Christina Houen – Editor

Writing is literally my life. I returned to study in 1998 and began to write my life story. Writing can be healing and open new doors. I've seen this happen again and again for myself and for others. Hence, my passion is two-fold: to create my own stories and to help others polish theirs and publish them.

My studies in literature, post-structuralist philosophy, trauma and women's issues and my past career in mental health nursing have helped me to be a constructive and empathic editor for people who have faced trauma and loss and want to write their stories.

I review, edit and mentor memoirs. I have a Master of Creative Arts degree and a PhD in life writing. I have 3 memoirs published in print, an audiobook of the third, and a fourth time-slip memoir in progress.

Another strand of my practice that is close to my heart is developmental editing. I have just completed a developmental edit of a YA dystopian future fantasy novel for an author for whom I've already edited two published novels. I usually combine developmental editing with in-depth line editing (for grammar, punctuation, word order, clarity and flow); this saves me time and the author money.

I have edited and coordinated the publication of several anthologies and monographs in self help, biography, design, religious studies, history, art and the built environment.

My editing ethic is to help you, the writer, make your work the best it can be, whatever the subject, while respecting the authenticity and uniqueness of your voice.

I have many testimonials from happy clients: here are some recent ones:

"This is my third time working with Christina and as always, her editorial assistance was illuminating and transformational for my novel. Christina is excellent at pulling away the layers of overwriting to make your narrative sharper and more gripping. She gives wonderful advice for developmental growth, and her honest, insightful appraisal gives your writing its best shot at getting published. She really works wonders. I will soon have my first Australian publishing success thanks to Christina."

"Christina was phenomenal, and her life skills and experiences informed the content of my book and I feel it even more deeply enriched and supported the editing process. She really understood what it took to write the book, and her emotional response to the book made me feel like the process of writing the book was worth it. "

"Christina demonstrated an unmatched devotion to understanding the essence of my work. She took the time to dig deep into the intricacies of my writings, offering valuable insights and constructive feedback that truly elevated the quality of my writing, and ensured acceptance in some of the highest and most competitive journals."

"We worked with Cristina as copy editor for our authored peer-reviewed book, Building Mixity! Christina was always supportive in trying to accommodate difficult schedules and deadlines. We are very pleased to recommend Christina, as a great and extremely knowledgeable person to work with."