Jane Friedman

“There are few people I can or would recommend as wholeheartedly as Jane Friedman. I met Jane when she acquired my first book, Writer Mama, for Writer's Digest Books and we subsequently worked together on two more books, Get Known Before The Book Deal and The Writer's Workout. Since her long tenure at Writer's Digest, Jane has ventured out into the world both literally and virtually to demonstrate just how much she knows about current publishing trends as well as the future of publishing. If you are looking for an expert on publishing for your conference or event, Jane Friedman should be at the top of your list. She is always researching, learning, and sharing the most up-to-date information and strategies, and sharing what she learns in an accessible, engaging manner. When I have a question about publishing, Jane is still the first person I reach out to, and this has been the case for the past decade.”

“Jane Friedman is an extraordinary individual in a similarly extraordinary field. She is one of the most tech-savvy people I have met, with keen insights into digital publishing and communications. Her advice has always been precisely what was needed for any situation I needed her opinion on. VQR is exceptionally lucky to have her on board.”

“Jane Friedman is an inspiring professor who has taught me invaluable skills regarding how to maintain a strong and professional web presence. She has been a strong mentor to me as I've helped develop a website of a student organization from a static (frankly boring) website, into one that is media rich. Without Jane's help, our readership would not have quintupled in the month after re-launch. I am an avid reader of Jane's popular blog and recommend everyone to fill as much of their RSS feeds with her words as possible.”

“Jane possesses an incredibly keen mind for the business of publishing, able to balance the finer points of craft with the hard realities of commerce. Her intellectual curiousity is a tremendous strength and she never rests on her impressive laurels. She is also a generous team player, eager to share information and insights, and brainstorm new ideas. Working with (and briefly, for) her has been a pleasure and an inspiration.”

“Jane Friedman is one of the best things to happen to Writer's Digest Books (and in a broader sense, F+W Media) in it's long and storied history. I've worked with Jane for more than 10 years and in that time have seen the WD franchise reborn stronger than ever due to Jane's editorial smarts, her keen eye for the best possible projects and her ability to get the best from her team. In addition, she's developed the insights of an experienced sales person, bringing to the decision-making process a clear understanding of what makes the best possible products and why. It's for this reason that Writer's Digest Books continues to flourish and get better with age.”

“Jane Friedman is a unique type of leader. She offers constant support to her staff by encouraging everyone to share their ideas and tackle new projects, and she is always quick to offer feedback and provide guidance. Her love for what she does and her desire to learn more about every facet of the publishing industry is an inspiration to those working with her.”

“In my time with her at Writer's Digest Books, Jane led the Market Books department with impeccable organization, and attention to detail. Jane had multiple responsibilities and overlapping agendas competing for her attention at all times, yet she remained an engaged and informed supervisor, always available with gentle-yet-effective guidance when I needed it.”