In the alchemy of language, Michael Schellenberg is a conjurer— an editor whose approach is kindness, whose vision turns manuscripts into living, viable texts that convey the story the author is trying to tell.
From his twenty-five year experience at Wiley & Sons, Canada; Penguin Books Canada; and Alfred A. Knopf, Canada; and at Schellenberg, Editing, his hand has guided award-winning authors to create their best possible work, to tell their stories in the most essential way.
A part of his larger company Sorry for the Confusion Ink, the Architect of Story is where Schellenberg hangs his shingle as an editor-for-hire, a publishing consultant and writing instructor. Schellenberg has devoted his life to cultivating bold voices, challenging conventions, and mentoring storytellers who dare to speak truth with elegance.
A master of pacing, tone, and structure, Michael sees not just what a book is— but what it longs to become. Writers sing his praises, with gratitude threaded into the acknowledgments of the works he has worked on. Publishers trust his instincts— seasoned, unshakable, and infused with curiosity. Whether you are a debut novelist seeking your literary footing, or an established author craving reinvention, Michael is a writer’s editor— a literary confidant, a strategic mind, a partner in pursuit of excellence. He is not a meddler in an artist’s voice or in the story they are telling. He believes in identifying writers, whether they are newly sharing their work or are old hands at their craft, and working with them project by project. Michael walks alongside a writer. He serves as a sounding-board, a gentle questioner, and as an advocate for a writer on their quest to get their story down.
Let your story meet its potential. Let your voice be heard.
Introducing the Architect of Story, where editing transforms your passions and ideas and convictions into a story ready to meet the world where you dreamed it will.
"It is rare to find an editor or publisher as good as Michael Schellenberg. He is a magnificent editor, passionate, intelligent, attentive, sharp and driven. And loads of fun to hang out with."
— Tom McCarthy, author of Remainder, C. and Satin Island, and The Making of Incarnation
"Michael is a deft and wonderful editor. His precision of thought is wrapped in a playful, kindhearted tenderness that means he delivers necessary and fundamental shifts to a text that open new levels of awareness. He brightens and clarifies a text, burnishing the underlying vision so it shines. I have worked with many editors in my 20 years in the business and Michael is exemplary and one of a kind."
- Alex Shimo-Berry, author of Up Ghost River and Invisible North
"Years before I began researching this book in earnest, when I would bewilder people by talking vaguely of a book “about what was happening around the outskirts” one person who was always eager to listen, and often seemed to understand the project better than I did, was Michael Schellenberg, my editor at Knopf Canada.”
- Doug Saunders, from the acknowledgements in Arrival City
"When Knopf Canada bought my first book, I had no experience and was nervous about working with an editor. As it turns out, Michael Schellenberg was the perfect partner for me. We connected over our love of concise, unfussy prose and offbeat stories, not to mention our mutual admiration for singer-songwriter Jane Siberry. His contributions made my book better. He listens to his authors, adapts to their style, and brings out the best in them. Plus, as is important for an editor, he’s a snappy dresser."
— Neil Smith, author of Bang Crunch, Boo, and Jones
“Michael Schellenberg was the acquiring editor and driving force behind Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw. He has seen this project through with enthusiasm, a steadfast confidence and no small amount of finesse.”
— Will Ferguson, from the acknowledgements of Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw
“My deepest thanks to Michael Schellenberg for enthusiastically fostering this work. I can hardly imagine an editor more incisive, committed and inspiring.”
— Rigel Crockett, from the acknowledgement of Fair Wind and Plenty of It: A Modern-Day Tall Ship Adventure
“When Michael Schellenberg from Penguin Canada first proposed this book, I have to admit I hesitated. However, I am so glad he persevered. When I resurfaced from my research, Michael was there with his thoughtful editing style.”
— Ingeborg Boyens, from the acknowledgements of Another Season’s Promise: Hope and Despair in Canada’s Farm Country, winner of the National Business Book Award