Brenna McDuffie

Brenna McDuffie – Editor

Editor of bestselling and Pulitzer Prize winning fiction and nonfiction with experience working at Grove Atlantic, Knopf, and Assouline.

Overview


Looking to craft a powerful narrative and publish a successful book or short story? As an editor with experience working at NYC publishing houses (Knopf, Grove Atlantic, and Assouline), my services are bolstered by a knowledge of the industry.

I've worked with award-winning authors and academics, includingTatyana Tolstaya, David Zucchino, Karl Marlantes, Martha Grimes, Adam Gopnik, and Ian Johnson. I've also worked with debut writers and translators, so I understand the vulnerabilities of first-time authors and am passionate about helping them meet their writing goals. Whether you're a seasoned expert or a new writer, I'll provide an attentive eye and constructive feedback to help you find greater focus, insight, and confidence in your work.

My services include editorial assessment, developmental editing, and line editing. I have experience working on short stories, novels, thrillers, essays, biographies, memoirs, narrative journalism, travel writing, argument-driven nonfiction, and illustrated books. I love storytelling in all its forms, so don't hesitate to bring any genre to my plate.
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Political Science & Current Affairs
Fiction
Literary Fiction Short Story Thriller & Suspense
Languages
English (AUS)

Work experience

Assouline Publishing

Mar, 2019 — Present

Self-employed

Mar, 2018 — Present

Grove Atlantic

Mar, 2018 — Mar, 2019 (about 1 year)

Alfred A. Knopf

Dec, 2015 — Mar, 2018 (about 2 years)

Portfolio

Their Little Secret

Mark Billingham

A woman’s suicide puts a detective on the trail of a cold-hearted con artist: “Outstanding . . . a maximum of suspense” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). When DI Tom Thorne is called to the site of a suicide, he expects to be in and out in no time. But when... read more
The Old Success

Martha Grimes

When the body of a French woman washes up on a wild inlet off the Cornish coast, Brian Macalvie, divisional commander with the Devon-Cornwall police is called in. Who could have killed this beautiful tourist, the only visible footprints nearby belonging to the... read more
Totally Wired

Andrew Smith

“The Social Network meets Hammer of the Gods” in this story of a 1990s web titan who made a fortune and lost it all—and what happened afterward (The Independent). One day in February 2001, Josh Harris woke to certain knowledge that he was about to lose everyth... read more
“Playful and poetic . . . A foxy, original writer. Memory fuses with wonder, and wonder with worship." —The Wall Street Journal“Marvelously vivid, perfectly tuned. . . Tolstaya is well known in Russia as a brilliant and caustic political critic, but her memori... read more
The story of a pivotal moment in modern world history, when representative democracy became a political option for Arabs—and how the West denied the opportunity. When Europe’s Great War engulfed the Ottoman Empire, Arab nationalists rose in revolt against the ... read more
From acclaimed journalist Sophy Roberts, a journey through one of the harshest landscapes on earth—where music reveals the deep humanity and the rich history of SiberiaSiberia’s story is traditionally one of exiles, penal colonies and unmarked graves. Yet ther... read more
Wilmington's Lie

David Zucchino

From Pulitzer Prize-winner David Zucchino comes a searing account of the Wilmington riot and coup of 1898, an extraordinary event unknown to most AmericansBy the 1890s, Wilmington was North Carolina’s largest city and a shining example of a mixed-race communit... read more
Deep River

Karl Marlantes

Karl Marlantes’s debut novel Matterhorn, a New York Times Notable Book and winner of the Center for Fiction’s Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize, has been hailed as a modern classic of war literature. In his new novel, Deep River, Marlantes turns to another mod... read more
Cinema on Paper

Dwight Cleveland

Brenna has 3 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Lindsay N.

Lindsay N.

Oct, 2020

It was a lucky day when I found Brenna M. There are so many editors listed on Reedsy that I just wasn't sure what to expect. But from her very first edit, I was blown away. Brenna offered an incredible amount of insightful feedback and support through both a developmental and line edit for my historical fiction manuscript. I can't express how much the work changed for the better because of her ...
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larry C.

larry C.

Jul, 2020

She's the best! Seriously!
Jan B.

Jan B.

Jul, 2020

My work with Brenna would get ten stars if I could assign more than the available five here. Brenna has done an amazing job bringing the best out of my article. Not only did she deliver on time, but she also gave me probably the most thoughtful, detailed, and insightful edit of my writing. I have worked with several editors, Brenna stands out. I'm looking very much forward to our future collabo...
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