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Melissa and Rick are a dynamic duo that will absolutely help you produce your best work. From framing a concept into a compelling narrative, to structuring the chapters, editing, writing and supporting authors, their experience, compassion and savvy make all the difference.
As a publisher and publishing services company serving both indie authors and other trade publishers, it’s critical to find writing and editorial partners that are professional, cool under pressure, and responsive to the needs of clients. Killian Creative checks off all three of these boxes. We worked with Rick in serving a client on a tight-turn revision schedule for a novel, and he was a complete pro every step of the way, translating the client’s requests into solid prose on the page. I’m glad to work with Rick and recommend Killian Creative to others looking for professional writing and editorial services.
Working with the Killians was a joy for me. My book was so personal and to be comfortable enough with them to be open and honest with the pain in my life made this journey a successful one for me. They are professional, thorough, detailed, and most important—kind.
I was a reluctant writer! Rick coached me into a love and confidence of writing that has made the whole experience enjoyable. Rick’s ability to preserve your thoughts and stories while adding an easy reading style and ordering the material to best flow for the reader is something I could not have done without him.
Rick and Melissa are a truly dynamic team! Their combined creative writing and editing abilities are second to none. They have a unique ability to find the voice of each author and express ideas consistent with each author’s style and personality.
All our experiences with Rick have been great. He’s easy to work with. His research is outstanding, and he masterfully incorporates it into his writing.
Rick is both an accomplished writer and editor—and in the publishing world, people with both competencies are rare animals indeed. When I’m in need of a great writer or book doctor, “Killian” comes first to mind.
Top Blog Posts
Read our most popular thoughts on writing, publishing, and whatever inspires us.
Judging a Book by Its Cover
Yeah, I know you’re not supposed to do that, but far too many authors underestimate the power of the physical design of a book. Today more than ever, the look and feel may not tell you much about the quality of writing or depth of thought put into a book, but they do...
Read moreWho wants to become a writer?
—Enid Bagnold
And why?
Because it’s the answer
to everything. . . .
It’s the streaming reason for living.
To note, to pin down, to build up,
to create, to be astonished at nothing,
to cherish the oddities,
to let nothing go down the drain,
to make something,
to make a great flower out of life,
even if it’s a cactus.
Who wants to become a writer? . . .
Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. . . . It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make...
The Danger of a Single Story
This is a fantastic talk and a great reason why more of us need to tell our stories. Listen and let me know what you think.
Read moreYou can only become truly accomplished
at something you love.
Don’t make money your goal.
Instead pursue the things you love doing
and then do them so well that
people can’t take their eyes off of you.―Maya Angelou
You can only become truly accomplished at something you love…
You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you. ―Maya Angelou
Steven Pressfield on The Foolscap Method of Story Outlining
If you don't know Steven Pressfield, let me introduce him to you through this video. While he talks about his book, The Legend of Bagger Vance here, the first book I read by him was The War of Art (and its two companions: Do the Work...
Read moreWhen I sit down to write a book,
I do not say to myself,
“I am going to produce
a work of art.” I write it
because there is some
lie that I want to expose,
some fact to which
I want to draw attention,
and my initial concern
is to get a hearing.—George Orwell
To expose a lie, draw attention to a fact, get a hearing…
When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, "I am going to produce a work of art." I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing. —George...
How writing a book is like stuffing marshmallows in your mouth
When you stuff marshmallows into your mouth, you do so one at a time. You don’t worry about which order they come in, you don’t organize them ahead of time, and you don’t pick them up, examine them, or ponder which ones are best before you stuff them in. In fact, you...
Read moreIntuition makes us look at
unrelated facts and then think
about them until they can all
be brought under one law. . . .
Intuition is the father of new
knowledge, while empiricism is
nothing but an accumulation of
old knowledge. Intuition,
not intellect, is
the “open sesame” of yourself.—Albert Einstein
The “Open Sesame” of Yourself…
Intuition makes us look at unrelated facts and then think about them until they can all be brought under one law. . . . Intuition is the father of new knowledge, while empiricism is nothing but an accumulation of old knowledge. Intuition, not intellect, is the "open...
Get Your Book’s Audience Right
If you are someone with a message—whether for your business, nonprofit, ministry, agency, political candidate, speaker, journalist, etc.—something inside of you is probably telling you to write a book. And the truth of the matter...
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