Ursula Cary - Editor
My goal is to bring your unique voice and message to light and create a meaningful reading experience with lasting impact.
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Overview
After twelve years as a successful nonfiction book editor, I became an independent editor and advisor to focus on my favorite part of the job: creative collaboration. I work directly with clients to craft ideas, write and shape proposals, and manage content toward publication, whether digitally or in print. As a former acquiring editor at several major publishing houses in New York and San Francisco, I know how to develop and pitch ideas from scratch, identify a winning proposal from the very first page, and champion any book across the finish line.
My approach blends encouragement, support, and constructive feedback. Drawing on a natural sense of curiosity and keen attention to detail, I can help you navigate the creative and editorial process at any stage, from blue sky brainstorming to reshaping an existing-but-troubled work.
I've collaborated with hundreds of authors including bloggers, yogis, life coaches, fitness experts, doctors, activists, and celebrities, and I know how much platform matters. My experience in the rapidly growing health and wellness space gives me a top-level perspective on how to successfully position a book as an extension of a personality or brand, and offer advice on how to better target your audience, build and expand an online presence, and connect with those who appreciate and want to follow your work.
Whether you are a first-time author, a brand seeking deeper engagement, or an organization hoping to share an important message, I can help package your ideas in a meaningful and compelling way.
My approach blends encouragement, support, and constructive feedback. Drawing on a natural sense of curiosity and keen attention to detail, I can help you navigate the creative and editorial process at any stage, from blue sky brainstorming to reshaping an existing-but-troubled work.
I've collaborated with hundreds of authors including bloggers, yogis, life coaches, fitness experts, doctors, activists, and celebrities, and I know how much platform matters. My experience in the rapidly growing health and wellness space gives me a top-level perspective on how to successfully position a book as an extension of a personality or brand, and offer advice on how to better target your audience, build and expand an online presence, and connect with those who appreciate and want to follow your work.
Whether you are a first-time author, a brand seeking deeper engagement, or an organization hoping to share an important message, I can help package your ideas in a meaningful and compelling way.
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Management
Career Guides
Entertainment
Health & wellbeing
Home & Garden
Nature
Parenting & Families
Psychology
Self-help & Self-improvement
Work experience
Senior Editor
Rodale Books
February, 2011
–
July, 2016
(over 5 years)
Editor
Chronicle Books
June, 2008
–
January, 2010
(over 1 year)
Associate Editor
Simon & Schuster
June, 2007
–
June, 2008
(about 1 year)
Assistant Editor
Random House
August, 2003
–
June, 2007
(almost 4 years)
Portfolio (7 selected works)
Winner of a Books for a Better Life award!Gene Baur, the cofounder and president of Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, knows that the key to happiness lies in aligning your beliefs with your actions. In this definitive vegan and animal-friendly lifestyle guide, he and Gene Stone, author of Forks Over Knives, explore the deeply transformative experience of... read more
Wanderlust: A Modern Yogi's Guide to Discovering Your Best Self
Jeff Krasno, Sarah Herrington, Nicole Lindstrom
Like the wildly popular festivals that have taken the yoga world by storm, Wanderlust is a road map for the millions of people engaged in cultivating their best selves. For the 20 million people who grab their yoga mats in the United States every week, this book gives a completely unique way to understand "yoga"―not just as something to do in practice, but as a broader principle for living. Wa... read more
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Strengthening your own foundation is one of the very best beginnings you can give your child. In The Mindful Mom-to-Be, doula and pregnancy coach Lori Bregman guides you in your journey toward motherhood by empowering you to find what works best for you and your baby. In addition to concrete, prescriptive health information, including nutritional advice, natural remedies, developmental milesto... read more
The Champion's Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive
Jim Afremow PhD
Even among the most elite performers, certain athletes stand out as a cut above the rest, able to outperform in clutch, game-deciding moments. These athletes prove that raw athletic ability doesn't necessarily translate to a superior on-field experience its the mental game that matters most. Sports participation-from the recreational to the collegiate Division I level-is at an all-time high. W... read more
Hustle: The Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning, and Momentum
Neil Patel, Patrick Vlaskovits, Jonas Koffler
A New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and IndieBound bestseller that Fortune says is a must-read for any entrepreneur!The dynamic, game-changing guide to finding success and fearlessly outsmarting the system.Too often we feel like underdogs fighting a system that stacks the odds against us. We work hard, follow the rules, and dream of a better life. But these days, working harder doe... read more
The Body Reset Diet: Power Your Metabolism, Blast Fat, and Shed Pounds in Just 15 Days
Harley Pasternak M.Sc.
America has gone way overboard trying to beat the bulge. We've tried every diet out there―low-carb, low-fat, all-grapefruit―and spent hours toiling on treadmills and machines, to no avail. It's time for readers to hit the reset button and start over with a new perspective on weight loss.In The Body Reset Diet, celebrity trainer and New York Times bestselling author Harley Pasternak offers read... read more
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