Chelsey Emmelhainz

Chelsey Emmelhainz – Editor

With 15 years of experience as an editor and agent, I can help you polish and prepare your work to catch the eye of industry professionals!

Overview

Hi there! I’ve been editing books for nearly fifteen years as both a professional editor and literary agent. I got my start in editorial at HarperCollins with William Morrow and Avon Books before eventually moving to other NYC independent presses. These days, I work as a literary agent, helping authors prepare projects and sell them to publishers.

As an editor, I’ve worked on projects that crossed the literary landscape: from Amish romance to upmarket thrillers and everything in between. Yet my true passion lies in helping authors refine their narratives to create compelling stories. I’m devoted to working alongside authors to polish their work into commercial projects aimed at catching the eye of editors and publishers.

Client Testimonials

Damien Angelica Walters, author of THE DEAD GIRLS CLUB

“Chelsey has a gift for not only finding ways to make the existing text of a manuscript better, but she also spots what’s not there and should be. She helped me take the bones of a story and add flesh, turning it from a dog-eared concept to a proper novel. I learned so much while working with her.”

USA Today bestselling author LS Hawker

“Chelsey is like a skilled archaeologist. She dives into that digging and then carefully, painstakingly brushes away the dirt and debris and pulls forth the heart of your manuscript. I credit her editing as the rocket that propelled my debut novel onto the USA Today bestseller list. Do yourself and your manuscript a favor. Hire this woman.”

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray

“I found Chelsey to not only be an insightful editor, but a positive and professional advocate. Every author needs an editor like Chelsey. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work on ten books with her.”

Andy Davidson, author of IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN

“Editing is an art, and Chelsey Emmelhainz is an artist. It was a pleasure and an education to work with her on In the Valley of the Sun. Her feedback and guidance challenged me to be a better writer. She’ll always be the standard to which I hold professional editors.”

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Humanities & Social Sciences
Fiction
Chick Lit Contemporary Romance Cozy Mysteries Horror Magical Realism
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Copps Literary Services

Jan, 2021 — Dec, 2025 (almost 5 years)

Keen Editorial and Literary Services

Jun, 2019 — Present

Crooked Lane Books

Jul, 2017 — Nov, 2019 (over 2 years)

Skyhorse Publishing

Feb, 2016 — Jun, 2017 (over 1 year)

HarperCollins Publishers

Nov, 2010 — Feb, 2016 (over 5 years)

Portfolio

The Past Is Never: A Novel

Quay Tyson, Tiffany

Once Again: A Novel

Hope, Catherine Wallace

The Dead Girls Club: A Novel

Damien Angelica Walters

Love, Heather

Petrou, Laurie

Wildland: A Novel

Hodge, Rebecca

Chelsey has 6 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Erin D.

Erin D.

Dec, 2025

I can't say enough about what a pleasure it was working with Chelsey on my project. I hired her to provide overall feedback on my "women's fiction with speculative elements" manuscript, and I was blown away by what she provided. Her feedback was spot on, and the quality and depth of her comments ...
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Steve N.

Steve N.

Oct, 2025

Very comprehensive review. Many excellent points raised.
Janet S.

Janet S.

Sep, 2025

Chelsey was professional, communicated in a timely manner and gave thoughtful and constructive feedback
Chelsey E.
Thank you, Janet! It was a pleasure to work with you.
Ken B.

Ken B.

Feb, 2025

Chelsey was the perfect selection for me. All objectives were met. I walked away with a very good query letter.
Chelsey E.
Thank you, Ken! It was a pleasure to work with you, and I can't wait to see what happens next for you and your project.
Karen G.

Karen G.

Aug, 2023

Chelsey provided detailed and constructive feedback on my query, synopsis and pages. She suggested refinements to my query and pointed out the questions an agent might raise from reading my materials. She identified specific weaknesses with my protagonist, the need for stronger stakes and offered...
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Chelsey E.
Thank you so much, Karen! It was a pleasure working with you.

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