Arianne Lewin - Editor

I collaborate closely with authors to refine their manuscripts at every stage of development—from concept, to draft, to final manuscript. During my twenty years of acquiring, editing, and launching books for children at major publishing houses, I have edited scores of debuts, as well as bestselling authors such as Melissa De La Cruz, Rick Yancey, Rachel Hawkins, Brendan Reichs, Cinda Williams Chima, Deborah Underwood, and Lisa McMann.

I am devoted to helping writers produce their best work, have a knack for identifying big-picture story issues, and thoroughly enjoy the process of finding (multiple!) solutions to issues with plot, pacing, characterization and world building.

DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING BASICS

A developmental edit takes a holistic view of your work and delivers transformative insights on big-picture story elements such as characterization, plot, pacing, stakes, worldbuilding, and more. You’ll be provided with a detailed editorial letter (four-six pages), along with electronic notes on the draft itself. These comprehensive notes will identify elements in your work that could use improvement, and suggest strategies for moving forward. After you’ve had time to consider the notes, we schedule a phone call that will give us time to discuss the work, brainstorm, and ensure that you feel prepared to begin your revision.

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TESTIMONIALS

“Meticulous, precise and a perfectionist, Ari will make your book 10000% better. She has the magic touch!!!”—Melissa De La Cruz, #1 NYT bestselling author

“Having worked with Ari Lewin for nearly ten years on eight novels, I can attest to her sharp eye, her respect for the author's voice, and her true and genuine enthusiasm to make every project she works on the absolute best it can be.”—Rachel Hawkins, NYT bestselling author

“Ari sees what’s missing in a manuscript and goes after it. She coaches the writer on improving the story as a whole, and knows how to make each line into something that shines. Ari is smart, funny, and kind in her feedback, and she has tons of ideas. Bottom line, Ari helped make my books so much stronger than I could have done on my own.”–-Lisa McMann, NYT bestselling author of the Unwanteds series and CLARICE THE BRAVE

“I like a lot of collaboration with my editor, and Ari was with me every step of the way, from brainstorming solutions and figuring out tricky magic systems, to navigating plot holes. She has a great instinct for story and characters, was fun to work with, and knew exactly when I needed a pep talk. She's a brilliant editor and I'd jump at the chance to work with her again.”—Lish McBride, award-winning author of CURSES

“From initial concept to finished manuscript, Ari has a knack for not only spotting the problem, but spotting its underlying cause, and a solution. I cannot recommend her highly enough.”—Rosaria Munda, author of the Aurelian Cycle

“As the editor for my debut YA fantasy, THE BONE SPINDLE, Ari helped me take my book to a whole new level. It easily packs twice the punch now! From the first phone call, Ari completely got my characters, and her insight helped give them so much more depth. From the big-picture backstory and character motivations to the tiny line-by-line details, she helped me polish every page until it shone!”—Leslie Vedder, author of the upcoming YA novel, THE BONE SPINDLE (January 2022)