CONYER CLAYTON

TESTIMONIALS

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“Conyer is an intuitive editor who pays attention to the soul of the poems and manuscripts she edits. Her 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 (forthcoming with Wolsak and Wynn, 2024)

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"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 her as an editor was that she was 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. She suggested structural changes in the project that made perfect sense. She has 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—her advice will help me shape my work in the future."

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

"Conyer is one of those people who has a keen eye for the poetic quality of a line, whether it's directness, rhythm, clarity or assonance. As an editor, she always gently identifies what is or isn't working in a poem."

 —Chris Johnson, Managing Editor of Arc Poetry Magazine, and author of Gravenhurst (above/ground press)

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"Conyer’s cultivated intuition as a poet allows her, 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. Her 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)

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"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. Her commitment to praising and celebrating what already shines in your work is a real confidence-booster, and she contextualizes her 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)

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"Working with Conyer has been a transformative to my writing practice and for that I am grateful. Conyer immediately understood the through line in my first collection of poetry and helped to craft a beautiful and thoughtful introduction. Her careful, considered, and delicate line edits cut the cliches while adding ambiguity and open-endedness. Conyer’s writing and editing is filled with insight, humour, and generosity. I read recently that "if writing is a form of prayer then editing is how miracles happen." If this is true, then Conyer is a very talented miracle worker indeed. You must hire her for your next project; I certainly will."

—Jay Heins, Author of book of hours: an illustrated manuscript (Numen Publishing) 

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