April Osborn – Editor

As a lifelong book nerd, I spent much of my childhood reading with a flashlight—or listening to books on tape—late into the night, so it was only natural to find a career that let me continue the habit. I moved from California to New York in 2009 for NYU’s MS in Publishing course, interning at Simon & Schuster, Bloomsbury, and Perseus during the day and taking classes at night. After graduation, I landed at Macmillan, where I cut my teeth editing true crime, historical mysteries, thrillers, women’s fiction, memoir, and the occasional narrative travel guide or cookbook. In 2018, I moved to HarperCollins, where I’ve built an eclectic list that spans genres from upmarket speculative fiction and family dramas to nonfiction adventure narratives.

After a decade and a half working at big five publishers, I have a keen eye for what agents and editors look for in a query letter, and I love helping authors figure out how their work fits into the publishing landscape. In an Editorial Assessment, I can work with you to determine the strengths or your story and how best to leverage them. In a Query Critique, I’ll help to distill your summary to the most essential plot points, adding voice, energy, and authority to your pitch, while making it eye-catching and compelling to agents and editors. In Book Coaching sessions, we can discuss where you are with your project, the challenges you’re facing, and the best ways to move forward to achieve your writing goals. I look forward to working with you to make your work shine!