Sandra Hughes, Reinventing Your Life: Your Guide to Finding Fulfillment in Starting Your Business and Reinventing Your Life Workbook: Your Guide to Finding Fulfillment in Starting Your Business

Joanne is a highly skilled editor and publishing services provider and a lot of fun to work with. She makes sure that any changes are still in your voice and consistently offers suggestions that improve the overall effect you are trying to achieve—whether in the content or in the physical appearance of your book. She possesses a tremendous attention to detail and guides you at every stage of development. I highly recommend Joanne.

Melody LeBaron, Transforming Death: Creating Sacred Space for the Dying

I feel so BLESSED that a friend of a friend recommended Joanne Shwed as my book editor and designer. When I heard that she’d edited Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s last book, I knew she was the right editor for me. I’ve worked on my book—about creating sacred space for the dying—for 18 years, in between client sessions and taking care of my family. It’s been such a long labor of love that I often wondered if it would ever get birthed. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for Joanne’s kind, consistent guidance and amazing expertise in the three years we’ve worked together, I’m sure I would have given up. It often took me months to finish rewriting a section and get it to her; she’d have the edited and polished version back to me in days. Once I showed up for one of our Zoom meetings feeling so discouraged; that’s the day I discovered Joanne’s delightful sense of humor. And did I mention her patience and kindness? YES, Joanne's book design, cover design, and proofreading skills are unequaled—and so are her people skills. Thanks to her suggestions, edits, and excellent work, I’m wildly proud of this book and SO VERY GRATEFUL for her guidance in the publishing process. Thank you, Joanne. You are the best Book Midwife ever. I could not have birthed this book without you!

Matt Schlegel, Teamwork 9.0: Successful Workgroup Problem Solving Using the Enneagram

I would like to recommend Joanne Shwed of Backspace Ink Editing and Publishing Services. As a first-time author, I appreciated Joanne’s soup-to-nuts service. I came to her with a manuscript and wanted help with proofreading, layout and cover design, and publishing. She guided me through this process expertly and delivered results in a timely manner. She patiently explained each step in the process, setting and meeting expectations at each step. I appreciate her professionalism and communication as she kept me abreast of progress at all stages. In both proofreading and layout design, Joanne’s attention to detail stood out. She provided comprehensive notes for me to review while leaving me with editorial discretion. Joanne also handled coordination with the illustrator, cover designers, and e-book designers, which saved me a great deal of time. I’m very pleased with the outcome and just that much more proud of the book with Joanne’s valuable contributions. Whether a first-time or veteran author, I recommend you engage with Joanne to support your efforts.

Darryl Salerno, The Complete Agency Management Handbook: Your Guide to Greater Success and Profitability

Joanne Shwed is an absolute pleasure to work with. She guided me through the process of producing my first book, helping me boil down forty years of management experience into a flowing work that I’m very proud of. She is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the development and completion of literature including the consistency of language, the proper use of images and graphics and the most effective way to publish and gain wider readership. She is very thorough and extremely responsive. Although I consider myself an advanced student of English, Joanne repeatedly suggested changes that made the text much better. Thank you, Joanne. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Larry White, Confessions of a Zen Narcissist

Working with Joanne to get my first book published was a delight. I had had several people go through my book and make editorial suggestions, which I incorporated. It wasn’t until I had Joanne working on my manuscript, however, that I realized how much I needed her expertise. Her editorial suggestions were insightful and extremely helpful. I feel that I came to know Joanne, and I would love to fly to San Francisco and take her out to lunch. She is a delightful person, an accomplished professional, and a person I can trust. Thank you so very much, Joanne, for making my book so much better than it would have been without you.

Christopher Washington, Inside the DMZ

I had looked for several years unsuccessfully to find an editor to help me complete my book, Inside the DMZ. Some made promises but never got back to me. Others simply did not respond to my e-mails. When I finally found Joanne Shwed, she was worth the wait. First, she did not dismiss me as a first-time author but treated me like I was a seasoned professional. Second, recommending that I self-publish, she was instrumental in editing my work, and then guiding me through the self-publishing process. As a result, I believe we produced a quality product of which I am extremely pleased. I surely will use Joanne again and highly recommend her to anyone in need of her services.

Brady Helkenn, The Edge of Annihilation

I've known and loved Joanne for years but was never sure I'd be able to work with her on my own book. Turns out I already had one, but I didn't consider it "valid" since I wrote it as a child. Joanne could have been a reporter! Before I knew it, I was sharing details about it, and she looked at me and asked, "So why don't you just publish it?" With that gentle prod, I realized there wasn't anything really stopping me, and Joanne was the first—and remains the only—person I trust to help me through the proofing, design, and publishing processes. She is transparent and communicative and clearly loves bringing stories to life and into reality. I owe her so much for asking me that one deceptively simple question.

Ella Reed, Sole-mate and the Hill Kids

As a first-time author, Joanne walked me through all aspects of self-publishing my children’s book. Having dyslexia, I experienced much ridicule in my early years and was told by my sixth-grade teacher that I could never be a writer. However, I must say, I could not have completed this book on my own. Joanne believed in me and in my story-book. I was thrilled that she took the time to coach me through the entire experience even when I doubted myself. She cheered me on, all the way from editing to the interior design to the cover design and then to completion of the self-publishing process. Joanne’s editing and publishing knowledge, skills, and reassuring personality were the magic I needed to make my children’s book a thrilling reality. Yes … a dream come true at my age of 73. Never stop believing in yourself. I’m so thrilled that Joanne has agreed to continue working with me on the sequel to my first book!