Credentials

Jodie Wells-Slowgrove has a Bachelor Of Education (Teacher-Librarianship) from the University of Technology, Sydney.
She has been a practicing teacher and teacher-librarian for almost 20 years.
Jodie is also a freelance writer who has published articles, reviews and teacher-resources both on and off the web. Her latest project is a children's fantasy series for Penguin Books Australia due for release in 2014.
She has been the President of the Sutherland Shire Branch of The Fellowship of Australian Writers, a committee member of the Illawarrah Branch of the Children's Book Council of Australia and is the founder and current Coordinator of the Sutherland Shire Writers' Festival.

Testimonials

Jodie has a very sharp editorial eye: she picked up flaws in my manuscript which a professional children's editor and my writers' workshop group never spotted. I highly recommend her as an assessor of manuscripts for children and young adults. 
Dianne (Di) Bates www.enterprisingwords.com

I am delighted to recommend Jodie Wells-Slowgrove as an experienced Manuscript Assessor. She has been an active and long time participant in my own creative writing efforts. She picks up details that are not obvious in my own reading of my work but stand out like a ‘sore thumb’ when she explains her reasoning.  Jodie also understands the author’s reluctance to ‘let go’ of anything in their ‘precious creation’ and discusses points of difference with humour and encouragement. 
Pat Strong (Sutherland Shire FAW)

Jodie has a keen eye when it comes to identifying both good quality writing and how to tweak it for further improvement.   As a professional teacher librarian, she is able to use her knowledge of literature and writing styles to give sound advice and direction. Jodie has been a great sounding board for my own writing and her feedback is always constructive, logical and invaluable, which has no doubt led to recent publishing success!
Sharon McGuinness

Jodie Wells-Slowgrove is an excellent editor. I have always found her assessments of my manuscripts to be first rate and I am very pleased to see she is now sharing this talent with a wider audience. Jodie wields her editing secateurs in such a way, that with tiny improving snips, you will end up with your work looking it’s finest, but with great respect to the integrity of your original piece.
Her skills will be a great resource for aspiring and current writers alike. 
Natalie Dickinson (author/illustrator, Illawarra CBCA and staff of Berkelouw Books)

I have had the pleasure of working with Jodie Wells-Slowgrove on several projects and can vouch for her honesty and integrity. She has a professional eye for detail in story editing due to her continual immersion in current children's and YA books. Jodie is widely respected for her tenacity and hard work. I gladly recommend her as a competent manuscript assessor. 
Elizabeth Klein (author/teacher, Sutherland Shire FAW, Omega Writers Inc.)  

I had the privilege of working alongside Jodie in an online critique group. Not only was she a wealth of information, Jodie displayed a talent for getting the best out of the writers in our group and guiding them using her professional talents. Her uncanny detective-like ability ensured every submission that crossed her path received the same care to detail she puts into her own manuscripts. I am thrilled that Jodie will utilise her life skills and qualified experience to help other budding authors. I wish her every success with her new venture.
Georgie Donaghey (Author, Editor of Creative Kids Tales)

Having now spent the evening trawling through your comments and suggestions, I want to acknowledge your skill in tweaking a phrase, changing a word or adding a full stop to make a real difference to the delivery and especially to heighten the humour. I've taken on almost all of your suggestions. Thanks! I'll certainly  enlist your services again.
Jill McDougall (children's writer)  www.jillmcdougall.com.au

Thanks ever so much for your brilliant assessment! Your advice was very good and has helped me see it with fresh eyes again. Can I recommend you to my critique group? Many thanks again for your valuable feedback, Jodie. I have really appreciated all your help with this manuscript.
Ramona Davey (teacher, children's writer and illustrator) www.artistorauthor.wordpress.com 

Thinking about your suggestions gave me that, "Ah, yes." moment. They all make perfect sense. There were lines where I knew something wasn't quite right and you have pointed me in the right direction. 
J.E Doherty