Kevin Breen – Editor

Working at the macro level is my favorite part of being a small-press editor. I have the immense pleasure of working with memoirists, crime writers, literary novelists, and creative nonfiction authors as they consider the building blocks of their manuscripts. I've been doing this work for five years, since I graduated with my MFA in 2020. I strive to help authors realize the cleanest, clearest versions of their stories, rather than superimposing my ideas onto their drafts. It's your byline after all!

I've held a range of editorial positions, from working at a university writers' center to reading short story submissions for New England Review and now serving as Associate Editor at an independent publisher in the PNW. I love working with authors and supporting them as their work comes into clearer focus. I pride myself on being an editor who considers the author's aims and ambitions, rather than imposing my vision onto someone's manuscript. As such, I tend to write feedback that both diagnoses and aims to provide a solution. I'll say, "here is what could be improved," "here's where I saw this occurring in the text," and "here's how you might remedy this." As an MFA alum, I love working on structurally compelling literary novels, though I have just as much fun editing genre fiction and emotive personal memoirs.

I grew up in the Philadelphia area. Afterward, I studied Writing at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore, then did an AmeriCorps year in Yakima, Washington. I received an MFA in creative writing from Eastern Washington University and my debut story was published in the Gettysburg Review. In my free time, I enjoy rock climbing, camping, and keeping my dog from chewing things he shouldn't.