Crystal Branson – Editor

I’m a children’s, middle grade, and YA editor with over fourteen years of combined experience in freelance editing and traditional publishing. Before moving into publishing, I spent ten years working directly with students in K-12 and early childhood education, including special education. As a preschool teacher, I had the opportunity to introduce children to the type of books that I now edit. These experiences gave me an intuitive sense of how kids across different age groups process language and storytelling. It directly informs my editorial eye and fuels my advocacy for neurodiversity and disability representation in literature.

I also bring over five years of experience as a production editor at a traditional publisher, working with hundreds of authors to help bring their books from early drafts to a print-ready edition. Through the production process, I’ve typeset books, supported authors, and worked with other departments and printing vendors to make sure the final files are ready for publication.

Throughout my experience in publishing, my favorite part is supporting authors as they bring their story from a rough manuscript to a polished book ready for readers to enjoy.