Connolly Bottum

Connolly Bottum - Editor

New York, NY, USA

Former HarperCollins editor specializing in editorial assessments and developmental edits for Young Adult, Middle Grade, and romance novels.

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Overview

Prior to freelancing, I worked as an in-house editor at HarperCollins for five years. At the beginning of my time with the company, I edited romance novels for Harlequin Intrigue, Love Inspired, and Love Inspired Suspense before later becoming an editor for Inkyard Press, a children’s imprint of HarperCollins, which gave me the opportunity to edit many wonderful Young Adult and Middle Grade novels. I am proud to say that books I edited have won awards, become Indie Next picks, and been selected for several subscription book boxes, including OwlCrate, The Bookish Box, and Beacon Book Box, among others.

I specialize in editorial assessments and developmental edits since my favorite part of the editorial process is helping authors to ensure their story structures are as strong as possible. I love exploring new fantastical worlds and inviting authors to consider how they can make their contemporary settings feel more realistic, and I adore the puzzle-like process of figuring out how a novel could feel more cohesive and engaging.

I was raised in San Francisco but later moved to the East Coast to attend Amherst College, where I received a BA in Psychology and English with a concentration in Children’s Literature. I now live in New York City with my Chihuahua mix, Jasper.

I look forward to hearing from you!

***

"Working with Connolly has been one of the highlights of my career. Connolly has a keen editorial eye and excels at helping writers play to their strengths, while never losing sight of their unique voice and perspective. She's also an amazing cheerleader—her encouraging notes make all the difference during the revision process. I've grown as a writer thanks to Connolly, and I would eagerly work with her in the future!" —Mara Rutherford, author of The Poison Season, Luminous, and the Crown of Coral and Pearl duology
Languages
English (CAN)
English (UK)
English (US)
Fiction
Contemporary Romance
Middle Grade
Middle Grade Fantasy
New Adult
Paranormal Romance
Romantic Suspense
Urban Fantasy
Young Adult Fantasy

Work experience

Freelance Editor

Self-employed
May, 2022 – Present (11 months)

Associate Editor

Inkyard Press/HarperCollins
October, 2021 – May, 2022 (7 months)

• Acquired and edited 7-9 books annually for Inkyard Press, an imprint publishing young adult and middle grade novels, while also preparing materials for paperback editions of titles released previously in hardcover
• Wrote copy for all of my projects, optimizing the voice and content for the intended audience

Assistant Editor

Inkyard Press and Harlequin Intrigue
October, 2019 – October, 2021 (about 2 years)

• Acquired and edited approximately 4-6 Inkyard titles and 8-10 romance titles annually

Subsidiary Rights/Editorial Assistant

Harlequin/HarperCollins
November, 2017 – October, 2019 (almost 2 years)

• Worked as the departmental assistant for Harlequin Intrigue and Harlequin’s Subsidiary Rights and Audio team
• Served as the editor for five authors who write for Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense

Intern

Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC
June, 2016 – August, 2016 (2 months)

• Read and evaluated over 200 queries to determine which manuscripts should be requested for further consideration
• Wrote over 30 reader’s reports comprised of synopses, evaluations, and recommendations in order to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of manuscripts

Portfolio (31 selected works)

The Poison Season

Rutherford, Mara

A Forgery of Roses

Olson, Jessica S.

Luminous

Rutherford, Mara

This Is Why We Lie

Lepore, Gabriella

Sing Me Forgotten

Olson, Jessica S.

I Like Me Better

Weber, Robby

Every Time You Go Away

Johnson, Abigail

The Last One to Fall

Lepore, Gabriella

You Truly Assumed

Sabreen, Laila

These Vengeful Hearts

Laurin, Katherine

A Multitude of Dreams

Rutherford, Mara

Connolly has 4 reviews

Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality

Gabriela Lanza
I'd never worked with editor an editor before, and as such, I was a bit nervous when it came time to send my query materials to Connolly. But I didn't need to be! Connolly gave such helpful and insightful feedback on my materials, plus she was supportive and encouraging in her comments. I would absolutely work with her again, and highly recommend that you do, too!

Gabriela Lanza, March 2023

Connolly Bottum
Thank you so much, Gabriela! I really enjoyed your work, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to explore the amazing world you created. I wish you all the best as you begin your search for an agent.

Reply from Connolly Bottum


E.F. Smith
Connolly was professional while providing thoughtful and useful feedback on my work. She was also able to share her perspective on the publishing industry and helped me cater my query letter to agents.

E.F. Smith, March 2023

Connolly Bottum
Thank you so much, Eleanor! I truly enjoyed working with you, and I hope to see your wonderful novel on shelves very soon.

Reply from Connolly Bottum


Thaily Vallejo
Hello everyone, Connolly did a terrific job revising my materials. Her feedback was accurate and helpful. She answered my questions and gave me the answer I needed. I recommend her 100% to anyone who might require her services.

Thaily Vallejo, February 2023

Connolly Bottum
Thank you so much, Thaily! Working with you has been such a pleasure, and I wish you all the best as you search for an agent.

Reply from Connolly Bottum


Wayne Grabert
Connolly gave me some very helpful feedback when reviewing my query package. She made the extra effort to suggest some better comp titles for my novel, for which I am very grateful.

Wayne Grabert, January 2023

Connolly Bottum
Thank you so much for your kind words, Wayne! I really enjoyed working with you, and I wish you the best in your search for an agent.

Reply from Connolly Bottum

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