Testimonials

Testimonials From Editing

"Fawkes worked as my assistant for several years. I love working with her for a number of reasons: she's self-motivated, insightful, and is willing to tackle any job that I ask of her. More and more, I've had her editing work for me--looking over novels and writing assignments and offering critiques. Very often, the authors that we work with tell me, 'Thank Fawkes for all of her valuable suggestions. I was just simply blown away by her insights and her thoroughness.'  And they're right. She is a fine editor. That's why I ask her to look over just about everything that I send out for publication." 

—David Farland, New York Times best-selling, award-winning author; editor; and greenlight analyst.

"September C. Fawkes edited my first book in a paranormal romance series. She took the time to understand my unique voice in order to find ways to enhance it, find weaknesses and give examples of strengthening them, and bring the story to a release-ready state. The changes she made were so spot on that I knew she really cared about the story and wanted it to be the best it possibly could be. The book became a bestseller and has garnered a large newsletter/mailing list for my other books." 

—JK Cooper, Amazon and Audible best-selling author

"Her editing is precise and insightful. She gets to the heart of the story and makes suggestions to tighten and sharpen the prose until it isn't just alive, but thriving. Fawkes encourages you to be the best author you can be."

—Jake Marley, Grand Prize Winner of Writers of the Future, the largest short story competition in the world.

"I found her comments on my MS thoughtful, detailed, precise, and kind. She is a critiquer after my own heart. I thought she did a very good job. One of the things she mentioned caught my eye particularly--where I gave a description of the MC's emotional reaction expressed physically and she highlighted it as a potential POV break because the description could easily be viewed as something that is much more like what a person looking at my character would see rather than what my character would be aware of himself, being behind his own eyes and all. It was a comment that shows me that she is really paying attention, and has a fine understanding of POV." 

—Joshua Essoe, Full-time Professional Freelance Editor and Writer 

"As a student of David Farland's tutelage, I've received explicit editorial comments from September C. Fawkes. I distinctly remember the first time her suggestions popped up in the margins of my manuscript. It's a fond memory. Not because they were glowing praises of my prose, to the contrary, she'd shown a spotlight on a number of my writing flaws. I enjoyed her edits because they were accurate and succinct. Most importantly to a fragile ego like my own, they were tactful and expressed in a fun and witty voice. It made swallowing them not the chocking hazard of previous forays into voluntary and professional editing alike. Fawkes employs a high command of the literary skills necessary to tell a compelling story and the empathy to guide authors through the turbulent waters of their own creation." 

—Ryan Holmes, Former Marine Corps grunt turned aerospace engineer for NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Writer

"I am so thankful for the editing work that Fawkes did on my first novel, The Feather and the Moon Well. Not only did I receive great edits, but she also offered terrific suggestions to improve my story. Working with Fawkes also taught me ways to improve my writing that I will forever carry with me. I would eagerly recommend her for any writing venture." 

—Shean Pao, Author of The Feather and the Moon Well

"I loved the feedback you gave me. It was really thorough and encouraging, and that's a rare thing." 

—Loretta Torossian, First Place Winner of the SCBWI Rising Kite Contest, Semi-Finalist in Writers of the Future

"I enjoyed her edits because they were accurate and succinct. Most importantly to a fragile ego like my own, they were tactful and expressed in a fun and witty voice. It made swallowing them not the choking hazard of previous forays into voluntary and professional editing alike. Fawkes employs a high command of the literary skills necessary to tell a compelling story and the empathy to guide authors through the turbulent waters of their own creation. . . . She's the best I've ever had edit my work. Really."

—Ryan Holmes, Former Marine Corps grunt turned aerospace engineer for NASA's Kennedy Space Center and writer

"I was very pleased with the work that got done! I still read the critique letter from time to time when I need encouragement and inspiration."

—Robert Jackson, Writer

For all of my editing testimonials, go here.

Testimonials From My Course

"Best writing workshop I've ever participated in."

—Joy Evergreen

“I have done many courses . . . and I found this course going well beyond most of the others. September has a clear teaching style, and she gave a huge amount of time and effort helping us to work through any issues, and the weekly assignments are fantastic. I appreciated this so much as often writing courses are simply ‘set and forget’ videos with little or no feedback. The Triarchy of Story was nothing like that." 

—Sharon M.

"I was hesitant with the cost, but it was worth every cent. Every class brought new epiphanies for me. September is a brilliant teacher and the Triarchy Method is an essential course for anyone wanting a better understanding of story. She will take you on a journey through character, plot and theme that will deepen your understanding of the bones of your story, the three-act structure, and the trajectory of different plotlines across different arcs. 

"September's feedback is fantastic—she has a real talent for pointing out areas you could strengthen while celebrating the parts you've done well that leaves you feeling inspired to get back to your writing. 

"I finished September's course with notes I will refer back to again and again, a really thorough understanding of story mechanics, and an outline for my novel that makes sense of what started as a chaotic jumble of characters, ideas and plotlines. September has been supportive, encouraging and inspiring.

"I have come away with a much deeper understanding of story that I know will continue to deepen with time.

"I cannot recommend this course enough."

—Kelly W.

“September has a way of delivering material that makes it easy to understand. She is patient and accessible, a real joy to work with and learn from. If you have a chance to take one of her courses, jump on it!”

—Louisa S.

“Before this class, I felt I was lacking in my story and character development knowledge. Now, I can't wait to use what I learned to make my book more professional. I feel like I have the knowledge I need to call myself an author—an eye-opening experience.”

—Jason F.

“The Triarchy Method course, led by the amazing September C. Fawkes, offered an enriching experience in mastering character, theme, and plot. Her wide-ranging examples and hands-on worksheets helped with understanding, while the individualized scene workshop sessions provided a platform for application and growth. September's timely, insightful feedback on assignments helped me in my growth as a novice writer to refine my writing skills.”

—Dionne R.

"September C. Fawkes' class on story structure is better than craft books, and blogs and recorded conference sessions, even though many of them are fabulous too. September guides her students, step by step, sends out homework and replies with screeds of comments. I started the course with a good clear idea of the first act, and then I was totally lost. Now I have clarity. This course is great and September is so enthusiastic and knowledgeable, the only reason you’ll regret doing it is if you also just had a baby and decided to learn German, Italian and Estonian, at the same time as renovating a house. You need to clear time to do the course to get the best out of it."

—Lynette F.

"It has been such a pleasure to work with September, and I learned SO much from this class! I'm on a budget and wasn't sure when I signed up but trust me, it is SO worth it! September has been there in and out of class helping us. She made me believe in myself again when I was about to give up on my dream. I would definitely take more courses from her in the future! I had an amazing time though I was shy, and I have speech problems sometimes. The classes made me feel braver and more comfortable."

—Traci W.

"The Triarchy Method is one of the best classes I’ve ever taken—and over the years I’ve taken many. It’s by far the best and most comprehensive class on how to build a great story I’ve ever come across. The class explores different methods of storytelling and story structure, diving deep into character, plot, and theme, and explains how the different concepts fit together into a seamless whole.

"September is an excellent teacher who can explain complex ideas in a clear and concise manner and who has a truly impressive grasp of her subject. Her depth of knowledge, attention to detail, and willingness to answer my many questions were all exemplary. She also provides multiple examples to illustrate each point and to show variations, so that while we gain a clear understanding of the norms of plot and structure, and of how theme and character arc arise from story, we’re also able to see how these elements can present in different ways rather than having to follow a rigid formula.

"I’m currently reviewing my lecture notes and applying the assignments to my latest WIP. Even from the first few lectures I can see what’s working and what isn’t and where I need to strengthen the story. My understanding of story structure and how character, plot, and theme weave together has gone from blurry and confused to crystal clear. As a pantser, I’ve always struggled with plotting ahead, but now I have a map showing me how to move forward rather than blundering blindly through the jungle. I know it will both strengthen my work and vastly speed up my process.

"This has been a fantastic investment for both my current and future writing. I can’t recommend this class enough."

—Becky R.

Kind Words About the Blog

"You write some of the best content out there." 

 —Angela Ackerman, co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus, co-founder of Writers Helping Writers

"Love your blog. . . . And your name." 

—K. M. Weiland, best-selling author, founder of Helping Writers Become Authors

"She is A. MAZE. ING!" 

—James Duckett, writer

"I just wanted you to know, I love your blog, and what you're doing for writers who read it. It's easy to see you are passionate about writing, but your efforts are nonetheless altruistic in your quest to raise the bar. Thanks on behalf of all the people whose writing you have improved that haven't gotten around to thanking you." 

—cryrusbriar, follower

"I cannot wait to read all of your posts. You pierce my soul with your writing selections and I am learning a lot from you." 

—AndreaDoria, follower

"This is probably the best advice I've ever received." 

—sagewithnosoul, follower

"You are a wonderful person and I am glad to have found you, your blog, and your content. Thank you for existing and helping others with your videos and articles." 

—Anonymous

"I just spent over an hour reading your advice!" 

—reawakened-chaos

"I am eternally thankful for your last post '5 Common Mistakes with Dialogue.' English being my second language and mostly self-taught, I have never had the chance for anyone to tell me those punctuation guidelines/rules. . . . Bless you!" 

—Name withheld 

"You are by far my favourite writing blog. I love how much you care and how in depth you go. Ahh, I love you!" 

—Anonymous 

(This one still cracks me up - thanks anon)

Praise For My Writing

"She is a Young Adult writer to watch. Her works are witty, fresh, and skillfully crafted. Her ability to draw readers in with her intriguing plotlines and life-like characters is a talent held by few others and, as such, she is sure to be a future best-selling author."
—Trisha Haber, Owner, The Writer's Desk; English Instructor, Utah State University


"As an instructor, and a professional creative writer myself, I immediately recognized talent and great potential in her work…. [it] shows a thoughtfulness concerning image and scene that is refreshing and beautiful. Her excellent knack for depiction and description immediately raised the bar for other[s]. While many writers may be able to effectively use such descriptive techniques, only the very best can do so while also masterfully utilizing sound device and literary technique. Her ability in all of these areas marks her work as more than simply entertaining writing; but further suggests her literary potential."
—Chelsi Sutton-Linderman, Poet; Creative Nonfiction Writer


"September C. Fawkes is the most gifted young writer I have encountered in some time. Her prose and style are exquisite; her storylines, enticing; her character development, second to none. She possesses, in full, the most valued resource of any successful writer: a burning passion for the craft. As she continues to hone her considerable skills, she will undoubtedly make a name for herself in the world of fiction."
—Timothy Williamson, Freelance Writer


"From the first paragraph, the short story 'Shadows,' . . . grips the reader’s hand tightly and pulls them into a world of terrifying, otherworldly creatures set against the innocence of childhood. Fawkes’s ability to weave enthralling fantasy tales and create instant emotional connections between her readers and her characters shows up once again in this amazing tale of a little girl just trying to get home safely. Every story Fawkes writes creates a world so different from reality yet so real that it leaves an indelible mark on the reader’s imagination. The monster haunted world of . . . 'Shadows' has definitely left its mark on me."
—Nova Electra Wahl, Creative Director, The Southern Quill


"I've always been impressed with September's writing. She has the most vivid descriptions and chooses great metaphors to help the reader paint a good picture of her character's setting. Her dialogue is engaging and the tension makes readers care for the characters. Most of all, I love September's wit and humor throughout her writing."
—James Duckett, Fiction Writer, Blogger


"Over the last 14 years, I have worked with thousands of students in the college classroom. Few have left as strong—and favorable—an impression on me.

"Altogether, I had her as a student in ten classes at Dixie State College. From the start, she distinguished herself, enlivening class discussions and workshops with her insightful observations about her peers’ work. She produced a pair of outstanding short stories for the course, as well, one of which was eventually published. I watched her excel in other writing courses, as well, turning out marvelous works of fiction and nonfiction alike.
—Stephen B. Armstrong, Ph.D., Professor of English, Dixie State University of Utah

If you are interested in my services, visit Fawkes Editing.