Ellen Goodson Coughtrey – Editor

Hello! I'm Ellen. With over thirteen years in the literary agency world, I bring an experienced eye, nurturing warmth, and big brainstorming energy to my editorial process. Whether you're stuck cycling through ideas or have all your words on the page, I can help your manuscript become its best self.

I offer three tiers of developmental editing services at a range of budgets and levels of granularity, as well as thoughtful line editing and query-related editing. One of my signature offerings is a long consultation call as part of every developmental package -- scheduled *before* I deliver any final written assessment so that I can ask you questions, understand and tailor my feedback to your goals, and brainstorm solutions to your plot and character troubles together.

My particular passion lies with fiction, all sorts, from heart-stopping thrillers to heart-wrenching romance and romantasy (spice welcome!). I unabashedly love a beautiful sentence, and I strive to make sure every story - even a 200,000-word behemoth - has enough urgency and plot to propel the reader along. I read with meticulous attention to detail, and while I critique as honestly as possible, I'll deliver the news, both the praise and the criticism, with compassion. We're a team, writer and editor. I'm here to help you make your work shine, not shut you down.

Finally, if you find yourself near the finish line with your novel, let's talk submission letter and sample. I read dozens of query letters every week, and know all too well the pet peeves and pitfalls that get a pitch tossed out before it's been seriously considered. Together, we'll make your query letter and sample as bulletproof as possible.

So bring me your thorniest plot problems and character woes, your writer's block and your notebook of ideas, even your Best Man speech notes (we'll make them laugh or cry -- up to you!) and we'll get to work.