood what I was trying to do and was capable of helping me do it."
James Johnstone - first-time author; www.tiny-dinies.com"Thank you very much for this great work! I just processed your corrections, it’s perfect. And thank you so much for the excellent comments and remarks. It’s very difficult for a writer to take an objective look at his scripts, so it helps a lot. Especially the logic issues… after a while working and reworking the script, one doesn’t detect them anymore."
Giles Daoust - director, writer, producer; Title Films s.a; www.gilesdaoust.com"Diane Johnstone is quite simply the best in the trade. I wouldn't let any MS out of my hands until she had passed her remarkable eye over it."
Derrek Hines - poet, playwright and novelist; www.derrekhines.net"Diane is exactly what you want from a writer’s best friend. She’s a kind and encouraging voice on the end of the phone with a great sense of humour, and a lot of wisdom.
But she’s also a brilliant editor who questions characters, sub-plots and even the words used to make sure that all of them are absolutely necessary or the best choice for the piece. Diane also understands what hell it can be to be a writer, and what it takes to get a book finished which is something most publishers don’t seem to appreciate."
Frances Midson – Journalist."What a great editor. Diane Johnstone helped me creatively rethink and reposition my book. She is one of the few editors that truly works together with the author very much in a partnership mode. If you want an editor to really support and help you, contact Diane Johnstone."
Andrew Kakabadse – Professor of International Management Development, Northampton University.