Christina Houen – Editor

I have been a professional freelance editor since 2010. I have edited and coordinated the publication of several anthologies and monographs in self help, biography, design, and the built environment. I review and edit memoirs. I have a Master of Creative Arts degree and a PhD in life writing. I have 3 memoirs published in print and an audiobook of the third.

My studies in literature, post-structuralist philosophy, trauma and women's issues and my past career in mental health nursing and passion for personal development have shaped my own writing and helped me to be a constructive and empathic editor for people who have faced trauma and loss and want to write their stories. Thus, memoirs and self-help books are close to my heart, and I enjoy helping authors to polish these for their target audiences.

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 have edited many academic theses in subjects such as engineering, business, IT, health sciences, women's issues, education, the built environment, art, literature, and philosophy. I am experienced in editing for non-native speakers of English.

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 a fine eye for detail and word order, as well as the mechanics of grammar and punctuation.

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

"I would just like to say that 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’s education and experience saw me through my first memoir. She was patient, professional, and available to me whenever I was stressed over the process. This memoir was a challenge to me. I believe that I couldn’t have accomplished it without her. I hope to have her as my editor if I ever write another book."

"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."

"Christina took on a very niche area in PhD theses when editing my work, meticulously analysed and corrected structure, grammar, and demonstrated the benchmark for clarity in communication through her years of experience as a writer. I’m glad I found the best editor for my particular project and would recommend her services to anyone, especially in academia and government."