Finding your editor is like finding your ship's first mate.
You want to know who's holding the spyglass.
Your bond with your editor is one of the most important relationships in your writing life. You need someone who believes in your story as much as you do. Sometimes more than you do. A good editor doesn't just flag what's broken; she identifies what shines about your writing, and works to repair the leaks in the hull without letting your gold slip through.
Philosophy
Career Support.
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The editor-writer relationship shouldn't end when the manuscript does. You can count on me for late-night advice, answers about industry quirks, and continued support as you build your career.
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Holistic Critical Approach.
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I specialize in a rigorous inquiry-driven feedback method, and recognize that positive criticism (i.e., protecting the good stuff) is an important part of a mature editing game plan.
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Voice.
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Readers read you for a reason: it's about the way you tell a story, not just the story you tell.
Good editing isn't a one-size-fits-all practice. That's why I custom-tailor my editorial approach for every writer I work with. The point isn't to make you write like somebody else, but to celebrate and elevate your natural writing style, obsessions, vocabulary, and talents. Acme-anvil-style voice flattening doesn't fly here.
History
I've been lucky enough to serve as the lead editor and department head of Amazon marketwide top-1000 bestselling mystery-thriller publisher Pandaz Media; the managing editor of the eclectic memoir-meets-headline StoryNews Magazine; an editor of the excellently fanciful Edward Gorey tribute, Goreyesque; a staff writer with the intimidatingly smart folks at Literary Chicago; and a writing teacher with multiple years of experience leading workshop sessions at the university level, including both classroom lessons and comprehensive one-on-one coaching. I am a Follett Fellow of Columbia College Chicago, where I attained my Master of Fine Arts degree in Fiction Writing.
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I am proud to have successfully championed over 83% of my previously unpublished novelists from first manuscript to publication day. 100% of my complete-service clients finish their manuscripts and are fully prepared to submit to agents, publishing houses, printers, contests, etc.
Less impressively, my favorite shelf includes lots of books about witches, the Oxford Writer’s Thesaurus, and a bottle of fruit-flavored antacids.
