Chersti Nieveen

Chersti Nieveen – Editor

17yrs editing with NYT/international/indie bestsellers such as Brandon Sanderson and Tricia Levenseller. Adult Fantasy/SF/Suspense + all YA.

Overview

I’ve been a professional freelance editor for over 15 years, working with NYT and Indie Bestselling authors such as Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Sara B. Larson, Liesl Shurtliff, Tricia Levenseller, Demi Winters, Arabella Federico, Tim Facciola, and others (I’m often mentioned in the acknowledgments). Because of my experience, I understand both the traditional and indie marketplace. I've consulted on plays and screenplays, including a few live productions, taught at writing conferences, and been a guest lecturer in college writing classes.


My job is to help you create the strongest story by finding the best solutions that feel organic to your story. I do this job because I love it, and I bring that same enthusiasm to your edit as I help you learn how to elevate your craft. I choose to work on projects that show potential and that I feel passionate about.



**SPECIALIZATION**

I have advanced experience in editing Fantasy, Science Fiction, Suspense, and all genres of Young Adult. I am personally passionate about all things historical, especially Ancient Rome (Republic and Empire).


FANTASY specialization includes epic fantasy, Gaming & LitRPG, magical realism, romantasy, urban fantasy, coming-of-age stories, and more. SCIENCE FICTION specialization includes dystopian, apocalyptic & post-apocalyptic, space opera, steampunk, time travel, and more. I also have experience working with Mystery, Crime, Thriller, and Suspense.


Please Note: I DO NOT offer copy editing or proofreading services at this time. I also prefer not to work with Christian fiction or Horror (though I do work with Dark Fantasy and Science Fiction).



**REVIEWS**

"Chersti has a deep understanding of story structure as well as a keen eye for detail. She knows how to take a writer's raw material and guide them through their process to create the best possible version of their story."

- Liesl Shurtliff, New York Times best-selling author



"I love working with Chersti! She has a fantastic editorial eye and delivers feedback in such a tactful and personable manner."

- Tricia Levenseller, author of DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING



​"Since self-publishing last summer, my books have been picked up by a traditional publisher, and I cannot thank Chersti enough for her help in crafting the stories.


I did a full developmental edit with Chersti for my first manuscript and an outline consultation for the second, and can honestly say they have been the absolute best investments I've made in my writing. Chersti saw the potential in the stories, and helped me look at them in a completely different way. Whereas I knew there were 'issues' but couldn't pin point exactly what, she was able to make story structure suggestions that made a huge impact. From the books she recommended reading to the calls, I learned so much about crafting a better story. My experience with Chersti was not only about making the existing books so much better, but improving my own writing skills. In short, I would absolutely, 1000% recommend Chersti's developmental editor services!​"

- Demi Winters, author of THE ROAD OF BONES

Services
Fiction
Dystopian Epic Fantasy Gaming & LitRPG Mystery & Crime Romantic Fantasy Space Opera Thriller & Suspense Young Adult Fantasy
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • Bachelor of Arts in English
  • Minor in editing

Work experience

Cedar Fort

Dec, 2008 — Feb, 2009 (2 months)

-Reviewed queries and sorted through the slush pile
-Prepared prospective projects for acquisitions meetings
-Handled copyedits and proofing

I decided to leave the company to focus on my freelance career.

Self-employed

Sep, 2005 — Present

I work with a team of Story Analysts who consult on film, television, books, and plays to help create the strongest stories.

Leading Edge

Sep, 2005 — Jun, 2008 (over 2 years)

Editor at LEADING EDGE, a science fiction and fantasy magazine publisher. Once a manuscript was acquired, I oversaw the whole editing process, running editorial teams and doing all final edits myself, until the manuscript went to print.

- Reviewed queries and sorted through the slush pile
- Prepared prospective projects to pitch the head editor
- Worked developmentally with the manuscript
- Worked in all Science Fiction and Fantasy genres and sub-genres
- Ran trainings to educate on the nuances in the sub-genre fields

Portfolio

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, the Mistborn series is a heist story of political intrigue and magical, martial-arts action.For a thousand years the ash fell and n... read more
Proofreading
Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
Heir of Ra (Blood of Ra Book One)

M. Sasinowski

#1 Amazon New Release (Ancient Civilizations)Winner of the 2018 International Beverly Hills Book Award (Action/Adventure)"fast-paced and enthralling... marvelous plot... thought-provoking and ... read more
Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
EXCHANGE: The Quantum Triangle Series: Book 1

Nowicki, Paul L

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Warrior of the Wild

Levenseller, Tricia

Developmental Editing
The capable, confident, and occasionally ruthless heroine of Daughter of the Pirate King is back in this action-packed sequel that promises rousing high seas adventures and the perfect dash of... read more
Editorial Assessment
Seven Deadly Shadows

Courtney Alameda

This thrilling YA retelling of Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai features a girl tasked with saving the world from eternal darkness. Perfect for fans of Six of Crows and Marie Lu.Seventeen-year-old Kir... read more
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
Isle of Dragons: The Ruler of Vansh (#3)

Thompson, L. A.

Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
Isle of Dragons: The Hidden Library (#2)

Thompson, L. A.

Developmental Editing
Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
City of Shards (Spellgiver Book 1)

Steve Rodgers

“A unique and exciting dark fantasy…” —Readers’ Favorite (5 star)Larin’s got big problems. His tendency to shout nonsense words at random has turned him into a pariah in the gang-infested Worm... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
The Old Gods have seized control of the capital in an orgy of executions and murder. Now, Larin and the others flee for their lives, as the High Wizard’s creatures fall upon them like a steel ... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
Eloy's Legacy (The Eloy Trilogy Book 3)

Timmins, Kara

Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
Eloy's Challenge (The Eloy Trilogy)

Timmins, Kara

Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
Eloy's Discovery (The Eloy Trilogy Book 1)

Timmins, Kara

Proofreading
Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
Oceanworlds

J.P. Landau

If you were in awe of books like The Martian and 2001: A Space Odyssey or movies like Interstellar and Apollo 13, get ready for a story destined to become a Sci-Fi classic – one with the poten... read more
Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
Rowena's Song

Dally, Ivy Charlotte

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
AngelFire

Valen, Luke

Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
The Magician's Sin

Alexander Thomas

Editorial Assessment
Copy Editing Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
The Cessation (Rift Space Book 1)

Brinkman, Christian

Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
The Remorse (Rift Space Book 2)

Brinkman, Christian

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
The Seekers of Genesis: Empyreal Roots

Walters, C. J.

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing Proofreading
Copy Editing Proofreading
Stronger

Woodland, Lani

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Sentenced to death by the man she loves . . .Jade has no control over her future. She is the Emmía, the girl whose magical blood keeps her kingdom’s cursed soil fertile and ensures the surviva... read more
Developmental Editing
Author Dan Wells is back with the sequel to the sci-fi blockbuster Partials, which Pittacus Lore called a "thrilling sci-fi adrenaline rush, with one of the most compelling and frightening vis... read more
Copy Editing
Just when Fredrick Whithers thought his life couldn't get any more complicated, he is asked to arrange a funeral for a man who is very much not dead. In the companion to A Night of Blacker Dar... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
Wrongly imprisoned, Frederick Whithers is desperate to commit the crime he's already being punished for: defrauding the bank out of a vast inheritance. He fakes his death to escape, but when h... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
We call them demons, for lack of a better word, but the truth is something much more mysterious. In the I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER trilogy, the young sociopath John Cleaver killed three of them,... read more
Proofreading
What would it feel like to never forget? Or to have a memory stolen?Seventeen-year-old Genesis Lee has never forgotten anything. As one of the Mementi--a small group of genetically enhanced hu... read more
Developmental Editing
Beauty and the Beast fans: satisfy your fairy tale cravings with the New York Times bestseller RED, a spellbinding adventure that features a brave heroine, plenty of pixies, a beast like no ot... read more
Editorial Assessment
Pitch Dark

Courtney Alameda

From Courtney Alameda, the author of Shutter, this thrilling, sci-fi horror and space adventure will be sure to stay with readers long after the last pages.Lost to time, Tuck Morgan and his cr... read more
Developmental Editing
Shutter

Courtney Alameda

Micheline Helsing is a tetrachromat -- a girl who sees the auras of the undead in a prismatic spectrum. As one of the last descendants of the Van Helsing lineage, she has trained since childho... read more
Developmental Editing

Chersti has 215 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Azza C.

Azza C.

Nov, 2024

Chersti is an exceptional editor. She combines professionalism, deep literary knowledge, and unwavering support throughout the editorial process. Her thorough reviews and insightful suggestions have been instrumental in helping me elevate my manuscript to its full potential. Beyond her editorial expertise, she assigned targeted readings that addressed my specific weaknesses, turning the experie...
Read more
Quain H.

Quain H.

Nov, 2024

Let's talk about Chersti! First and foremost, working with Chersti is an absolute pleasure. She only takes on projects she resonates with and will treat your manuscript with the love and care it deserves as if it was her own. Her expert experience that only grows with time and study, in addition to her fresh eyes on your story, means she can provide you with a quality edit that is unrivaled. S...
Read more
Matthew B.

Matthew B.

Nov, 2024

Chersti Nieveen’s developmental edit of my novel, 'Motley', was exceptionally thorough and highly professional. She demonstrated a remarkable ability to identify issues I was too close to see on my own, providing insightful feedback that has given me a clear path forward. Despite the challenges of my night schedule, Chersti went out of her way to accommodate a follow-up consultation at a time t...
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Olga O.

Olga O.

Oct, 2024

It was amazing to work with Chersti on the first chapter edit. Not cheap, but definitely worth it. She was very thorough with her feedback and provided a lot of extra materials. Before this novel, I had only taken an academic writing class, so her additional support was extremely helpful. I would definitely work with her again!
Jessica W.

Jessica W.

Sep, 2024

Chersti completed a first chapter edit for me. She was very professional, and her feedback was clear and well explained. She even used examples from published books to help better explain some of her notes. I will definitely be keeping her in mind when I'm ready for a full developmental edit!

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