Courtney Andersson - Editor
Experienced science fiction & fantasy editor in love with the art & science of editing. I'll help you tell your story, your way.
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Overview
Hi there!
I'm a firm believer that stories have the power to change the world, and I would love the opportunity to provide the perspective, expertise, and guidance that will help you tell the story that will change your world.
Throughout my career as both an in-house and freelance editor I’ve shepherded dozens of books through the publishing process, including one New York Times Best Seller, one Ippy Award winner, and several IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award winners. I know what it takes to write, edit, and publish a book that fans will love, and every book I've worked on has 4 star+ reviews on Amazon.
I take a creative, kind, and conscientious approach while still making sure you end up with a piece that both sounds like you and resonates with the audience you're targeting. Basically, nobody particularly likes being told they have a problem with, say, dangling modifiers, but it's just one of those things that has to be said, and I promise I'll say it nicely. If I can provide cake or pizza to soften the blow, I will.
So, in sum, send me all the stuff! Let's get the word nerd party started.
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PROJECT TYPES: novels, novellas, short stories, blogs, newsletters, website content
GENRE SPECIALIZATIONS: science fiction & fantasy and all its subgenres (epic fantasy, urban fantasy, litRPG/gamelit, paranormal romance, space opera, dystopian, steampunk, post-apocalyptic, alternate history, time travel, etc.)
EDITORIAL SPECIALIZATIONS: developmental & line editing (world building, character development, plot structure, narrative style), ensemble pieces, working with new authors
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HAPPY AUTHORS
“Having Courtney as my copy editor was a breeze and a blessing. It was amazing to work with someone sincerely enthusiastic about the story and its future, and I felt myself grow as a writer alongside my developing manuscript.”
- D. N. BRYN, author of Our Bloody Pearl
“Shuteye feels very polished and professional, and that wouldn't have happened without Courtney. Even the non-technical stuff—the in-depth character adjustments for the secondary characters, tightening up the plot, and tweaks to world-building—have all really matured since I sent her draft #30, and most of it is stuff I wouldn't have considered on my own.”
- BRONSON MCLEOD, author of Shuteye
“Courtney is responsive, responsible, enthusiastic, and thoughtful, editing gently but probingly. Her pruning and editing with such attention was both welcome and a relief, and it improved the manuscript significantly. Thank God for good editors like her who lighten one’s heavy loads!”
- KAMLA KAPUR, author of The Singing Guru
“It was so refreshing to work with such a knowledgeable and courteous editor. Courtney always kept the line of communication open, met every deadline, and worked very diligently to maintain my voice. She made the editing process smooth. I had such a great experience, and I look forward to working with her when I finish my next book.”
- CHANDRA BROADNAX-PAYNE, author of You Go Girl: 25 Ways to Step into Your Greatness
I'm a firm believer that stories have the power to change the world, and I would love the opportunity to provide the perspective, expertise, and guidance that will help you tell the story that will change your world.
Throughout my career as both an in-house and freelance editor I’ve shepherded dozens of books through the publishing process, including one New York Times Best Seller, one Ippy Award winner, and several IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award winners. I know what it takes to write, edit, and publish a book that fans will love, and every book I've worked on has 4 star+ reviews on Amazon.
I take a creative, kind, and conscientious approach while still making sure you end up with a piece that both sounds like you and resonates with the audience you're targeting. Basically, nobody particularly likes being told they have a problem with, say, dangling modifiers, but it's just one of those things that has to be said, and I promise I'll say it nicely. If I can provide cake or pizza to soften the blow, I will.
So, in sum, send me all the stuff! Let's get the word nerd party started.
-----------------------------
PROJECT TYPES: novels, novellas, short stories, blogs, newsletters, website content
GENRE SPECIALIZATIONS: science fiction & fantasy and all its subgenres (epic fantasy, urban fantasy, litRPG/gamelit, paranormal romance, space opera, dystopian, steampunk, post-apocalyptic, alternate history, time travel, etc.)
EDITORIAL SPECIALIZATIONS: developmental & line editing (world building, character development, plot structure, narrative style), ensemble pieces, working with new authors
------------------------------
HAPPY AUTHORS
“Having Courtney as my copy editor was a breeze and a blessing. It was amazing to work with someone sincerely enthusiastic about the story and its future, and I felt myself grow as a writer alongside my developing manuscript.”
- D. N. BRYN, author of Our Bloody Pearl
“Shuteye feels very polished and professional, and that wouldn't have happened without Courtney. Even the non-technical stuff—the in-depth character adjustments for the secondary characters, tightening up the plot, and tweaks to world-building—have all really matured since I sent her draft #30, and most of it is stuff I wouldn't have considered on my own.”
- BRONSON MCLEOD, author of Shuteye
“Courtney is responsive, responsible, enthusiastic, and thoughtful, editing gently but probingly. Her pruning and editing with such attention was both welcome and a relief, and it improved the manuscript significantly. Thank God for good editors like her who lighten one’s heavy loads!”
- KAMLA KAPUR, author of The Singing Guru
“It was so refreshing to work with such a knowledgeable and courteous editor. Courtney always kept the line of communication open, met every deadline, and worked very diligently to maintain my voice. She made the editing process smooth. I had such a great experience, and I look forward to working with her when I finish my next book.”
- CHANDRA BROADNAX-PAYNE, author of You Go Girl: 25 Ways to Step into Your Greatness
Languages
English (US)
Fiction
Dystopian
Epic Fantasy
Gaming & LitRPG
Paranormal Romance
Post-Apocalyptic
Space Opera
Urban Fantasy
Young Adult Fantasy
Certifications
- UC Berkeley Professional Sequence in Editing Certification
- Bachelor of Arts in English from University of California, Berkeley
Awards
- H.W. Hill Scholarship in English
Work experience
Freelance Editor
Self-employed
June, 2017
–
Present
(over 3 years)
Founding editor of Elevation Editorial, a freelance editorial service that offers developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, professional critiques, and professional publishing proposals to authors.
Associate Editor
Mandala Publishing / Earth Aware Editions / Insight Editions
June, 2014
–
May, 2017
(almost 3 years)
Acquiring and project editor for all titles under the Mandala Publishing and Earth Aware Editions imprints (10-12 books per year) and project editor for Insight Editions. As the only editor working on the Mandala & Earth Aware imprints, I collaborated closely with authors, designers, salespeople, and marketers throughout the acquisitions, editorial, design, and production phases of publishing.
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Book Awards:
Fantastic Fungi
IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards - Nature & Environment: GOLD
***
The Journey Within
New York Times Best Seller || IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards - Body, Mind, Spirit: GOLD || 2016 Nautilus Award - Inner Prosperity / Right Livelihood: GOLD
***
World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook
IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards - Cookbooks: GOLD || IPPY Awards - General Cookbooks: BRONZE
***
Shadows of the Sun Dynasty
IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards - Teen Fiction: SILVER || 2016 Nautilus Award - Religion / Spirituality of Eastern Thought: SILVER
***
Sacred Scripts
2017 PubWest Book Design Awards - Gift / Holiday / Specialty: GOLD
Portfolio (29 selected works)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Official Grimoire: A Magickal History of Sunnydale
A. M. Robinson, Willow Rosenberg
This grimoire from the baddest witch around will teach potential slayers and aspiring wiccans everything they’ll ever need to know about magic in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Every good witch has a grimoire, and Willow Rosenberg is no exception. The Official Grimoire is the first and only truly comprehensive collection of every magical moment from all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, hu... read more
World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook
Chelsea Monroe-Cassel
Prepare a feast fit for a warchief with World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, a delicious compendium of recipes inspired by Blizzard Entertainment’s hit online game.Prepare a feast fit for a warchief with World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, a compendium of sweet and savory recipes inspired by the hit game from Blizzard Entertainment. Presenting delicacies favored by the Horde and the... read more
Son of a Liche (The Dark Profit Saga Book 2)
J. Zachary Pike
A doubly disgraced dwarven hero. A band of accident-prone adventurers. Giving redemption a second shot may have been a grave mistake…Still bruised and heartbroken from their last calamitous quest, Gorm Ingerson and his band of washed-up heroes try to make amends for the Orcs they accidentally betrayed. But justice is put on hold when an old foe marches to the city gates. Gorm is horrified to d... read more
Pawn: An Epic Fantasy Trilogy (Night of the Dark Fae Book 1)
Ford, Angela J.
The ocean is uncontrollable and dangerous. But to the sirens who swim the warm island waters, it’s a home more than worth protecting from the humans and their steam-propelled ships. Between their hypnotic voices and the strength of their powerful tails, sirens have little to fear. That is, until the ruthless pirate captain, Kian, creates a device to cancel out their songs. Perle was the first ... read more
Divinity Falling
Nour Zikra
Fierce twenty-two-year-old Addy hasn't had the easiest of circumstances. Then she runs into Adriel, a half-naked young man with major back burns, kickstarting a series of disasters in her life, mainly her younger brother Reed disappearing into thin air with a strange man. She immediately suspects Adriel is the culprit. After all, Reed's kidnapper had the exact same burn marks on his back.Adrie... read more
No Way Home
Cooper-Burnett, Christy
Scab Among the Stars (Lunar Lives Book 1)
J.T.R. Brown
Seven gods, seven moons, seven tribes, and one planet. Each moon orbiting the planet Chancel is the sovereign domain of one of the gods, and when a human dies on the planet, they are resurrected into lunar life on the moon of their tribe’s deity. For Rin’za, an initiate oracle of a time-scrying agency, life on Chancel is peaceful and predictable. Then he receives a prophecy that a child sacrif... read more
Machines and Fever Dreams: Ten Surreal Tales
Brown, J.T.R.
A Red Sun Rises (The New Earth Trilogy)
Van Brunt, K.D.
Cryogenesis (Tech Hunter)
Ryan Clark
Cryogenesis is a dual narrative of discovery, shifting between the towering starscrapers of a futuristic Earth to the post-apocalyptic landscape of fallen super-cities.In the year 2994, Ambassador Jance Lorège is nearly killed alongside her friend and colleague in a government cover-up. Jance then decides to turn against everything she holds dear and allies with Avery Thorne, a member of an el... read more
Awakened Runes (The Rune Fire Cycle Book 1)
VanGundy, Lance
Spacejunk! The Hunt for AI
Zettl, Rebecca
No Man's World: Book I - Imposition
Jordan, Adam
A Song of Three Spirits
J. Zachary Pike
When life gave Fenrir Goldson a second chance, he asked for a gift receipt.Mr. Goldson is filthy rich. He’s also callous and cruel and hasn’t got a festive bone in his ancient body. Naturally, he’s due for a holiday haunting.When his business partner, Bolbi Baggs, announces that they’re to be visited by three spirits, Mr. Goldson braces himself for a whirlwind tour of his past, present, and fu... read more
Shuteye: Welcome to America
Bronson McLeod
Keith has always wanted to make a difference, but as a regular guy surrounded by superheroes, that dream has always seemed unattainable. That is, until he’s tapped for Shuteye, a secret government program founded in case of apocalypse—and in Keith’s world, the end of the world can come in many forms. From a meteor on a collision course with Earth to the always-possible threat of nuclear war, t... read more
Companion to the film Fantastic Fungi. Contributions from Michael Pollan, Andrew Weil, Eugenia Bone, and many more expterts make Fantastic Fungi an awe-inspiring visual journey through the exotic, little-known realm of fungi and its amazing potential to positively influence our lives.An all-star team of professional and amateur mycologists, artists, foodies, ecologists, doctors, and explorers ... read more
Set in a world of kings and queens, celestial battles, invisible foes, and family rivalries, this epic tale forges legends in the fires of betrayal and prophecy.In this one-of-a-kind trilogy based on the Ramayana, the darkness in the kingdom of Ayodhya continues to spread as Rama, rightful heir and favored son of King Dasharatha, is cast out of the city after an unthinkable betrayal. Facing a ... read more
Welcome to the royal city of Ayodhya, a realm ruled by the Sun dynasty, where peace reigns among the citizens while discord simmers behind the palace walls. A prophecy predicts that a son of the Sun dynasty will slay the immortal Ravana and defeat his demon army—but how will a mere human succeed where all the gods have failed?Meanwhile, Ayodhya’s emperor is torn between his own needs and the n... read more
Part fiction, history, and mythology, this unconventional retelling of the life of divine spiritual master Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh religion and revered by Muslims and Hindus alike, provides an intimate look at the enlightened Guru while bringing his ancient wisdom to a modern audience.From the best-selling author of Ganesha Goes to Lunch and Rumi’s Tales from the Silk Road comes an ori... read more
Yogasana: The Encyclopedia of Yoga Poses
Yogrishi Ph.D. Vishvketu
Filled with chakra activation charts, images and descriptions of over eight hundred poses, and Sanskrit translation guides, this comprehensive encyclopedia makes the spirituality, practice, and language of yoga more accessible than ever before.Packed with over eight hundred individual poses performed by renowned practitioner Yogrishi Vishvketu, Yogasana: The Encyclopedia of Yoga Poses is the m... read more
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret
Keegan Kuhn, Kip Andersen
Discover the biggest issue in conservation today. This companion to the documentary Cowspiracy explores the impacts of the most environmentally destructive industry on the planet: animal agriculture. The award-winning documentary Cowspiracy presents alarming truths about the effects of animal agriculture on the planet. One of the leading causes of deforestation, greenhouse gas production, wate... read more
You Go Girl: 25 Ways to Step Into Your Greatness
Chandra Broadnax-Payne
Within the heart of every woman lies a champion just waiting to be unleashed. In You Go Girl: 25 Ways to Step into Your Greatness, author and motivational speaker Chandra Broadnax-Payne will take you on an empowering, step-by-step journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and self-love. Through down-to-earth language, relatable and funny personal anecdotes, and reflection questions at the end of ... read more
Swami in a Strange Land: How Krishna Came to the West
Joshua M. Greene
Discover the man behind the movement in this intimate biography of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).In 1965, a seventy-year-old man—soon to be known as Prabhupada—set sail from India to America with a few books in his bag, pennies in his pockets, and a message of love in his heart. He landed in New York at the peak of t... read more
Explore the uncharted Amazon with acclaimed botanist and pioneering Amazonian explorer, Richard Evans Schultes, guided by an intimate narrative that supplements his photography of indigenous tribes, hallucinogenic plants, stunning vistas, and much more.
To Tame a Human: A Dying Cat Taught Me How to Live
Bee Monarch, Mett Cat
Pet cats don’t just eat, sleep, and manipulate humans. Some, like Mett, are wise teachers who make deep, permanent changes to their beloved humans’ lives in ways that other humans cannot. To Tame a Human: A Dying Cat Taught Me How to Live is Mett’s account of how his incurable illness—kidney failure—forced his guardian, Bee Monarch, to face her weaknesses. She had to change her relationship to... read more
Insightful quotes written in Tibetan calligraphy are paired with photos of Buddhas from around the world to create this collection of timeless iconography. Calligraphy has held an honored place in the spiritual traditions of Tibet. Monks dedicate their lives to mastering the many subtleties of the art, often spending years transcribing sacred Buddhist manuscripts. The carefully composed lines ... read more
Trees: Between Earth and Heaven (1)
Gregory McNamee
Art Wolfe’s immersive photos capture the wonder humans have felt about trees for millennia.From the biblical Tree of Life to the Native American Tree of Peace, trees have played an archetypal role in human culture and spirituality since time immemorial. An integral part of a variety of faiths—from Buddhism and Hinduism to Native American and aboriginal religions—trees were venerated long befor... read more
Silent Kingdom reveals the world beneath the waves in an ethereal collection of black-and-white underwater photography. Through stunning black-and-white images, award-winning photographer Christian Vizl uses a masterful control of light and shadow to portray the creatures of the sea as they are rarely seen, at home in the ethereal world beneath the waves. From capturing the ferocity of sharks ... read more
Courtney has 18 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Courtney helped me develop a project for a sub-genre that I was not as experienced with writing. While I was familiar with many of the tropes, she helped me with the genre's nuances, and everything came together nicely. She helped me keep track of all of the characters and stats that helped when executing it in my prose. Many developmental editors I've used in the past cover one pass. Still, Co...
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David Goodin, October 2020
After having worked with Courtney on a developmental edit of my story, I knew I’d return to her for line editing as well, and again, I have nothing but good things to say about Courtney and her work!
The line edit she did was very detailed and of high quality, her suggestions and notes were always spot on, and she even finished this project an entire week ahead of schedule! I mean, what more c...
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Vladimir Radojković, September 2020
I think Courtney is Hawkgirl without the uniform - her eyes see everything! I can confidently say that I am a better writer now because of her. The hardest part of growing as an author was altering the way I approached a manuscript. With her guidance, I was able to revise some of my other work and better prepare for my future material.
Thank you for the work that you do, Courtney!
-DJ
Dartanyan Johnson, August 2020
This is my second collaboration with Courtney and will definitely not be my last. She is everything and more one could ask from an editor.
Adam Jordan, July 2020
Courtney was wonderful to work with. Her suggestions helped me fix some knotty plot problems and were really in keeping with the style and themes of my book. My book is greatly improved for her input. Plus she was super professional and friendly.
Rebecca Zettl, May 2020
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Celia Chalfoun
Science fiction and fantasy editor (English and French). I emphasize on world creation, point of view/viewpoint and delivery of information.
Kim Halstead
I'm an experienced editor in all stages of text development, and I'm just as socially awkward as you are. Let's chat.
Seattle, WA, USA
