Overview
Prior to freelancing, I worked as an in-house editor at HarperCollins for nearly 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!
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"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
Services
Fiction
Languages
Work experience
Self-employed
Inkyard Press/HarperCollins
• 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
Inkyard Press and Harlequin Intrigue
• Acquired and edited approximately 4-6 Inkyard titles and 8-10 romance titles annually
Harlequin/HarperCollins
• 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
Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC
• 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
Connolly has 34 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
Amanda K.
Apr, 2024
Emily S.
Mar, 2024
Edward P.
Mar, 2024
Cheryl D.
Feb, 2024
Dana M.
Feb, 2024
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