Dick Croy is an award-winning screenwriter, novelist and playwright. He was writer and director of THE FOURTH DIMENSION, a documentary series of seven 60-minute television specials on the paranormal. His novel THE RIVER JORDAN, co-authored with Henry Burke, was a book-of-the-year nominee in 2001. FUGITIVE SLAVE, a “contemporization” of the spirit of the Underground Railroad by Burke and Croy, is both an award-winning screenplay and a stage play which has received readings by the Classical Theatre of Harlem and other theatre companies.
Croy is Screenwriter of the following feature films: UNKNOWN POWERS*, ALIENS FROM SPACESHIP EARTH*, THE SHASTA GATE, THE SILENCE OF ANNALEE, THE PYRAMID PROPHECY**, WHERE THERE’S A WILL**, THE KRONGOLD INCIDENT**, WOLF TIME, THE BIKES FROM MOMBASA, AGAINST THE GRAIN, THE RIVER JORDAN**, FUGITIVE SLAVE**, THE TALL DARK MAN**, WATER FROM A DEEPER WELL, TERRA INCOGNITA, PORT BOU, HEADHUNTERS, FALSE FLAG (*already produced) (**shared credit).
Television Programs: MAN OF MIRACLES*, THE MIRACLE HEALERS*, WORLD BEYOND DEATH*, AGE OF THE PSYCHICS*, UNDERGROUND DOCTORS*, THE UNKNOWN FORCE*.
Author of the following novels: THE SHASTA GATE, THE SILENCE OF ANNALEE, THE KRONGOLD INCIDENT**, WOLF TIME, DOWSING FOR LOVE, THE RIVER JORDAN**.
Playwright of the following plays: THE JUDGE AND ME** BEDTIME STORIES, WATER FROM A DEEPER WELL, FUGITIVE SLAVE**, MORONS, EXPIATION, NAMASTÉ.
Awards Won: MIRACLE HEALERS, Greater Miami International Film Festival, Gold Medal; MIRACLE HEALERS and UNKNOWN POWERS, 12th Annual Festival of the Americas, Golden Eagle; WORLD BEYOND DEATH, Houston International Film Festival, Silver Medal; UNKNOWN POWERS, 12th Annual Festival of the Americas, Houston International Film Festival, Award of Excellence; and Fifth Film Renaissance Film Advisory Board, Blue Ribbon; FUGITIVE SLAVE, Ohio Independent Film Festival, First Runner-Up.
My normal editing procedure after talking to an author and determining that the project is one I might want to undertake is to read the first chapter or two, the first story or essay in a collection, or the synopsis of a screenplay and, if I decide to proceed, to edit that material at no charge. This accomplishes several things: it confirms for me that this is a potentially good fit for both the author and myself, and it shows the author how I'm going to edit his or her words and structure, etc.
It will also give me a good estimate of how long it will take me to edit the whole project. The last point is important because although I charge by the hour ($25/hr.), I give an author a maximum GUARANTEE up front. If the project takes longer than I've estimated, it's my problem not his/hers. My LinkedIn and Facebook pages have pertinent professional info, and I'll be glad to provide strong positive references upon request.
Here are a few comments from clients: "Dick Croy has been not only a tireless agent for my books but also an invaluable editor. I am not a novice writer, yet Dick has been able to weed out some pesky bad habits of mine, generating a cleaner, more coherent manuscript. More than simply line editing, though, Dick has also given me good insight into content relative to plot and character. All around, he’s been a great literary partner." John Kachuba.
"I have used several editors over the course of my career as a novelist and none of them compares to Dick Croy. The mark of a good literary editor is the ability to intuit the author’s style of prose, sentence structure and rhythm, thereby enhancing the work rather than altering it. This is Dick’s strength and the author’s gain." Nancy Baker.
"Stephen King once said, 'To write is human, to edit – divine.' Dick Croy's support and encouragement throughout the sometimes painful process of editing my first novel was first-rate, I might even say 'divine.' He took my rough precious gemstone and polished it to fit a king." Andrew Scott Jackson