Testimonials

Donal Ryan

Author of The Spinning Heart and From a Low and Quiet Sea:

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had Brian Langan as my editor since 2013. The first book I worked on with Brian was a short story collection and, halfway through the writing of it, I was in serious trouble. I found myself hamstrung, word-starved, confused, writing myself down blind alleys, getting completely lost. Just as I was at the point of giving up completely, Brian gently intervened, giving shape and direction to the stories I’d been working on, suggesting some developments that hadn’t occurred to me for other stories that existed only as snatches of prose and jumbled notes, eventually getting me to a point where my confidence was fully restored and I had a collection of stories that I could feel some measure of pride in.

He repeated this system of interventions and gentle redirections for two subsequent novels, helping me to get them to a point where I could feel happy with them – and happiness is a precious and elusive thing when it comes to writing. Brian has a rare depth of insight and intuition when it comes to the written word and to the craft of storytelling. He also draws on a vast store of professional experience and a lifetime of immersion in literature. He has an artist’s heart and a calm, unerring eye. He has, in his gentle, inimitable way, forced me to be a better writer, and I’m very proud to call him my editor. I can’t imagine being on this crazy journey without him.”

Colm O’Regan

Author of the “Irish Mammies” books:

“Brian Langan was my editor for four top ten best-selling humour books published in Ireland between 2012 and 2016. Brian was a major part of that success and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him as an editor again.

Brian has a great eye for detail, a finely tuned sense of what is funny, what is relevant and what will resonate with readers. He became someone I wanted to make laugh and I knew that if he laughed then the joke was funny.  All of the books featured cartoons and illustrations and Brian has a great eye for editing within those as well too. He was adept at communicating between the different stakeholders – me as author, illustrators, designers and sales team.

Finally, and most importantly, Brian was supportive, encouraging but also firm when needed and an essential part of the whole process.”

Conor O’Clery

Author of May You Live in Interesting Times and The Shoemaker and His Daughter:

“Brian Langan has inspired and vastly improved the quality of my literary output over the years. I am deeply indebted to him for his forensic editing skills and for his gently expressed suggestions which I have never failed to accept. He is, in my opinion, the best literary editor in Ireland.”

Hilary Fannin

Irish Times Columnist and Author of Hopscotch:

“My memoir Hopscotch was my first book, my first time to write a long piece of prose. The deadline was insanely tight. The empty pages haunted my sleep. Brian worked some kind of miracle; I have no doubt but that without him the book would never have seen the light of day.

Patient, sensitive, intensely kind, calm and encouraging, Brian brought his peerless editorial skills and clear vision of what could be achieved to shape the work into something I am hugely proud of. Brian Langan is a secret weapon; he is a book builder – a simply brilliant, brilliant editor.”

Patrick Deeley

Poet and Author of The Hurley Maker’s Son:

“Brian Langan, in his capacity as Literary Editor at Transworld Ireland, played an invaluable role in preparing my memoir, The Hurley Maker’s Son, for publication in 2016. Brian balanced a deep and sensitive understanding of the work with an eagle-eyed and thoroughly professional approach. He was highly perceptive about what prose does and how it creates its effects, a great adviser from initial draft to finished book. I felt included at all times, thanks to Brian’s wonderfully caring and approachable attitude. He is expert at what he does.”