CONYER CLAYTON

TESTIMONIALS

“It’s a gift to have an editor who can read carefully, thoughtfully and with great sensitivity. A gift to have an editor who can understand the nuances of what you’re trying to create and who can suggest how to sculpt the work so that the writing becomes all it can be, all you want it to be. Conyer is a such a gift. They guided me and my collaborator with their kind, insightful and perceptive observations, not only pointing to both small and large issues in our work, but offering inspiring and specific suggestions as to how to improve the work.”

—Gary Barwin, Author of Scandal in the Alphorn Factory: New & Selected Fiction 1984-2024 and Imagining Imagining: Essays on Writing, Identity and Infinity

“Conyer Clayton is an attentive and incisive reader who connects with the intuitive level of the work. Their ability to tell the difference between brambles (easy to trim) and something more substantial (landslide, parking garage) that is blocking the flow of the poems is incredibly helpful. I particularly appreciated Conyer’s method of feedback which included a record of reading and gave a sort of time-lapse response to the work. That narrative gave me the POV of the potential reader and also helped explain what was coming. Their engagement with the process of reading is the mark of someone who really loves poetry, creativity, and stretching towards new ideas. Side note: not all editors take the time to flag positive things that are working. Conyer does, and it is one reason that working with them felt both sweet and exciting!”

—Elee Kraljii Gardiner, Vancouver Poet Laureate, Author of Trauma Head and serpentine loop

​

"Working with Conyer on my novel was a pleasure. Their feedback never failed to be constructive, insightful and thought-provoking. They asked all the right questions to help me drill to the core of the book’s structure and themes, and her eye for minutiae is scalpel-sharp."

—Harman Burns, Author of Yellow Barks Spider (Radiant Press, 2024)

"Conyer’s cultivated intuition as a poet allows them, as an editor, not only to offer thoughtful word-choice and enjambment suggestions, but to identify, lift, and reintegrate structures implicit to poems, which is a rare gift. Their accompanying acumen and professionally prompt communication compel me to trust Conyer as part of the editorial mycelia through which I am fortunate to circulate poems, and to wholeheartedly encourage you to involve Conyer in your editing process."

—Kevin Andrew Heslop, Author of the correct fury of your why is a mountain (Gordon Hill Press, 2021)

​

"Conyer was a delight to work with as an editor on my creative nonfiction. I greatly appreciated the care, intentionality, and attention-to-detail that they brought to the somewhat sensitive and personal subject matter. Their suggestions pinpointed moments where clarity or impact could be heightened in the text without losing its voice, and they were warm, welcoming, and easy to communicate with throughout the process. Thank you, Conyer!"

—Kate Hargreaves, Author of Tend (Book*hug, 2022)

"Conyer's thoughtful, encouraging, questions-based approach to editing helped me dig right down to the heart of what I was trying to convey in my manuscript. Their commitment to praising and celebrating what already shines in your work is a real confidence-booster, and they contextualize their recommendations in such a way that you get a gift beyond the editing itself: a glimpse of how your writing lands in a head that's not yours. I'm so glad we got to work together!"

—Sienna Tristen, Author of Hortis Animarum (Frog Hollow Press)

​

“Conyer is an intuitive editor who pays attention to the soul of the poems and manuscripts they edit. Their editorial style, rooted in a true knowledge of the English arts, pays attention to the individual voice and helps to shape that voice in the context of contemporary poetic practices. Space, enjambment, punctuation and conceptual through-lines are as important to Conyer as the words that frame them; and for a poet looking for developmental feedback, these aspects are critical. I’d work with Conyer again in a heartbeat.”

—Ellen Chang-Richardson, Author of Blood/Belies (Wolsak and Wynn, 2024)

​

"Conyer edited my poetry chapbook, and what an encouraging and helpful experience it was. I was reticent to share this particular project with anyone, as the work was very personal to me and explored sensitive topics. My experience with them as an editor was that they were able to pinpoint my intention with the work, celebrate the parts that hit the mark, and provide sage advice on the parts that required paring back and honing. They suggested structural changes in the project that made perfect sense. They have an acute attunement to pacing and emotional build-up. It wasn’t until after having this chapbook edited by Conyer that I felt comfortable sharing or submitting it. Entrusting my work with Conyer not only made me feel more confident in my writing—their advice will help me shape my work in the future."

—Margo LaPierre, Author of Washing Off the Racoon Eyes (Guernica Editions)

​

“I approached Conyer to edit a chapbook manuscript I was feeling hesitant about and I couldn't be happier with the results. Conyer's editorial style builds you up while also scanning every nook and cranny of the project for strengths, weaknesses, themes, throughlines, cohesiveness, voice, and so on. To say they are thorough would be an understatement. Conyer's editorial eye is like an x-ray but it never feels invasive. They find the heart of the project and center it. Conyer's editorial guidance was approachable, conversational, and exactly what my manuscript needed. This points to their power as an empathetic and intuitive editor. They know how to read both the poem and engage with the poet's needs on a creative level as well as interpersonally. For me, this separates a good editor from a great one. I left my session with them feeling more inspired and committed to my project than when I came in.”

—Michael Russell, Author of gallery of heartache (Apt 845 Press)

​