Adrienne Kisner - Editor

Salutations! I am an experienced editor, writing professor, and author. I love working with both new and more seasoned writers to get their novels, synopses, and query letters into the best shape possible. I will bring my passion, attention to detail, and encouragement to your work.

A sample of the books I've developmentally edited:

-STAND UP, YUMI CHUNG! by Jessica Kim

Praise for STAND UP:

★“With wonderful supporting characters, strong pacing, and entertaining comedy bits, debut author Kim has woven a pop song of immigrant struggle colliding with comedy and Korean barbecue.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★"Kim has taught school, and it shows, both with the spot-on dialogue and the up-to-date social media references... This will certainly remind readers of Kelly Yang's Front Desk (2018)."
—Booklist, starred review

★"A must-read."
—School Library Connection, starred review

-THE DEGENERATES by J. Albert Mann

Praise for DEGENERATES

“The author portrays the movement's prejudice, racism, and violence with brutal realism; an author's note explains that the doctors' dehumanizing dialogue comes verbatim from real medical notes. Crucially, she reminds readers that such prejudice still exists. . . . Respectful, unflinching, and eye-opening.” -- Kirkus Reviews

-FIX by J. Albert Mann

Praise for FIX:

“Intense, unflinching…a gratifying story.”

―Kirkus Reviews

"Eve’s physical and emotional experiences resonate, and the supporting cast…are vividly drawn in this hopeful contemporary novel."―Publishers Weekly

“The insidiousness of substance dependency, grief, and pain weave together in this incredibly powerful, all-consuming, captivating novel.”

―The Tiny Activist

A sample of the books on which I've offered an editorial assessment:

-THE MANIC PIXIE DREAM BOY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT by Lenore Appelhans

-TAYLOR BEFORE AND AFTER by Jennie Englund

Query letter edit samples available upon request

In addition to freelance editing, I have taught writing for publicaiton at Wheelock College (Boston, MA), Southern New Hampshire University (Manchester, NH) and The Writing Barn (Austin, TX). I've participated in several rounds of the "Author Mentor Match" program; all of my mentees have gone on to sign with agents and/or land impressive book deals. Other queries I've critiqued have netted agents at: Dystel, Goderich & Bourret; Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency; Sandford J. Greenburger Associates; Ravenquill Literary Agency; New Leaf Literary; Inkwell Management Literary Agency; Headwater Literary Management, and Laura Dail Literary Agency (to name a few!)

My Author Bio:

Adrienne Kisner has lived her entire “adult” life in a college dormitory working in both Residence Life and college chaplaincy. She went to school for a long time so that now she gets to swoop around in a fancy robe and silly hat (like at Hogwarts). She also has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts (a place like Hogwarts). Adrienne is a birder and knitter with more heart and enthusiasm than actual skill. Her debut novel DEAR RACHEL MADDOW won a 2016 PEN New England Susan P Bloom Discovery Award and was one of YALSA’s 2019 picks for Best Fiction for Young Adults. Her second novel, THE CONFUSION OF LAUREL GRAHAM, was released in the 2019 and won the Green Earth Book Award in 2020. Book three, SIX ANGRY GIRLS, came out in 2020 and is shortlisted for Massachusetts Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Fiction Award 2021.

Praise for DEAR RACHEL MADDOW:

"What unfolds is a heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful tale of a struggling student who sees an injustice and steps in. She does so unwillingly, but still, she does. Brynn is realistically depicted and even though this novel is epistolary, the supporting characters are well fleshed out, too. A necessary purchase wherever there are teens." —School Library Journal, starred review

"In her debut novel, Kisner uses the epistolary format to portray the life of a girl who has very little parental support and is seemingly falling through the cracks at school. . .Revealing Brynn to be an individual withrealistic insecurities, biases, and complexities, Kisner playfully explores the very human manner in which a stranger like Maddow might come to feel like a friend and confidant."—Publishers Weekly

Praise for THE CONFUSION OF LAUREL GRAHAM: