Jordan Hamessley – Editor

I’ve always been a creative person who loves helping creators tell their story to the best of their ability with over a decade of publishing experience. Over the course of my career I’ve worked at publishing houses large (Penguin Young Readers) and small (Egmont USA). I’ve worked as an editor of middle grade and young adults novels, along with a large amount of licensed publishing programs, and the occasional adult novel and memoir. I’ve run a small press (Adaptive Books), overseeing the entire publishing process from acquiring and editing the books, and working with the team there to develop the books into commercial Hollywood properties. Let me help you tell your story!

Testimonials:

Working with Jordan to edit Scar Girl was an absolute delight. That's not to say it was an easy edit. Jordan didn't pull any punches in helping me find the right path to make the book the best it could be. Without Jordan's help, Scar Girl would have never received a starred review from Kirkus and other accolades. Jordan rocks. — Len Vlahos, Morris Award nominated author of The Scar Boys and Scar Girl

I was so fortunate to have Jordan as my first editor. And she was more than just an editor for I HEART BAND; together, we created a four-book series populated with characters we both adored. From our very first phone call, Jordan was full of ideas about plot and themes, and she was open to my ideas as well. She helped me through every step of the process, from outlining to drafting to revising. Jordan doesn't shy away from offering the deep criticism necessary to take a book to the next level, but she balances that tough feedback with tons of encouragement. Her support gave me a new confidence in myself as an author, and it's no exaggeration to say my career wouldn't exist if it hadn't been for her. — Michelle Schusterman, author of the I Heart Band series

I worked with Jordan on my debut novel, Bleeding Earth. She found all the gaps and weaknesses in my manuscript, and helped me turn it into a beautiful finished product that earned a starred review from Kirkus. I'm so happy with the way the book turned out, and it would not have happened without Jordan. Her editorial suggestions were clear and thoughtful and thorough, and she was always willing to talk about anything in more detail if I needed. I would jump at the chance to work with her again in the future, and I would recommend her to anyone. — Kaitlin Ward, author of Bleeding Earth


I've had the pleasure of working with Jordan both as an author and as a colleague. She is one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic editors I know. Jordan has a keen eye for what makes a great story, and she knows how to guide authors to bring out the best in their writing. Her editorial letters are thorough, insightful, and--best of all--often quite funny. Writers who get Jordan's eyes on their work should consider themselves lucky! — Rebecca Behrens, author of The Summer of Lost and Found

Jordan acquired and edited my middle-grade series, the Gustav Gloom novels. It was at novel length my most sustained and beneficial experience with any editor. Her clear vision for the books, her fine attention to detail, her flexibility and her red pen were all instrumental in making the books all that they could be. She was a pleasure to work with and I would do it again in a heartbeat. — Adam-Troy Castro, author of the Gustav Gloom series