Judith Kern

Judith Kern – Editor

A longtime professional editor of non-fiction, I can help you to deliver your message and make your book even better than you already are.

Overview

I was an editor at major publishers including Doubleday/Random House for many years. My interests and expertise include health and diet (Including cookbooks), spirituality, psychology, memoir (often with a prescriptive element), and working with experts in a particular field (such as medicine) whose goal is to deliver their message in a way that is most accessible and useful to the average lay reader.

For the past 20+ years I have been an independent editor whose goal is always to help the author make his or her voice as compelling as possible. This is a collaborative process. I generally edit in Word (although I can also use Google docs) using the tracking mechanism so that the author can see what changes I'm making and what questions I'm asking. At various points in the process, I send the manuscript to the author to review and respond to the comments. We confer, either by email or on the phone, so that we are always on the same page editorially (and also so that I can actually "hear" the author's voice.) In the end, the author receives a completely edited, finished manuscript that we both believe is ready to submit to an agent or publisher. The author's success is how I judge my own.
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits Health & Wellbeing Psychology Religion & Spirituality Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Literary Fiction
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • Numerous cookbook awards from the James Beard Society and the International Association of Culinary Professionals
Certifications
  • The Author's Guild
  • Book Editors Alliance
  • Women's Media Group

Work experience

Doubleday

Oct, 1989 — Apr, 2000 (over 10 years)

I acquired and edited successful award-winning non-fiction books in areas including health and diet, cookbooks, psychology, memoir/biography, and self-improvement.

Atheneum Publishers

Nov, 1973 — Oct, 1989 (almost 16 years)

Having joined the company as assistant to the editor-in-chief, this was where I "learned" to be an editor, and after many yeas of important experience,finally left as a senior editor to move on to Doubleday.

Self-employed

Apr, 2000 — Present

I work with individuals, agents, and publishers on non-fiction projects in areas including wellness, health, diet, cookbooks, spirituality, psychology, memoir, and self-improvement.

Portfolio

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
The Sugarless Plum

Karz, Zippora

Copy Editing
The Alternate-Day Diet

Johnson M.D., James B.

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
La Cucina Di Lidia

Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio

Copy Editing

Judith has 3 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

James G.

James G.

Sep, 2024

It was a pleasure to work with Judy. She is a professional in every sense of the word. I'm a new author, and her vast experience helped me to see how others will perceive my writing and offered numerous suggestions for improving it at many different levels. In the end she transformed my clumsy writing into something very polished.
Judith K.
Thanks, Jim, It was a pleasure to work with you too, and your understanding of my suggestions made the job that much easier! Good luck going forward. Judy
Pat C.

Pat C.

Jul, 2024

I liked that Judith was very forthright which was what I wanted. She didn’t beat around the bush. Just that she said “it is monstrously long “made me laugh but also wince but in the end I was grateful. She made me realize that my concept of the book was unpublishable. It would never have mass appeal. It was good information. She had some thoughts on how I might make it have more appeal but then...
Read more
Cees B.

Cees B.

Oct, 2023

I just received the editing-work from Judith Kern and it is a very, very useful step in the process of getting a literary agent, Thank you very much Judy for helping me to this point. It has also been a pleasure working with you. Please till an other time. Best regards, Cees Buys.
Judith K.
Thank you, Cees. I am, of course, pleased that you are happy with my work, and it has been a pleasure working with you, too.

Professionals similar to Judith

Get a range of offers by requesting quotes from multiple professionals.

Claire Baldwin

Claire B.

Editor with 20 years experience working with bestselling and award-winning authors - formerly Associate Publisher at Headline, Hachette UK

London, United Kingdom

98% reply rate

View profile
Ellen Christie

Ellen C.

Illustrated non-fiction, art and photography editor with almost ten years of in-house experience.

Kilkenny, Ireland

100% reply rate

View profile
Maya Fowler Sutherland

Maya F.

Upbeat editor of fiction, from general fiction to literary work to children's writing and beyond. Strict but kind!

Revelstoke, BC, Canada

100% reply rate

View profile