Crystal Velasquez – Editor

While I began my career as a production editor for Tor Books and Penguin Random House, for the past five years I have been an editor for a book packager specializing in children's books. I am also a freelance proofreader and copy editor for major publishers, working on everything from romance and mysteries to cookbooks and business titles. Some notable books I've worked on include The Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell, More Myself by Alicia Keyes, Facing the Sun by Janice Lynn Mather, A Place to Belong by Cynthia Kadohata, and many, many more. In addition, I am a published author, having written several books for middle grade or younger readers, the most recent being four American Girl chapter books, the Hunters of Chaos series, and Just Princesses, a graphic novel in which Princess Katrina and her friends go on a quest to save the world after her evil stepmother casts a spell that backfires and gets rid of all the adults in the kingdom. (Don't you hate it when that happens?) As a writer myself, I know how scary it can be to turn your work over to someone else and hope they don't tear it apart. I can guarantee that I'll be gentle yet honest. I'll help you fix structure problems, awkward syntax, plot holes, and typos--all while retaining your voice and style. We'll work together to whip your manuscript into shape without ever having to step foot in the gym! My hope is that you'll be proud of the final result. Let's get started!