Overview
My editorial career of more than three decades encompasses broad experience in book and magazine publishing, including seven years of editorial management. As an independent writer/editor since 1999, I have edited 165+ books in numerous genres (primarily fiction), including 40 volumes of the best-selling Cup of Comfort anthology series. I've also authored and ghostwritten several nonfiction books, including the national bestseller One Simple Idea and its sequel One Simple Idea for Startups and Entrepreneurs (McGraw-Hill).
I offer primarily copyediting and proofreading services to authors, publishers, and businesses. I also offer editorial evaluations and developmental editing on a limited basis.
Recent projects include:
— The Healing Series, Mary Ruth Velicki: Healing with Spirit, 2021; Healing with Awareness, 2019; Healing through Chronic Pain, 2013 (1st ed), 2019 (2nd ed). Developmental & copy edit, proofreading. Currently collaborating on the author's fourth book.
— Feminist Fairytale: A Woman Leader's Guide to Surviving Sexism, Beth Rogers & Allison Mayer-Oaks. Editorial assessment, chapter outline. 2020.
— Finding a New Normal: Living with Chronic Illness. Suzan Jackson, 2020. Copyedit.
— Ramping Your Brand: How to Ride the Killer CPG Growth Curve, James F. Richardson, PhD, Premium Growth Solutions, 2019. Developmental & copy edit, proofreading.
— Target Funding: Discover a Proven System to Get the Money & Resources You Need to Start or Grow Your Business, Kedma Ough, McGraw-Hill, 2019. Proposal, ghostwriting, edit, proofreading.
— ReducedEffort Changeover: The LEAN Way to Quickly Reduce Changeover Downtime, Ron Heiskell, ReducedEffort LLC (1st edition), 2018; Taylor & Francis (2nd edition with new chapter), 2020. Developmental & copy edit, proofreading.
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"Targeting a wider audience has worked perfectly for me, and it was Colleen who saw this opportunity. She helped me attract the right audience and fulfill my book’s true potential!"
--James Richardson, PhD, Ramping Your Brand
See Dr. Richardson's article "Writing for the Right Audience." https://blog.reedsy.com/stories/james-richardson/
"Colleen S.'s attention to detail is matched only by her knowledge of the publishing process. I've continually found her to be one of the most responsive authors and editors I've ever worked with."
—Meredith O'Hayre McCarthy, Managing Editor, Simon & Schuster, Adams Media
"My book, One Simple Idea, reached #1 in three Amazon categories, was in the top 20 of all books sold on Amazon, and received over 50 five-star reviews within a few weeks of its release. This never would have happened without the great work of Colleen S., my ghostwriter. She made my content easy to read and found my voice."
—Stephen Key, One Simple Idea and One Simple Idea for Startups & Entrepreneurs
"Colleen has remarkable command of the English language. Her comments and questions helped me clarify and expand the messages in my books, and her changes made the text accurate and easy to read while maintaining my voice."
—Mary Ruth Velicki, The Healing Series
"Without you this book would not exist. You understood what I was trying to say and said it eloquently. Thank you so much for your tireless editing and wonderful writing."
—Ron Heiskell, Reduced Effort Changeover
Services
Non-Fiction
Languages
Work experience
GRAND Media, LLC
As editor-in-chief of GRAND: The Lifestyle Magazine for Awesome Grandparents (part-time, freelance), my responsibilities included:
* Content management: editorial calendar; sourcing, acquiring, and curating contributed content; developing content in-house
* Sourcing and managing columnists
* Editing and proofreading
* Writing: celebrity profiles (cover stories) and departments
* Photo editor (multi-media): sourcing and acquisition of images as well as audio and video content
Adams Media, a division of Simon & Schuster
As the work-for-hire anthologist/editor of the national best-selling Cup of Comfort book series, I:
* Developed the series in collaboration with the publisher
* Solicited and vetted more than 75,000 submissions
* Compiled and edited (developmental and line) 40 Cup of Comfort books -- 39 anthologies of personal essays and one annotated cookbook (recipes, stories, cooking tips, photographs)
* Copyedited Christian-themed volumes compiled by other editors. Compiled and edited the final Christian-theme Cup of Comfort book.
* Wrote the Cup of Comfort blog, bimonthly e-newsletter, and website content
* Promoted the series via hundreds of media interviews and bookstore appearances
Self-employed
* Line editing, copy editing, proofreading: nonfiction books (all genres), fiction books (all genres), and magazines (consumer and trade)
* Developmental editing: nonfiction books (all genres)
* Book proposal development: nonfiction books (all genres)
* Editorial Evaluation: nonfiction book manuscripts
* Ghostwriting: nonfiction books, corporate legacy books, magazine articles, online content
* Anthologist: curation, editing: creative nonfiction / personal essay
* Editorial management: books, magazines, print and digital
* Copywriting: book marketing (cover, dust jacket, description, synopses)
In the years prior to becoming an independent editor and writer, I moonlit as a freelance book editor, magazine writer, and business copywriter while holding staff positions as a magazine editor, technical writer, and marketing communications manager.
Aster Publishing
As editor-in-chief of two award-winning consumer magazines—Biblio: Exploring the World of Books (monthly) and Mercator's World: The Magazine of Maps, Exploration, and Discovery (bimonthly)—my responsibilities included:
* Content acquisition, development, and management
* Art direction and management
* Maintained editorial and art/design budgets
* Managed all in-house editorial, design, and production staff
* Sourced freelance writers, illustrators, and photographers
* Editing and proofreading
* Occasionally wrote feature articles
* Collaborated with advertising, marketing, and circulation departments
* Created promotional material
* Represented magazines at trade shows and promotional events
Biblio was named #3 of the best new magazines of 1995, by New York Times' magazine editor.
Mercator's World recipient of Folio award for design excellence.