Brooke Maddaford - Editor
Experienced (9+ yrs in-house, 16+ yrs freelance), nonfiction editor specializing in assessments, development editing, and copyediting.
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Overview
I'm a nonfiction editor with nine years of in-house editorial publishing experience and fifteen years of freelance experience. My editorial goals are to strengthen an author's voice, content, and intention while enhancing and clarifying the writing. I offer FREE SAMPLE EDITS (up to 1,000 words) to all potential clients to ensure we'd be a good fit. Let's talk!
My in-house experience includes being a senior editor for a Big Four (formerly known as the Big Five) publishing house (Perseus Books Group, now Hachette) and many years on the editorial staff for Chicago Review Press, an independent trade book publisher. In addition, I've been a freelance editor since 2006.
My favorite genres to edit include memoir, biography, spirituality, prescriptive nonfiction, sociology, environmentalism, gender studies, history, travel/adventure, and children's nonfiction. I've also edited historical fiction, mysteries, and general fiction. I LOVE working on books that teach or share something valuable, from personal experiences to important information. I like to say that I edit "books that matter."
My services are varied, flexible, and entirely dependent on the needs of my authors and their manuscripts. I offer everything from manuscript assessments and content/development/substantive editing to copy editing, line editing, and proofreading. My rates are negotiable.
Message me to learn more about how I can help you to achieve your goals for your book!
***Testimonials from past clients***
"Working with Brooke has been fabulous. She is so insightful and thorough. Best of all, she truly delights in helping to shape the manuscript while retaining the true voice of the author. That's an amazing combination to find in an editor!" --Curlin Reed Sullivan, author of *Where's My F***ing Cake, Bob? How I Survived My True Love's Trips to Rehab*
"My first book, *The Life I’ve Picked,* came out good, but it was Brooke Maddaford who put the icing on. She brought it to its final stage, making it even more appealing to the reader. Her abilities were quite diligent, focused, and on target, never straying from the original intent but instead making it better. Brooke gave it that nice final touch that shows an how editor of her talent is essential for the best final version. Thank you Brooke!” --John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and author of *The Life I've Picked: A Banjo Player's Nitty Gritty Journey*
"Brooke served as my editor on several major projects. She is everything you want a copy editor and development editor to be: attentive, a stickler for rules, and sharp-eyed. I highly recommend Brooke for all of your editorial needs." --Anthony Wahl, Acquisitions Editor, Oxford University Press
"Personable. Responsive. Technically skilled yet keen not to edit over the author's voice. Those are precisely the attributes I look for when seeking editorial assistance, and Brooke Maddaford delivered. I couldn't have been happier with my experience with her. When I worked with Brooke I was a rookie author. With close to a dozen books now to my name, my experience with her still stands out as being among the most positive." --Dr. Michael Carolan, Colorado State University Associate Dean of Research for the College of Liberal Arts and Professor of Sociology
***Exciting News!***
A trade book that I copy edited (*A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever*) was recently adapted into a major motion picture of the same name that was featured at Sundance 2018 and is streaming on Netflix.
A music memoir that I copy edited (John McEuen's *The Life I've Picked: A Banjo Player's Nitty Gritty Journey*) has been receiving stellar reviews. As of June 2021, 132 of 149 Amazon reviews have FIVE STARS!
My in-house experience includes being a senior editor for a Big Four (formerly known as the Big Five) publishing house (Perseus Books Group, now Hachette) and many years on the editorial staff for Chicago Review Press, an independent trade book publisher. In addition, I've been a freelance editor since 2006.
My favorite genres to edit include memoir, biography, spirituality, prescriptive nonfiction, sociology, environmentalism, gender studies, history, travel/adventure, and children's nonfiction. I've also edited historical fiction, mysteries, and general fiction. I LOVE working on books that teach or share something valuable, from personal experiences to important information. I like to say that I edit "books that matter."
My services are varied, flexible, and entirely dependent on the needs of my authors and their manuscripts. I offer everything from manuscript assessments and content/development/substantive editing to copy editing, line editing, and proofreading. My rates are negotiable.
Message me to learn more about how I can help you to achieve your goals for your book!
***Testimonials from past clients***
"Working with Brooke has been fabulous. She is so insightful and thorough. Best of all, she truly delights in helping to shape the manuscript while retaining the true voice of the author. That's an amazing combination to find in an editor!" --Curlin Reed Sullivan, author of *Where's My F***ing Cake, Bob? How I Survived My True Love's Trips to Rehab*
"My first book, *The Life I’ve Picked,* came out good, but it was Brooke Maddaford who put the icing on. She brought it to its final stage, making it even more appealing to the reader. Her abilities were quite diligent, focused, and on target, never straying from the original intent but instead making it better. Brooke gave it that nice final touch that shows an how editor of her talent is essential for the best final version. Thank you Brooke!” --John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and author of *The Life I've Picked: A Banjo Player's Nitty Gritty Journey*
"Brooke served as my editor on several major projects. She is everything you want a copy editor and development editor to be: attentive, a stickler for rules, and sharp-eyed. I highly recommend Brooke for all of your editorial needs." --Anthony Wahl, Acquisitions Editor, Oxford University Press
"Personable. Responsive. Technically skilled yet keen not to edit over the author's voice. Those are precisely the attributes I look for when seeking editorial assistance, and Brooke Maddaford delivered. I couldn't have been happier with my experience with her. When I worked with Brooke I was a rookie author. With close to a dozen books now to my name, my experience with her still stands out as being among the most positive." --Dr. Michael Carolan, Colorado State University Associate Dean of Research for the College of Liberal Arts and Professor of Sociology
***Exciting News!***
A trade book that I copy edited (*A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever*) was recently adapted into a major motion picture of the same name that was featured at Sundance 2018 and is streaming on Netflix.
A music memoir that I copy edited (John McEuen's *The Life I've Picked: A Banjo Player's Nitty Gritty Journey*) has been receiving stellar reviews. As of June 2021, 132 of 149 Amazon reviews have FIVE STARS!
Languages
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Children’s Non-Fiction
Entertainment
History
Humanities & Social Sciences
Music
Parenting & Families
Philosophy
Certifications
- University of Denver, Publishing Institute, Certificate
- University of Chicago, Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies, Certificate in Basic Editing
- Copy Editing Magazine, Workshop, “100 Things Every Copy Editor Should Know,” Certificate
Awards
- Business and Professional Women of Colorado, Member of the Year, Denver chapter
- Founder, Colorado Chapter of Editorial Freelancers Association
Work experience
Owner, Editor-in-Chief
Self-employed
September, 2006
–
Present
(about 16 years)
I offer everything from manuscript assessments and content/development/substantive editing to copy editing, line editing, and proofreading. My editorial goals are to maintain an author's voice, content, and intention while enhancing and clarifying the writing. My rates are negotiable and I'm happy to work within your budget to make your words shine!
Development Editor
Westview Press in the Perseus Books Group (now Hachette)
September, 2011
–
November, 2012
(about 1 year)
Continued all duties listed below for Associate Development Editor plus the following:
Assessed prospective projects to help determine salability and recommended appropriate contract terms. Collaborated with marketing department to write and develop marketing materials. Developed all online content with authors and freelance contract workers. Performed developmental edits on all books projected to earn $30,000+ per year. Determined, edited, and implemented all online and electronic content needs. Managed online database of reviewer feedback. Recruited, trained, and managed all permissions contract workers and managed coordination of all permissions projects.
Associate Development Editor
Westview Press in the Perseus Books Group (now Hachette)
September, 2008
–
September, 2011
(about 3 years)
Continued all duties listed below for Associate Editor plus the following:
Negotiated and managed developmental schedules, budgets, and records for all projects. Created and implemented plans for manuscript revisions and quality assurance. Innovated procedures to ensure compliance to revision recommendations and development plans. Co-managed Westview’s publishing assistant. Directed internship program, including fellows program with alma mater, and hired/managed all interns. Created database to track all review and market feedback.
Associate Editor
Westview Press in the Perseus Books Group (now Hachette)
September, 2007
–
September, 2008
(about 1 year)
Created, implemented, and managed all development procedures including writing questionnaires/surveys, analyzing reviews, and writing assessments that summarized data/revision recommendations into concise documents. Coordinated all book development needs with authors/editors including communicating content and revision needs, schedules, and writing processes and procedures. Conducted market and competition research and wrote summarizing reports in clear language. Led regular meetings with Marketing and Editorial departments. Directed Editorial Assistant in securing reviews.
Project Editor
Perseus Books Group (now Hachette)
September, 2006
–
September, 2007
(about 1 year)
Responsible for taking 9–15 projects at a time from raw manuscript to press. Managed 24–45 freelancers at a time. Coordinated and managed all aspects of book production including all communication between authors, designers, acquisitions editors, and freelance contract workers. Proofread and copy edited various aspects of all projects.
Project Editor
Chicago Review Press
April, 2005
–
September, 2006
(over 1 year)
Editorial Assistant
Chicago Review Press
November, 2003
–
April, 2005
(over 1 year)
Portfolio (31 selected works)
Something scary is happening to boys today. From kindergarten to college, American boys are, on average, less resilient and less ambitious than they were a mere twenty years ago. The gender gap in college attendance and graduation rates has widened dramatically. While Emily is working hard at school and getting A's, her brother Justin is goofing off. He's more concerned about getting to the ne... read more
Talking about global environmental issues need not be an exercise in gloom, doom, and individual sacrifice—as Michael Carolan ably demonstrates in this introduction to environmental sociology.Society and the Environment examines today's environmental controversies within a socio-organizational context. After outlining the contours of "pragmatic environmentalism," Carolan explores the material ... read more
The Social Dynamics of Family Violence
Angela Hattery, Earl Smith
This compelling text explores family violence throughout the life course, from child abuse and neglect to intimate partner violence and elder abuse. Paying special attention to the social character and institutional causes of family violence, Hattery and Smith ask students to consider how social inequality, especially gender inequality, contributes to tensions and explosive tendencies in famil... read more
Is violence on the streets caused by violence in video games? Does cyber-bullying lead to an increase in suicide rates? Are teens promiscuous because of Teen Mom? As Karen Sternheimer clearly demonstrates, popular culture is an easy scapegoat for many of society's problems, but it is almost always the wrong answer.Now in its second edition, Connecting Social Problems and Popular Culture goes b... read more
The ultimate biography of National Lampoon and its cofounder Doug Kenney, this book offers the first complete history of the immensely popular magazine and its brilliant and eccentric characters. With wonderful stories of the comedy scene in New York City in the 1970s and National Lampoon’s place at the center of it, this chronicle shares how the magazine spawned a popular radio show and two l... read more
Ex-Etiquette for Parents: Good Behavior After a Divorce or Separation
Jann Blackstone-Ford, Sharyl Jupe
Written for both biological parents and stepparents, this helpful guide provides the tools necessary to raising well-adjusted children after a stressful divorce. Innovative in its technique and cowritten by a certified divorce and stepfamily expert and her own stepchildren's mother, this etiquette book provides an authentic guide for ex-spouses to interact on a civil and healthy level. Sample ... read more
Children will find artistic inspiration as they learn about iconic artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera in these imaginative and colorful activities. The art and ideas of Kahlo and Rivera are explored through projects that include painting a self-portrait Kahlo-style, creating a mural with a social message like Rivera, making a Day of the Dead ofrenda, and crafting an Olmec head carving. Vibra... read more
The Life I've Picked is a memoir by John McEuen, one of the founding members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. NGDB, now 50-years strong, is best known for its evergreen bestselling album Will the Circle Be Unbroken and for its gorgeous version of the song “Mr. Bojangles.” McEuen is one of the seminal figures who conceived and originated the fusion of folk, rock and country, a unique sound still ... read more
This insightful biography examines the life and music of Cass Elliot-—better known as "Mama Cass"—the instantly recognizable face of the Mamas and the Papas. Untangling the truth about Cass's life, this book follows her development from her misfit teenage years to her part in the folk boom of the early 1960s. How Cass came to join the Mamas and the Papas, and the mix of love, hurt, and betraya... read more
Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction
Rosemarie Putnam Tong
Feminist Thought is a clear, comprehensive, and incisive introduction to the major traditions of feminist theory, from liberal feminism, radical feminism, and Marxist and socialist feminism to care-focused feminism, psychoanalytic feminism, women of color feminisms, and ecofeminism. The fourth edition has been thoroughly revised and expanded. The chapter on multiculturalism was renamed Women o... read more
This essential how not to” guide explains how to act and what to say in the presence of police to minimize the chances of being arrested and to avoid add-on chargeswhich can often lead to permanent disqualification from jobs, financing, and education. Citizens can learn how to avoid arrest both on the street and when pulled over in a vehicle and are alerted to basic tricks cops use to get pe... read more
Children of the Movement
John Blake
Profiling 24 of the adult children of the most recognizable figures in the civil rights movement, this book collects the intimate, moving stories of families who were pulled apart by the horrors of the struggle or brought together by their efforts to change America. The whole range of players is covered, from the children of leading figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and martyrs like James Ea... read more
Galileo, one of history's best-known scientists, is introduced in this illuminating activity book. Children will learn how Galileo's revolutionary discoveries and sometimes controversial theories changed his world and laid the groundwork for modern astronomy and physics. This book will inspire kids to be stargazers and future astronauts or scientists as they discover Galileo's life and work. A... read more
I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie
Pamela Des Barres
The stylish, exuberant, and remarkably sweet confession of one of the most famous groupies of the 1960s and 70s is back in print in this new edition that includes an afterword on the author's last 15 years of adventures. As soon as she graduated from high school, Pamela Des Barres headed for the Sunset Strip, where she knocked on rock stars' backstage doors and immersed herself in the drugs, d... read more
Perishable: A Memoir
Dirk Jamison
Fascinatingly disturbing, this memoir chronicles seven years in the life of a distinctly unordinary American family. In 1973, Dirk Jamison's father started having a midlife crisis that never ended, and after purposefully losing his construction job, he moved his family to a ski resort and started feeding them from dumpsters in an effort to reject money and all its trappings. They were never ho... read more
Famous, fascinating Benjamin Franklin--he would be neither without his accomplishments in science. Joyce Chaplin's authoritative biography considers all of Franklin's work in the sciences, showing how, during the rise and fall of the first British empire, science became central to public culture and therefore to Franklin's success. Having demonstrated in his earliest experiments and observatio... read more
Winner of the 2009 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Children’s Literature Award. How do we know that Mars is covered in rusty dust, that a day on Venus lasts longer than its year, and that Neptune has 13 moons? Human exploration! Exploring the Solar System relates the rich history of space exploration using telescopes, satellites, probes, landers, and human missions. T... read more
From butterflies and beetles to crickets and katydids, these experiments, art projects, and games will bring out the entomologist in every kid. Activities include collecting and sketching insects, making a terrarium for observation, raising mealworms, using math to measure bug strength, gardening to attract butterflies and other insects, and making an insect amplifier. A unique insect board ga... read more
Neal Cassady: The Fast Life of a Beat Hero
David Sandison, Graham Vickers
This fascinating and in-depth biography of Neal Cassady takes a look at the man who achieved immortality as Dean Moriarty, the central character in Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. A charismatic, funny, articulate, and formidably intelligent man, Cassady was also a compulsive womanizer who lived life on the edge. His naturalistic, conversational writing style inspired Kerouac, who lifted a number o... read more
The Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB's: A Secret History of Jewish Punk
Steven Lee Beeber
Based in part on the recent interviews with more than 125 peopleamong them Tommy Ramone, Chris Stein (Blondie), Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group), Hilly Kristal (CBGBs owner), and John Zornthis book focuses on punk’s beginnings in New York City to show that punk was the most Jewish of rock movements, in both makeup and attitude. As it originated in Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the early 1970s... read more
Based on a True Story: Fact and Fantasy in 100 Favorite Movies
Jonathan Vankin, John Whalen
Exposing the real stories behind 100 hit reality-based movies, this captivating resource offers interesting facts about some of the most well-respected and much-loved films. For both film buffs and casual moviegoers, this invaluable guide explores Hollywood's ardent and often uncomfortable relationship with the factual accounts it converts into fantasy. Illuminating films such as A Beautiful M... read more
Why Beauty Is Truth: The History of Symmetry
Ian Stewart
At the heart of relativity theory, quantum mechanics, string theory, and much of modern cosmology lies one concept: symmetry. In Why Beauty Is Truth, world-famous mathematician Ian Stewart narrates the history of the emergence of this remarkable area of study. Stewart introduces us to such characters as the Renaissance Italian genius, rogue, scholar, and gambler Girolamo Cardano, who stole the... read more
Over the last 40 years, Richard Roeper has attended White Sox games, watching as his team established a losing streak that was almost unparalleled in major league baseball history. In this account of what it was like to grow up a White Sox fan in a Cubs nation, Roeper covers the recent history of the organization, from the heartbreak of 1967 and the South-Side Hit Men to the disco demolition a... read more
Only in the last decade have climatologists developed an accurate picture of yearly climate conditions in historical times. This development confirmed a long-standing suspicion: that the world endured a 500-year cold snap-The Little Ice Age-that lasted roughly from A.D. 1300 until 1850. The Little Ice Age tells the story of the turbulent, unpredictable and often very cold years of modern Europ... read more
This pop culture history serves up the soda fountain sound of the musical form that pervaded popular culture from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s: vanilla pop. The argument that vanilla, rather than being the absence of flavor, is a unique, identifiable, and underappreciated characteristic of pop music is presented. Paying tribute to vanilla pop’s mild-mannered, soft, soothing, sweet-tempered ... read more
This supplemental educational resource for teachers of grades K–6 contains 50 units that explore nature through cross-curriculum lessons in science, language arts, math, social studies, and the creative arts. Teachers using this book will encourage further creative and critical thinking from students, while providing hands-on opportunities to explore and investigate. The 50 units are organized... read more
What Would the Founders Do?: Our Questions, Their Answers
Richard Brookhiser
Why do Americans care so much about the Founding Fathers? After all, the French don't ask themselves, "What would Napoleon do?" But Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison, and Adams built our country, wrote our user's manuals--the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution--and ran the nation while it was still under warranty and could be returned to the manufacturer. If anyone ... read more
Liberalism in America is under siege. Conservatives now treat it as an epithet and even some progressives spurn it. But according to Paul Starr, liberalism is a sturdy public philosophy, deeply rooted in our traditions, capable of making America and the world more free and secure.Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” remains as good and concise a definition of liberalism's aims today a... read more
The Revenge of Gaia
James Lovelock, J. E. Lovelock
In The Revenge of Gaia , bestselling author James Lovelock- father of climate studies and originator of the influential Gaia theory which views the entire earth as a living meta-organism-provides a definitive look at our imminent global crisis. In this disturbing new book, Lovelock guides us toward a hard reality: soon, we may not be able to alter the oncoming climate crisis. Lovelock's influe... read more
Group Genius: The Creative Power of Collaboration
Keith Sawyer
Creativity has long been thought to be an individual gift, best pursued alone; schools, organizations, and whole industries are built on this idea. But what if the most common beliefs about how creativity works are wrong? In this authoritative and fascinating new book, Keith Sawyer, a psychologist at Washington University, tears down some of the most popular myths about creativity and erects n... read more
With income inequality on the rise and the ongoing economic downturn, the causes, consequences, and politics of inequality are undergoing a fundamental transformation. Updated and highly accessible, the fourth edition of Social Stratification provides refreshing take on existing theories, incorporates the latest data, and lends new perspectives to classic debates. The fourth edition includes f... read more
Brooke has 9 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Brooke is a kind, smart and creative thinker and editor. She engaged with the material on a deeper level and improved it both from a macro and micro perspective. She understands the flow and rhythm and I cannot thank you enough for her feedback and input .
Auna Jornayvaz, October 2022
I enjoyed working with Brooke. Her thoughtful critique was well received. I will continue to work with her on my memoir. Her editorial review was professional, insightful, and she offered many suggestions for improvements.
Carolyn McAlpin, January 2022
Reply from Brooke Maddaford
Brooke's feedback was extremely helpful in tightening my memoir and improving the flow of the story. Her comments were perceptive and actionable. I think I got way more than my money's worth.
Joanne Kelly, November 2021
Reply from Brooke Maddaford
Working with Brooke was amazing. It was like we had worked together for years. She was professional, patient, and very kind! I will be looking forward to working with Brooke in all of my future writing projects.
Jarod Gordon, June 2021
Brooke was thorough, thoughtful, easy to communicate with, and gave top notch suggestions. She was clear in her critiques and showed a ton of care for the project. It meant a lot to know that she really wanted my work to succeed. I hope she is available for my next book.
Shane Trotter, June 2021
Reply from Brooke Maddaford
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