Haley Biermann – Editor

I am a creative writer and editor based in Nashville, TN. After working in three leading acquisitions and editorial departments, I am well-prepared to guide your manuscript to a shiny, compelling, and publishable state.

I am lucky to have collaborated on books by Ijeoma Oluo, Philip Ball, and Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. But don't be intimidated by the big names—I've also worked on stories by my friend and emerging writer, Ben, with equal enthusiasm (Ben says hi!).

Author of six short creative works and graduate of Emmanuel College's publishing program, I thrive working on imaginative and character-driven stories. Writing's hard. I'm going to be the little voice (and email and Zoom call and picture of a cat that kind of looks like Kurt Vonnegut) telling you to keep going. The feeling you get after receiving an acceptance letter? It's totally worth it.

So, let's talk about what you're working on!

Do you have a killer idea for a novel, but you're scared an attempt at structure will . . . well, kill it? Have you finished a draft of your short story collection but think it's lacking in consistent style or clean prose? Is your memoir starting to read like a clash between David Sedaris and Ernest Hemingway but NOT in a fun way?

Whatever stage you're in, I'm excited to work with you on making your story's vision a reality. I'd love to help with developmental editing, structural editing, line editing, copyediting, or proofreading. Don't know what your story needs? I'd love to help with that too.

So, you hired me! (Or not . . . It's fine . . . I'm not bitter or anything . . .) Now what?

Once we've established your goals and ideal timeline, I will outline the steps for your chosen editorial need. You will understand exactly what I'm responsible for assisting you with, and all of my suggestions will be highlighted for your approval.

Think of me as your book midwife: This is YOUR baby. I'm here to ensure a smooth and positive experience for you and your manuscript.

Happy writing! I hope to connect soon.

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"I worked with Haley B. on a short fiction project, and I was thrilled with her service. She worked within my timeline—and style—to provide a blend of developmental, in-line, and proofreading edits. With the more significant and impactful revisions, she gave me clear and concise reasons why a particular word or passage wasn't working, but she also pointed out sections that worked well. In fiction, an editor must understand the protagonist's world. Haley quickly absorbed the culture in which my protagonist was operating, and her developmental comments were sound and logical. After working with Haley, my story was better, but I also felt that I had improved as a writer!"

—Pearson O'Meara, Crime Fiction Writer