Holly Vestad

Holly Vestad – Editor

A developmental editor with 10 years of experience helping you tell your story wonderfully, with a focus in nonfiction, memoir and academia.

Overview

I have ten years of experience as an editor, and throughout my career I have helped authors shape their texts into polished works ready for submission. I am driven by the goal to connect writers to their voices and readers to stories.


As a developmental editor, I have woven together a series of disconnected creative essays into a memoir with a beginning, middle, and end that was shortlisted for the Singapore Literary Prize. I have copy-edited numerous award-winning poetry manuscripts, as well as academic monographs, essays, and theses. I am a rigorous, thoughtful, and extremely precise editor known for my attention to detail, and I remain endlessly fascinated by the ways we choose to narrativize our lives. Whatever your manuscript's needs are, I can help!


The books I have edited that have won or been shortlisted for awards include:


Surviving Samsara, K. Goh (memoir, developmental edit, 2022), short listed for the Singapore Literature Prize

Swelling with Pride (memoir, copyedit, 2020), long listed for American Library Association Over the Rainbow 2020 nonfiction category

How She Read, C. Gibson (poetry, copyedit, 2020), runner-up for the Griffin Poetry Prize; winner of the Pat Lowther Memorial and Dorothy Livesay Poetry prizes; and many others.

On/Me, F. Cunningham (poetry, copyedit, 2020), short listed for BC and Yukon Book Prizes; runner-up for Indigenous Voices and City of Vancouver Book awards


"Holly is the best editor I have worked with." — Amélie Ward, PhD, filmmaker


"Special thanks to my amazing editor Holly. Holly got into my psyche and preserved the poetry, playful witty wordplay and lyricism that is integral to my identity... I was privileged to work with Holly on the substantive edit which was one of the most rewarding collaborations I’ve ever experienced with an editor." — Kagan Goh, "Surviving Samsara"


"I hired Holly to edit my text and was elated by the result. Holly was thorough and generous in her corrections, comments and observations. I really feel that she understood my text and what I was going for in my writing, and helped me achieve a clarity and precision of thought I could not have reached on my own." — Gabriel Tremblay-Gaudette, professor of literature


"I hired Holly to copyedit my manuscript, and her consummate professionalism, efficiency, and expertise transformed it from draft to finished copy. In addition to her thorough knowledge of style and house form(s), Holly's careful and insightful reading alerted me to many parts of the manuscript that needed clarity and revision. I am extremely grateful for her work and would hire her again." — Tabitha Sparks, associate professor of English, "Victorian Metafiction"

Services
Non-Fiction
Art Biographies & Memoirs Education & Reference Health & Wellbeing History LGBTQ Non-Fiction Nature
Languages
English (CAN) English (UK) English (US)
Awards
  • FRQSC Doctoral Award
  • Gloriana Martineau Fellowship (McGill)
  • Graduate Research Enhancement and Travel Award (McGill)
  • Salva Klima Award (McGill)
  • Graduate Excellence Fellowship (McGill)
  • SSHRC CGS Masters Scholarship
  • Travel and Minor Research Award (Simon Fraser)
  • Robert Hancock Dunham Entrance Scholarship (Simon Fraser)
  • Special Graduation Entrance Scholarship (Simon Fraser)
  • Undergraduate Open Scholarship (two iterations, Simon Fraser)
  • Excellence Entrance Scholarship (UFV)
  • International Mobility Award (Simon Fraser)

Work experience

Caitlin Press

May, 2018 — Jun, 2019 (about 1 year)

Self-employed

Jan, 2017 — Present

Substantive edits for creative nonfiction, including Kagan Goh's Surviving Samsara (Caitlin Press, 2021), recently shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize in the English Creative Nonfiction category, and copy edits for poetry and academic texts.

McGill University

Sep, 2020 — Present

I provided writing support for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doc students. I designed the tutor sessions depending on the need of the student, which ranged from a better understanding of course material to lessons in grammar, syntax, and essay writing.

McGill University

Sep, 2019 — Apr, 2022 (over 2 years)

I held numerous writing workshops for students. I designed lessons that centred persuasive, clear, grammatically correct, and engaging essay writing. It was crucial here to provide kind and graceful constructive feedback, which is a skill I carry with me in all editing positions.

Simon Fraser University

Sep, 2016 — Dec, 2017 (about 1 year)

I held four teaching assistantships in the English department throughout my Masters degree at Simon Fraser University. Most of these were writing-designated courses, a requirement of all undergraduate students regardless of their faculty. In these courses, I ensured students learned how to write an essay that persuasively organized and expressed their arguments.

NUVO Magazine

May, 2015 — Aug, 2016 (over 1 year)

Caitlin Press

Jan, 2014 — Aug, 2014 (7 months)

Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts

Jan, 2014 — Jan, 2014 (less than a minute)

Portfolio

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Accidental Blooms

Honda PhD, Keiko

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Paradise, Later Years

Quednau, Marion

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
On/Me

Cunningham, Francine

Copy Editing
How She Read

Gibson, Chantal

Copy Editing

Holly has 36 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Christopher B.

Christopher B.

Nov, 2024

Holly is a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and insightful editor who provided excellent input to an early partial draft of a proposed memoir. She clearly had read the submitted material carefully, understood my intention, respected my voice, and provided some terrific suggestions in a written report. After giving me time to absorb and think through her recommendations, we subsequently discussed next...
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Pippa S.

Pippa S.

Nov, 2024

Holly is a joy to work with. She is sensitive, intelligent and thoughtful in her feedback. I am lucky to have found her!
Steve R.

Steve R.

Oct, 2024

Holly is better than good: she's excellent. Her ideas substantially improved my manuscript. It was a pleasure working with her. Holly also gave 100% to the job. She's an outstanding editor.
Aprill E.

Aprill E.

Oct, 2024

Holly was happy to arrange an initial chat with me to help me think about how I might approach a writing project. She did plenty of research leading up to our conversation and came prepared with great advice. Thanks Holly!
Colene L.

Colene L.

Sep, 2024

I can't believe my good fortune in having Holly for my first ever editor. Aside from all the four stars above, you need to know Holly takes a deep interest in her clients' work. It could never be just a job for Holly. She's not just honest, but tells you what you need to know and in the most tactful way. Colene Lee

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