If you have worked with me, please post something about the wonderful experience you had or how much trouble I was. This will give me some valuable insight on how others see me along with letting future collaborators know what they’re getting into before they decide to work with me. Of course, I reserve the right to pull any comments that I feel are too nasty or unfair, but I promise I won’t censor you too harshly.
Awards
Joe Kraynak is a 10th degree blackbelt super ninja. Joe was the hired gun on my book “Self Defense for Dummies” by Wiley Publishing and to be honest, there is no way I could have done this without him. I handed him lumps of sh** I mean clay, and Joe molded it into a clear and cohesive book.
Joe was fast and efficient. He kept my voice and intent of the work while crafting it into something I will add to my legacy. Thank you Joe!
We were lucky to have Joe as our co-writer for “Oceans For Dummies” and he was invaluable at every step of the way. From turning my 2 page table of contents into a 14 page roadmap for the entire book, to helping us stay on time, on target, and making sure all the heavy science talk was easy to understand and fun. Joe is an asset to any writer fortunate enough to work with him. Thank you Joe.
-Ashlan Cousteau
Joe was my editor for the “Employer Branding for Dummies” book I co-authored. The fascinating thing about Dummies books is how hard they are to actually write. The level of prescriptive details, tangible examples, and actionable steps is a unique recipe for any writer. Joe made that process a breeze.
As an Editor, Joe regularly demonstrates an easy grasp of the source material and content. This allows him to skillfully guide the authors towards great “dummified” content.
Joe was diligent in responding to (numerous) questions and kept us on track with our deliverables. He raised the right questions and challenged us to sharpen our stories. The end result of Joe’s work with a book that provided real value to readers across a broad skill range on the subject of employer branding. Thank you, Joe!
Working with Joe is pure magic. He edited my latest book, Getting the Job You Want After 50 For Dummies, which will be published September 28, 2015 by Wiley. In fact, I went into Joe withdrawal when our time together wrapped. It was an intense project with an incredibly tight deadline, which forced us to work at a blistering speed. Joe is a pro–fast, a talented wordsmith, paired with a great sense of humor, to boot. He made my work and words shine, and for that I am forever grateful. He also added a special touch–he was cool and calm under pressure and that carried over to me. I can only hope I’m lucky enough to work with him again down the road.
I am Dr. Scott Banks and I co-authored the Natural Cures for Dummies with Joe Kraynak. This was my first book and without Joe there is no way that I would have been able to complete the project by the deadlines. Joe had a large input and asked all the right questions.He stayed focused and true to task and made sure everything was submitted to our editor on time. Hopefully I will get to meet my internet friend at sometime in the near future. We had a great online relationship for the several months that it took to complete the project. The book was just released on 3/27 and I am proud of the end product. It reads well and so far the feedback from patients has been wonderful. When I venture into my next book, Joe will be my first call.
This is my second project working with Joe, and it’s good having him back. I work on other books, and you don’t realize how valuable a good coauthor is until you write without one. Joe’s work comes back fast, and the content is thorough and well thought out. Joe, thanks for your help getting these books out the door! Looking forward to the next one.
I’m the co-author of the recently-published Landlord’s Legal Kit for Dummies. The “Dummies” format was brand new to me, and I struggled with it for several months. Joe stepped in, bless him!, at the midpoint of the project, and honestly, without his guidance, support, and yes, exceptional ghost-writing, the book would still be languishing on my computer. This is a world-class “Dummifier,” and MANY other things, and I’m exceptionally grateful to him for his assistance!
I’m the author of 12 books, and found myself in way over my head on a book. Joe came in, and managed to “save my bacon” across the board.
Not only is he a really talented writer, he’s incredibly adept at making sure he helps edit material so that your core idea comes out.
During the writing of the book, I managed to get really sick due to allergies/infection for about 5 months. I can honestly say, the only reason the book got finished is Joe. He’s a talented, patient, writer. I could not be more pleased.
Joe worked with me on the GRE for Dummies, 7th Ed. I put down the content, which Joe shaped into a book that not only was well organized, but also met the requirements of the publisher. I couldn’t have completed this project without Joe’s help. Joe both submitted his work quickly and provided good suggestions when I needed them. Not only that, but Joe was also always pleasant to work with and easy to communicate with. Anyone who’s worked on a team can attest to the importance of clear communication and a good attitude in addition to the skills required for the project. For my next Dummies book, I had better have Joe on board.
Ron Woldoff, MBA, MIS
Instructor and Owner, Test Prep of Arizona
I was invited to participate in a book project that Joe was involved with, and I can sum it up in four words – Joe is a PRO!
I have written seven books, and worked with many different writers and editors, and Joe has an incredible knack for “seeing” the entire picture and putting the pieces together. He is a talented writer that is able to put complex concepts together in an entertaining and easy-to-understand way for readers.
It was a true pleasure to work with Joe, and I look forward to the oppportunity to do it again in the future. You can’t go wrong with Joe on your side!
-Chip Cummings, CMC
International speaker, best-selling author
Marketing, real estate
I’ve been writing, performing, and collaborating with artists and writers for over 25 years. Without reservation my experience co-authoring The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Slam Poetry with Joe Kraynak was one of, if not the best. Now we are about to embark on another journey together, and I can’t wait.
For collaborations to work, each side of the partnership has to keep critique and flexiblity in balance. Tell it like it is when something doesn’t seem to be in sync but be willing let go when your darlings prove to be demons. Joe kept that balance with me, and I hope I did the same for him.
He’s a pro and he can be hilarious to work with, which for me is important. If I’m going to be tramping in the trenches with somebody for many months to churn out twenty some chapters start to finish, it had better make professional sense how the process is organized and executed and it had better be fun; and it was.
My name is Candida Fink and I co-authored Bipolar Disorder For Dummies with Joe Kraynak. The experience was smooth and comfortable from start to finish. Joe expresses the most complex and challenging material with clarity and accuracy. His sense of humor infuses the work with energy and color that draw people in. Readers have often commented on the accessibility and on-target quality of the writing and these have been critical to the book’s appeal and success.
As a colleague and co-writer Joe cannot be beat! He pushed himself and me to bring our best stuff and then take it one step further. He gets things done – he is on time and on point at every turn. And he made me laugh a lot – especially during some of the stressful times when there was a lot to be done in a short time. His humor is positive and human – even with difficult and dark themes. He is a true collaborator – keeping us on track but always working together and in sync.
I look forward to meeting Joe in person sometime – this is a funny way to work so closely together. But I would do it again in a heartbeat!
My name is Bob Wood and I co-authored Food Allergies for Dummies with Joe. I have written a few other books as well as hundreds of scientific articles and in doing so, have worked with upwards of one thousand co-authors. I can say with complete confidence that none come close to Joe.
Joe has the remarkable ability to synthesize data and present it with absolute clarity, along with appropriate doses of cynicism and humor. Our book has received rave reviews and while I can take most of the credit for the content, it is Joe’s presentation that made it special.
Along with his technical skills, Joe possesses a unique combination of efficiency, integrity, and kindness. It was a sincere pleasure to work with him. We worked as a team from the start and our collaboration was entirely smooth from start to finish. We have still never met face to face but through our thousands of emails I have come to know him well and will value him as a trusted friend and colleague for life.