Meghan Pinson is managing editor and founder of My Two Cents Editing. She leads our team of expert editors, keeping everyone focused on helping passionate writers reach discerning readers with the best possible work.
Since its founding in 2009, My Two Cents has evolved under the guiding principle that good editing is an exercise in empathy that serves the reader through the writer.
From assigning editors to nurturing readers, Meghan focuses on story, deep work, and a personalized experience. She leads workshops on writing and publishing and belongs to the Editorial Freelancers Association, the Missouri Writers Guild, and Reedsy.
“Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can. This is the service of a friend. With him we are easily great.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson, from “Considerations by the Way”
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From Meghan’s Clients
Meghan was great! Not only did she review the manuscript quickly, she did so thoroughly as well. She pointed out areas where she felt the manuscript could be strengthened but tempered that with areas that she felt were in good shape. She had terrific suggestions on deepening the plot and adding more layers. I’ve spent the last three months working through that, and the end product is so much better had I not had her review it in the first place.
– Kate Mathieson, author of Just As You Are, HarperCollins Publishers 2020
I had a fantastic experience working with Meghan. I had gotten to the point in my manuscript where I had done all I could with it and needed a professional editor to point out places where it could be strengthened. Meghan was the perfect partner to take the manuscript to the next (and final) level. She read my work with a critical and compassionate eye, had excellent notes about characters and plot, and also did a careful copy edit. Above all, I know she was – and continues to be – invested in me as an author. In addition to the wonderful edit she did on my manuscript, she asked good questions about my publishing plans (traditional vs self-publishing?) and provided excellent advice about next steps. I can’t wait to work with her again!
– Julie Gilbert, author of Cemetery Songs
It was a real pleasure working with Meghan. She tailors her skills and editing expertise to meet the specific needs and goals of her clients, takes the time to listen, and she’s genuine, supportive, and professional. She’s the real deal — both a quality editor and a quality person. I highly recommend her and look forward to working with her on future projects.
– Barbara Dzikowski, author of The Last Moon Before Home
Wow! I am so glad I found you. I was surprised to see the critique when I cranked up my computer this morning. I didn’t expect you to finish so soon. The critique is so insightful and encouraging. It is a relief to learn that “The Closing” may be worth reading after all. I got about 100 pages into the manuscript before I had to break away for a meeting and I didn’t find a single revision or comment I disagreed with. Those suggestions and the sample copy edit you included at about page 20 are wonderful, like sunshine bursting through cloud cover. I appreciate so much what you have done. I thought you were a good editor when I read what your clients said about you. I thought you were even better after I met you. But it seems I underestimated you. No wonder you’re so busy. You’re really, really great at what you do.
– Ken Oder, author of the Whippoorwill Hollow novels
Incredibly helpful, supportive, clear, responsive, and knowledgeable. Meghan’s services were what put the book over the edge. Without her work, I don’t think the book would have taken shape in the way that it did. She helped translate a dissertation into a readable and compelling book that integrated my voice and made the research approachable. Meghan gave me the industry insight and editorial critique necessary to translate research into a dynamic read.
– Walker Karraa, PhD, author of Transformed by Postpartum Depression
Meghan, this is wonderful! Just looking through the first 20 pages is fascinating and helpful. And it’s great to see discussion between you and Rhonda. It makes very plain the value of “two sets of eyes” as I think you put it sometime in our earlier correspondence.
– Shelley Schanfield, author of the Sadhana Trilogy
Meghan is fiercely honest when it comes to editing. If your manuscript requires more tweaks, rethinks, and extra levels of her editing prowess, she’ll explain why, without pressure to do any of it. If, on the other hand, your prose doesn’t need as much as you were expecting, she’ll tell you to get an agent/publisher stat! This is what sets her apart – honesty; even if it’s to the determent of further work for herself.
– P. J. B.
As a first-time author with a historical novel I was keen to publish, I needed an editor I could trust to take my manuscript to the next level. But more than that, it was the first in a series of nine novels I planned to write. Not only was I looking for an editor I could trust, but also a publishing professional with whom I could build an ongoing relationship as we worked our way through each book. When I found Meghan, I was immediately struck by her energy, her enthusiasm, her communication, and her references, so I happily handed over my manuscript. When I got it back, I knew I’d found the right person to guide me through the daunting waters of punctuation, character motivation, grammar, plot structure, tense, point-of-view analysis, and so much more. Meghan knows my ultimate goal is always to produce a piece of work that’s as professional as any book currently available in the marketplace. She doesn’t hesitate to call me on issues such as artificial plot contrivances and coincidences, sagging character motivation, and repetitive sentence construction—and that’s exactly why I keep coming back to her, book after book. Meghan takes her work seriously, and therefore will take YOUR work seriously.
– Martin Turnbull, author of the Garden on Sunset series
I am a screenwriter new to the book manuscript submission process and was floundering a bit. But then Meghan, who had previously done a great mini critique of my novel, offered me a strategy session of advice toward publication. She asked informed questions, gave informed answers to my questions: “which synopsis form(s) should I write?”, “how many submissions at one time?!”, etc.. And just as importantly, when she didn’t know, asked the right questions to help us both get to an answer. She provided guidance and resources I was not aware of while throwing in some off-kilter jokes one moment and incisive suggestions the next. When we finished our conversation, I had a focused strategy. And a terrific ally. Thanks again.
– A. K.
Before I began to work with Meghan, I believed I had a story and maybe a finished novel. With inspired coaxing and ruthlessly efficient outlining exercises, Meghan showed me how wrong I was while happily leading me to consider alternate endings and story arcs. NOW I have a story. Her editing skills and teaching background were the reasons I wanted to work with Meghan. They have propelled me to pursue an exciting and intimidating next step.
– S. R.
Meghan is the best thing I did for myself and my book. She pushed when I needed a kick in the butt and praised when I deserved it. I felt overwhelmed at times, but I survived. One of the best things I learned was how to read my own book honestly. As I told her, “You make me feel like a real writer.” She asked pointed questions so that I could see my manuscript in a new way. She has always been gracious, even when I threw some crazy idea at her and she needed to bring me back to reality. The best recommendation I can give is that Meghan has treated me like a professional from the very beginning.
– C. C.
Meghan was/is still an amazing partner for my writing. She was able to help me explore new interpretations and directions for my characters, and her feedback is constructive, collaborative, and sincere. I would recommend Meghan without hesitation! Finding a good editor who gels well with your personality and your book is a very hard exercise, but Meghan is passionate, kind, and professional and I will be back to her again as soon as I re-tweak my manuscript!
– H. W.
It was great to work with Meghan. Friendly and professional are the two qualities that come to mind when it comes to her. The mini critique was quite helpful in pointing out the faults in my writing but also reassuring of my potential as a writer. Honesty with tact was what I received from Meghan. Thank you for the experience. Definitely recommend.
– M. E. M.
If you are reading this testimonial, I intuit you might be looking for an editor. I read through all of these as well when I was considering Meghan. So let me tell you what happened to me and then you decide if you should call her.
I am not an established anything (let alone author). But I write. I love to write. I write to be transported, to experience zero gravity, to lose myself in this task that brings me joy and somehow makes time stop (I honestly believe you don’t grow old when you write). So after an embarrassingly long time at designing and building this one particular story I found myself desperately lost. Like some amateur architect I was putting up dividing walls here and there without considering light issues, installing benches and pergolas no one would ever use, and moving my characters around from place to place with no true plan…you know what I mean? LOST. I had no idea if anything in my novel made sense anymore, if my characters were believable or lovable, if the structure I provided was enough, or if i should just stop writing and take up cooking instead. Really. It was painful. So I called Meghan. And you know what she did? Like a fabulous inspector she found every crack in the structure, pointed out the leaky chapters, and tested all the characters for electricity. She also pointed out what worked well, what scenes touched her, which parts made her laugh, and suggested new directions and possibilities.
In a nutshell, Meghan re-drew my architectural plans. And I needed that. Her critique provided an aerial, panoramic, zoomed out yet topographic map of my novel and it was such a gift. If you are feeling lost, no doubt in my mind you should call Meghan immediately.
Ana Catalina Reynoso de la Garza, author of (the rain): a liquid fantasía