When I was growing up I was told it was not polite to “toot one’s own horn.” And I won’t. I’ll let my past clients and students tell you instead.
Author Testimonials
I first met Darcy Nybo around 2006. It was in a local tea shop where several writers got together on a monthly basis to review and critique writing. At the time, I was a new writer with a serious goal of being published. When I found this writer’s group, with Darcy heading it, I knew I was in the right place. After a year of meeting with Darcy, and getting great feedback and some interesting writing assignments, I left the country to live abroad. When I returned to Canada, we reconnected in 2016 where I learned she was teaching creative writing at the local college. Of course, she was! Where else would someone end up with all that talent, her understanding of the written word, and how it’s supposed to all go together to form wonderful stories? That’s Darcy Nybo, a woman who has given a greater part of her life to the craft of writing. She’s someone who is devoted to it and is dedicated to helping other writers, even strangers, achieve their goals. When you find someone with her passion for words, her love of writing, her talent, and her compassion, you keep them close. *Note: A few years and several million books sold later, Jonas joined Darcy in co-hosting a Writer’s Retreat in Sooke in 2019.
Jonas Saul, Best-Selling Author
My writing coach / editor, Darcy Nybo, gave great advice to me, as an author making a transition from academic writing to fiction. (Ron was picked up by a traditional publisher and is now working on a second book.)
Prof. Ronald Niezen Author: The Memory Seeker
To my writing coach, editor, and all-around go-to person for all book things, Darcy Nybo. Thank you for pushing me and making me a better writer.
J.N. Johnson Author: Pig
Thank you to my editor and publisher, Darcy Nybo, of Always Write and Artistic Warrior. Without her support and guidance, I probably wouldn’t have finished this book.
Irma Goosen Author: On The Edge, Upside Down, Who Am I, and Hurtful Secrets
I’d dreamed of being an author since I was a small child, but it always felt out of reach. Then I met Darcy. She coached me through the steps to go from writer to author. She was there for me every step of the way. If you’re ready to begin your journey into being an author, Darcy is a great place to start!
Kelly Pawlik Author: Olympic Vista Chronicles
Darcy tirelessly and with great support guided me through my first children’s books. Her knowledge base is impressive, and her positivity helpful as I floundered and she kept me moving forward.
Dr. Kimberly Brayman Author: Brayman Books
Darcy Nybo, of Artistic Warrior Publishing picked me up from the depths of an author’s worst nightmare. My first book, More Than a Wise Woman, was lost in space due to my first publishing company declaring bankruptcy. Working with Artistic Warrior has been wonderful. Darcy Nybo found a way to edit the PDF (all I had left of my first book) and brought me under her imprint and made all my woes go away!
Working with this spirited, knowledgeable, dedicated professional has been such a pleasurable journey. Her humour has kept us in check, many a time, while working on my second book, Wise Woman’s Manor. We’ve had quite a few welcomed chuckles since our beginnings. Darcy is firm in her editorial and layout beliefs; however, she has always allowed my visions and my voice as an author to clearly resonate throughout both my books. Darcy and her team’s services can be as much or as little as you desire. With Artistic Warrior I have found perfect balance in this team publishing approach. A big thank you to Darcy and her team, for all they do.Elaine Gugin Maddex Author: Wise Woman Series
Darcy has been a helpful inspiration to me, and helped guide me through the process while I worked on my debut novella. Darcy’s patience and knowledge have been invaluable in helping me focus and drive my story to where it needed to be. I received [a great] review on my book and I’m very humbled and blown away by it. […] Darcy’s coaching helped me reach this point very early in my writing career. I am proud to have been her student and look forward to learning more from her as I continue to develop as an author.
Scott MacFadyen Author: A Whisper in the Shadows
As someone who made important decisions everyday, one of the best decisions I made was to sign up with Darcy and Artistic Warrior, and take one of her classes at the college. I have known Darcy for a few years now, and worked on high profile projects with her in recent years. I learned quite a bit when I hired her to help me publish my book of poems, One Old Stately Pine. If you are looking for someone who can work interactively with people, and get the message across in a professional manner then Darcy is a supremely good choice. As past president of the British Columbia Fruit Growers Association and a former broadcaster I would recommend Darcy [Artistic Warrior] without hesitation.
Fred Steele Author: One Old Stately Pine
Darcy helped build the structure of my book during its infancy, demonstrating a sincere passion for Help Is On Its Way. Her talent, support and encouragement were very valuable to me. She offered helpful edits in a thorough and timely fashion. All in all, her service was the exact boost my manuscript needed to graduate from “draft” to “clean copy.” If you are looking for a keen eye mixed with genuine enthusiasm, I think Darcy is your copy editor!”
Jenna Forrest Author, Help is On the Way
Other Testimonials
Working with Darcy is a totally enriching experience. Here at the Lake Country Art Gallery we have already hosted four writing workshops. Thankfully, Darcy was happy to consult with us on selecting the perfect range of classes for our audience. Offerings so far have included Finding Your Written Voice, Short Story, Editing, Blog & Newsletter writing, and a fabulous text-based customized 3-day Art of Words workshop. I have attended all of these workshops and each have been jam-packed with information, interest, entertainment and real value. There has also been some squirming (on my part––words are my nemesis!) and some soul-searching (have you ever reached deep inside to find your ‘I am’ statement?). In each case I came away better informed, more confident and marvelling at Darcy’s professionalism and skill. Her ability to connect with each and every participant to help them tell their own story more effectively is a marvel to see. I look forward to working with Darcy again this year and I will most certainly be signing myself up for all the classes we host.Petrina McNeill Manager: Lake Country Art Gallery
I received [the book] Tribute and finally allowed myself the luxury of time to sit down and read it, I must say how truly enjoyable of a read it was for me… Darcy [Artistic Warrior] makes her contribution in the editing and in the lending of her writing experience to help create a quality and very readable product.
Jeff Neill Guitarist, Streetheart
I learned more in three hours with Darcy, than in three years trying to self-educate myself. I searched online to learn how to expand my internet presence. Darcy instructs with a flair and presence, one that also engages you and gets you involved. She doesn’t just talk to the class, she challenges the class. She has a flair that is lacking in many of today’s instructors that made me sit up and pay attention to the whole picture she was painting. For a guy who walked in wondering why things are they way they are on the internet, I left with a crystal clear picture of the W5 and how it could apply to myself and my writing. Thank you for an interesting, informative and fun course.
Jeff Hunkin Columnist
Darcy Nybo catches your attention immediately with the way she gets you thinking about the boring way we typically write. Her three-step process in finding your own writing voice (The Art of Words) was extremely helpful and humorous as we went through each “assigned voice” and rewrote our personal statement using different personalities. I highly recommend using Darcy if you are interested at all in improving your web presence through blogs or social media as she helps you find your engaging voice on paper or screen!
Jenn Kyllo Visual Artist and Entrepreneur
Professional, witty, enlightening, a natural writer, and one of integrity that focuses on accuracy and credibility. I would support and recommend Darcy in any endeavour!
Doug Illman Artist
Business Testimonials
It takes a special person to turn punctuation, editing, finding voice, writing styles, and grammar (right down to those pesky dangling modifiers) into an enjoyable educational experience. Darcy is that person. She conducted a series of nine refresher workshops for our staff that challenged, enlightened, and entertained us. She also took these topics and made them relevant to today’s work environment in an engaging manner. Effective communication is the backbone of everything we do. Most noteworthy is that Darcy provided us with pertinent knowledge and useful tools to help us continually improve.Nancy Cameron Former CEO, Tourism Kelowna
Darcy is as passionate about creative writing as she is about teaching it. Darcy continually adjusts topics, content and hours to ensure participants receive the most up-to-date, engaging material over an appropriate time frame. She received glowing reviews from her students and many signed up for multiple courses in advance.
Jennifer Daghestani Former Program Coordinator, Okanagan College
As an aspiring blogger, signing up for the blog class by Darcy Nybo was one of my best decisions. Her class was jam-packed full of super-helpful information. Practical. Easy to understand. Enlightening. As a result, these courses took years off the learning curve of how to write a successful blog.
Lorraine Richmond Leadership Speaker, Leadership Coach.
Several years ago, on a very tight deadline, we asked Darcy Nybo to interview our clients and write short bios and stories of them and their business. Darcy quickly learned our brand and language. She was easy to work with and always met our very tight deadlines. We have used Darcy numerous times over the years, most recently to be one of the writers and editors for our latest publication, New Pioneers: Stories of 100 BC Women Entrepreneurs. Because of Darcy’s work with us, we are able to feature our clients on our website and in print programs for various events we stage around the province thereby bringing attention to our clients’ successes and inspiring other women entrepreneurs.
Laurel Douglas Former CEO, Women’s Enterprise Centre
Testimonials from Past Students (sent anonymously to various institutions)
- I would take any and all courses Darcy teaches! She is a very good instructor. I enjoyed her classes and learned a lot.
- I didn’t realize how much I’d forgotten about writing until I took one of Darcy’s courses.
- Darcy reminded me of the different aspects that contribute to my writing and how to understand my own work and how I create it.
- I loved gaining a new perspective on how much work is needed to publish and self-publish a book.
- I like how Darcy taught us so many rules about writing, and then showed us how to break them and still create great work!
- Darcy pushes her students to find their own creative style and got us writing in unfamiliar ways. It expanded my outlook and inspired me!
- This was my absolutely favourite class. Darcy keeps everyone engaged and you can tell she genuinely enjoys hearing what we worked hard on.
- In three short weeks, Darcy has helped me become a better writer … three weeks!
- Darcy packs a lot of information and assignments into her courses. I wish there was more time!
- I really felt like I was a valued member of the class and that my voice was heard.
- I love how we participated through writing assignments and feedback.
- Darcy is a great teacher and very easy to relate to. She manages time, and her students, very well.
- I love how Darcy makes everyone comfortable enough to share their writing.
- Darcy held out feet to the flames and held us accountable for getting our assignments done.
- I really enjoyed getting feedback from Darcy and my fellow students. I wish her classes were longer.
- Fabulous info in Darcy’s classes. I loved how interactive and engaging the course was.
- Darcy’s courses are just what neophytes to writing need.
- Take one of her classes! She’s informative and entertaining. Her enthusiasm for writing and words is contagious!
- I really enjoyed your classes. I’ve been learning about writing for three years now and yet you managed to remind me of what’s really important.