Your editor and ally

👋 I’m Kelsey, a seasoned and kindhearted editor with over twenty years of freelance and in-house experience in copy editing and proofreading. I’ve edited more than 140 published books, including thirty-one bestsellers (and counting).

As a firstborn, eldest daughter, Virgo, INTJ, and recovering perfectionist, I’m more or less hardwired for editing as a detail-obsessed, analytical type A. I lint roll my lampshades and have strong opinions about the Oxford comma.

I know, I know—I sound like I’d be fun at parties! 😅 But let’s be honest: You’ve been looking for someone like me.

My editing credentials

I’ve edited for HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, and Simon and Schuster (four of the Big Five publishers), as well as Dotdash Meredith, America’s largest digital and print publisher. 

In my career I’ve taken an active role in every stage of the publication process, from idea to ISBN, and have helped thousands of writers around the world to get their messages out there.

📚 I’ve edited books by many debut and indie authors, as well as popular figures like Chip and Joanna Gaines, Meghan Trainor, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire, Mark Harmon, Kathie Lee Gifford, Senator Tim Kaine, Kristin Chenoweth, Dave Ramsey, Michael Crichton, Wilmer Valderrama, Zachary Levi, Andre Ward, and Rachel Held Evans.

🖥️ By day, I edit thought pieces by industry leaders for platforms like Forbes, Fast Company, and Rolling Stone. I’ve worked as a publishing house editorial assistant, a writing consultant, a journal and magazine editor, a marketing copywriter, a university writing center director, a medical editor, and a web content and SEO editor.

🎓 American English is my first language, and I have a degree in English literature and writing. I’m a member of ACES: The Society for Editing, the leading editing organization in the U.S., and have earned their Advanced Certificate in Editing.

My philosophy of editing

I believe in the power of words and the importance of the small things. I’ll bet you do, too.

🎨 I believe writing is a science and an art. Trust me to know and love the so-called rules of writing—and to also know when to carefully put them aside for the sake of style, audience, or whatever else.

🗝️ I don’t believe in gatekeepers, which is why I chose to be my own boss (also, I prefer working in soft pants). Rather than positioning myself as some arbitrary arbiter of good writing, I’m an ally—your ally.

How I can help you

My deep experience and hardwiring as an editor are wins for you because I can come alongside you and your work as an expert friend—your go-to editor. I want to help with that book on your desk.

❤️ I’ll make your book better and make you look better along the way—and when it comes to work, nothing makes me happier. I love it when my doing what I’m best at helps you to be your best, too. Everyone wins!

“I was short on time, and I was feeling really overwhelmed. I am not a detail person at all. Having someone else look at my writing with a critical eye and focus on the details was a huge relief to me. Kelsey was so prompt and thorough. I loved how if I had a recurring question, Kelsey would explain to me how to do it, and not only change it—this allowed me to become a better writer. Kelsey also communicated really well with me throughout the process. I liked the feeling that I wasn’t alone.”
—Stephanie E.

More than just an editor

📝 Like you, I’m a writer. My writing is published and award-winning, and I’ve had success writing product descriptions and poetry, feature articles and fiction. It makes a difference working with an editor who knows firsthand the drudgery, exhilaration, loneliness, and beauty of being a writer.

Similarly, it helps to work with someone who can really relate to you. As a cult, spiritual abuse, and cancer survivor—all before my forties—I know that when you can alchemize life’s traumas and challenges into insights for yourself and others, it’s beautiful. I have a heart for editing books that do this, and if that sounds like your story, I’d be honored to work with you.

🌿 On a lighter note, I’m a nature girlie who lives in the mountains of Colorado and is always scheming to get back outside. I love to read (she said, surprising no one), and Ctrl+Z and chocolate chip cookies are among my very favorite things. I’m a minimalist, a feminist, and a lefty.

Best of all? I’m your go-to editor.

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