Art Kleiner

Art Kleiner – Editor

Experienced editor/writer. My basic in-depth editorial coaching sessions give you the skills and help needed to bring your ideas to life.

Overview

We start with an initial thought leader consultation.

I review all your material in depth plus we book a conversation. The length of time and fee depend on your needs.

1. We go through your plans for the book and options for publishing.

2. We create an outline if you need one.

3. We consider your core theme and refine and sharpen it as needed.

4. In-depth editing tutorial: We work with your draft. I show you how it could be edited and improved, building your skills to be your own editor – to create words that will draw people in. We develop your own distinctive written voice.

5. We talk about how to market your book and reach people.

6. We develop a project plan, including a plan for a book proposal if needed.

Everything I do is tailored to your ideas and audience, working only with your manuscript, meeting your particular needs -- the ones you know about and the ones you don't quite see yet.

I'm an accomplished teacher (at New York University and elsewhere) and a world-renowned writer, editor and ghostwriter. I know how to see what a manuscript needs and bring it to life. I can teach you to do the same with your own work, down to the level of the sentence.

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From there, we could move to more in-depth work on your book, including ghostwriting or editing your writing.

I've studied what business readers want, and most of all it's credibility and a knack for explaining the world. I can help you bring those qualities to life.

My background: a leading editor of business, management and technology writing, starting with Peter Senge's Fifth Discipline and the best-selling Fifth Discipline Fieldbook series. Also the award-winning management magazine Strategy+Business, where I was editor-in-chief for 15 years,

Among the people with authentic voices whom I've edited are Amy Edmondson, CK Prahalad, Sally Helgesen, Peter Schwartz, Jon Katzenbach, A.G. Lafley, Marshall Goldsmith, and Stewart Brand. I've helped authors in India, the UK, Europe, Australia, Africa, Latin America, and Hong Kong.

I can also help you navigate the worlds of literary agents, publishers, publicists, and self-publishing.

My own books include The AI Dilemma (responsible technology), The Wise Advocate (neuroscience and leadership), and The Age of Heretics (business history). I also have experience with generative AI tools and innovative formats -- using them and creating them.

I'm easy to work with and I am dedicated to helping you.

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Business & Management Economics Education & Reference History Political Science & Current Affairs Self-Help & Self-Improvement Technology
Languages
English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Sep, 1990 — Present
I began a freelance editing career with Peter Senge's bestseller The Fifth Discipline. Since then I have worked on many books, including two under my own name (The Age of Heretics, Who Really Matters?) and two collaborations (The Wise Advocate, with Jeffrey Schwartz and Josie Thomson, and The AI Dilemma with Juliette Powell). Most of the books I've edited are in the business category. One recent self-help example was A Little Book of Courage for the Great Pandemic, by Cheri Lovre. Current clients (whose books I can't name yet) include MIT management experts, a prominent business visionary in India, and a major figure in organizational learning.

strategy+business / PwC Global / Booz Allen Hamilton

Apr, 2005 — Jan, 2020 (almost 15 years)
As editor-in-chief of the award-winning magazine Strategy+Business, I oversaw articles and books for a large business audience. In addition to editing articles by luminaries such as Amy Edmondson, Marshall Goldsmith, Sally Helgesen, Ram Charan, Stewart Brand, and CK Prahalad, I worked on at least 7 books that were published by mainstream publishers, and authored by Booz Allen Hamilton and PwC. They included Strategy That Works, The Critical Few (Jon Katzenbach), and Megacommunities.

Fifth Discipline Fieldbook Series

Jan, 1992 — Apr, 2012 (about 20 years)
I oversaw the best-selling Fifth Discipline Fieldbook series -- a well-known management anthology series, with multiple authors and a role in introducing people to the insights of organizational learning and innovative management. This series also included two editions of Schools That Learn, an influential book for educators. Among the authors of articles in this series were Peter Senge, Doug Engelbart, Tim Gallwey, Edgar Schein, Nell Minow, Peter Block, Andrea Gabor, and Jay Forrester.

Portfolio

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Book Coaching
Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing
Book Coaching
Developmental Editing
Query Letter Review
Book Coaching
Book Coaching
Book Coaching
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Book Coaching
Developmental Editing
Book Coaching
Book Coaching
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
The Living Company

De Geus, Arie

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing

Art has 10 reviews

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Quality

Value

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Mike P.

Mike P.

Jan, 2025

Pinned
Art Kleiner is an exceptional editor and a true partner in the creative process. He brought unparalleled expertise, insight, and precision to my book, Beyond the Title: Real Leadership in the Digital Age. Art's ability to refine complex ideas while preserving my voice and vision was remarkable. H...
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Jon P.

Jon P.

May, 2024

Pinned
Working with Art was an incredible experience. Very straight forward, and invested in helping guide my approach to my research goals. Art was humble and very patient with me explaining how the publishing world works, but also very keen on direction with writing style. I appreciated how he was...
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Art K.
Jon has an important topic and a powerful voice when speaking of this topic. The challenges were two-fold: To bring out that voice in every written paragraph, and to structure the project. We accom...
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Michael P.

Michael P.

Jan, 2024

Pinned
Art was fantastic to work with. His critique of my manuscript from both a business and editorial eye provided me with a new, fresh perspective. He clearly went above and beyond with his feedback and spent all the time needed on a follow up call to clarify and suggest new approaches. I highly r...
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Art K.
Michael has a creative, compelling project. He was completely engaged, and interested in improving the work - even when it might have been painful to realize the gaps. I think it could be a powerfu...
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Jim T.

Jim T.

Jun, 2025

Art, a much needed expert in writing, was a joy to work with: very insightful, frank / to the point (which was good), as well as professional and caring. We simply ran out of time and so didn't get to some of the deeper developmental aspects. That said, I would definitely work with Art again.
Art K.
Jim is trying for something very difficult. We ran out of time because in our conversations, the scope of his ambitions became clear. At various points he said, "I really have two books in mind." I...
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Richard P.

Richard P.

Jul, 2024

Art is genuinely interested in giving developmental advice
Art K.
Richard has a valuable concept and is determined to see it get out into the world. He is careful with his resources and intent on learning the ropes of the complex system known as publishing.

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