I work with independent authors on everything from poetry and essays to short stories and novels. I have a particular soft spot for hybrid and cross-genre work.

  • Includes 1-3 pages of feedback on theme, craft, titles, and poem order. In-line edits for word choice, line breaks, meter, and possible revisions are also included.

  • Includes generous, constructive margin comments on structure, character, theme, plot, pacing, etc. In addition, notes will be summarized in a 2-4 page cover letter.

    With a background in clinical social work, I also offer specialized developmental edits for narratives rooted in lived experience and emotional nuance, including trauma and mental health issues.

    Can be done at any stage of the writing process, from early ideas to completed drafts.

  • Sentence-level edits on flow, clarity, tone, and word usage.

  • Creative nonfiction: Poetry, braided essays, memoir, and weird/hybrid/genre-defying works

    Fiction: Character-driven science fiction, horror, magical realism, and fairy tales

    Nonfiction: Mental health, neurodivergence, environmental issues, crafts, and parenting

Reviews

"Amanda is outstanding. After working with publishing companies and other editors who made my manuscript feel more confusing and overwhelming, Amanda read through the fourth draft of my [110,000-word post-apocalyptic] novel and took detailed notes that clarified the weak points in my story and helped me work through the flaws in my character development. Amanda’s input was not only helpful, it was encouraging and kind. That’s a rare gift when handing someone a copy of your work that feels so painfully vulnerable." 

— Joe Feuille

"Working with Amanda was a wonderful experience. Her warmth, kindness, and thoughtfulness made the editing process so much less intimidating that I thought it would be. She gave me helpful and genuine feedback on my poetry manuscript when I was feeling stuck and uncertain. I greatly appreciated her promptness and not leaving me hanging when I was feeling nervous about having someone read my work. Her insight and encouragement were invaluable and I’m so grateful I was able to work with her. I would work with Amanda again, in a heartbeat."

— Heather C. Krueger

“Amanda is a warm-hearted and generous collaborator with a finely-tuned ear for language. As a developmental editor, she is continuously interested in the author’s vision and point of view. My experience with her services has been a genuine delight as she challenges me to refine and further define my meaning and intent, leaving my [11,000-word fairy tale] truer and more certain of its own worth. I am continually grateful for her insight.”

— Michael A. Smith, playwright and Editor in Chief of The Object

“When working with Amanda [on a developmental edit of my debut poetry collection], I felt a sense of trust from the start. As a writer, it takes a lot of vulnerability to share new work with someone. But Amanda makes you feel comfortable throughout the process. She provides an insightful perspective that has made me become a better writer. I would recommend her to a friend and will be hiring her again for future projects.”

— Amber Michele Giangregorio, author of Seasons of Sobriety