Harriet Low – Editor

As a children's and young adult editor, I've worked on novels, picture books, graphic novels, and nonfiction for everyone from the youngest readers to teens. Some of those books have been NYT bestsellers, Barnes and Noble Best Books of the Year, and recipients of awards, starred reviews, and editorial selections. I'm passionate about editing as a collaborative process, books that find ways to surprise readers, propulsive stories that keep kids on the edge of their seats, and voice-driven narratives.

I've worked with many debut and first-time authors as well as seasoned industry veterans to make their work sharper, more accessible, and best-suited to today's children's literature market. Having worked for digital reading platforms and edited webcomic artists, I'm also well-versed and invested in children's online reading habits, and the ways serialized work can successfully come to print. Whether you are workshopping ideas to pursue or honing a final draft, I can offer new insight both into your writing and the marketplace it will soon be a part of.

My developmental editorial style often involves asking questions: why make this choice? What are your goals for this aspect of your work? How can we improve this passage? If you are looking for someone to identify your book's strengths and weaknesses, help you find ways to draw them out or solve them, and show you your own work in a new light, I'd be a great fit! As a line editor, I'm a tinkerer. I relish polishing a piece to its highest possible shine, and can't help adding praise when something is just perfect.

With five years at a major publishing house and experience at independent publishers and publishing adjacent startups, I've assessed hundreds (if not thousands) of proposals, queries, submissions, and samples, and can help you identify ways to positively stand out. I've also worked in a freelance capacity on individual aspects of a book (such as backmatter in a graphic novel) to give it a special edge.