Kristen Weber - Editor
Developmental Editor with 20+ years of experience. I know exactly what it takes to get your manuscript ready for the world.
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Overview
I have worked with hundreds of authors, first as an editor at two of the top book publishers in New York City and now as a freelance editor. I’ve helped my clients land agents, secure deals with publishing houses from big to small (including 6-figure deals!), and publish independently quite successfully, winning awards and hitting bestseller lists.
Hiring a developmental editor like me should be the very first step in your path to publication, whether you are trying to traditionally publish and are only receiving agent rejections or you want to independently publish and make sure your work is perfect before you release it to the world. A developmental edit addresses the content and structure of a manuscript. I provide very extensive page by page notes laying out the basic areas in which a manuscript might be improved, on everything from plot, character development, pace, perspective, and more....basically everything except copy editing, although I will flag any grammar, punctuation, or spelling issues that seriously impede the reading experience.
“I’ve known Kristen for years . She has a keen editorial eye and really knows what it takes to make a book a success, as evidenced by the vast number of award-winning projects she has edited. There’s no question I would recommend Kristen to anyone seeking the best in editorial guidance.”
— Jessica Faust, Literary Agent, Bookends, LLC
I work on all commercial fiction, with a focus on crime fiction and romance. Now, let's get you published!
Hiring a developmental editor like me should be the very first step in your path to publication, whether you are trying to traditionally publish and are only receiving agent rejections or you want to independently publish and make sure your work is perfect before you release it to the world. A developmental edit addresses the content and structure of a manuscript. I provide very extensive page by page notes laying out the basic areas in which a manuscript might be improved, on everything from plot, character development, pace, perspective, and more....basically everything except copy editing, although I will flag any grammar, punctuation, or spelling issues that seriously impede the reading experience.
“I’ve known Kristen for years . She has a keen editorial eye and really knows what it takes to make a book a success, as evidenced by the vast number of award-winning projects she has edited. There’s no question I would recommend Kristen to anyone seeking the best in editorial guidance.”
— Jessica Faust, Literary Agent, Bookends, LLC
Languages
English (US)
Fiction
Contemporary Romance
Cozy Mysteries
Legal Thriller
Medical Thriller
Psychological Thriller
Romantic Suspense
Certifications
- Master's in Publishing, Pace University
Work experience
Freelance Editor
Self-employed
September, 2009
–
Present
(over 13 years)
Senior Editor
New American Library, Penguin Random House
September, 2006
–
May, 2009
(over 2 years)
I worked as a senior editor for Penguin’s New American Library (NAL), where I helped launch Obsidian, their dedicated mystery imprint. Besides running the day-to-day operations of Obsidian, I edited approximately one hundred original titles across all genres. I was also in charge of NAL’s movie/television tie-in program and edited numerous original novels based on TV programs such as Burn Notice, The Unit, Criminal Minds, and Psych.
Senior Editor
Mysterious Press, Warner Books
August, 2000
–
September, 2006
(about 6 years)
I began my career in the subsidiary rights department of what is now Hachette Book Group, but quickly switched to the editorial side, eventually overseeing Grand Central Publishing’s legendary Mysterious Press. There, I worked with many amazing authors, including such luminaries as M. C. Beaton, Lindsey Davis, Margaret Maron, and Marcia Muller.
Portfolio (20 selected works)
Swerve
Vicki Pettersson
The New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author whose “skill at capturing emotion in lyrical passages sets her head and shoulders above her peers” (Publishers Weekly) dives head first into the world of psychological thrillers with “one twisted, horrifying ride [that] kept me up the night after I finished it” (Kim Harrison).When Kristine Rush’s fiancé is abducted from a desolate rest stop e... read more
Lowcountry Boil (A Liz Talbot Mystery Book 1)
Susan M. Boyer
USA TODAY BESTSELLER and AGATHA AWARD WINNER“Imaginative, empathetic, genuine, and fun, Lowcountry Boil is a lowcountry delight.” - Carolyn Hart, Author of What the Cat SawPrivate Investigator Liz Talbot is a modern Southern belle: she blesses hearts and takes names. She carries her Sig 9 in her Kate Spade handbag, and her golden retriever, Rhett, rides shotgun in her hybrid Escape. When her g... read more
An Innocent Client (Joe Dillard Series Book 1)
Scott Pratt
An Innocent Client was a top 100 book in the Kindle Store for all of 2016. The novel has been translated into 10 languages. Joe Dillard is an Amazon two million copy bestselling series. A preacher is found brutally murdered in a Tennessee motel room.A beautiful, mysterious young girl is accused.In this bestselling debut, criminal defense lawyer Joe Dillard has become jaded over the years as he... read more
Protocol (A Maggie O'Malley Mystery Book 1)
Kathleen Valenti
“A page-turner! Smart, fast-paced and surprising.” – Hank Phillippi Ryan, Mary Higgins Clark Award-Winner, Author of Say No MoreFreshly minted college graduate Maggie O’Malley embarks on a career fueled by professional ambition and a desire to escape the past. As a pharmaceutical researcher, she’s determined to save lives from the shelter of her lab. But on her very first day she’s pulled into... read more
Blood Orchids
Toby Neal
Hawaii is palm trees, black sand and blue water-but for policewoman Lei Texeira, there's a dark side to paradise. Lei has overcome a scarred past to make a life for herself as a cop in the sleepy Big Island town of Hilo. On a routine patrol she finds two murdered teenagers-one of whom she'd recently busted. With its echoes of her own past, the murdered girl's harsh life and tragic death affect... read more
*DOWNLOAD 4 FREE ebooks TODAY* and start 4 of Melissa Foster's bestselling series FREE: Lovers at Heart - Sisters in Love - Game of Love - Seaside DreamsVoted BEST BOOK SERIES by Supportive Business Moms, UK LOVERS AT HEART is a SILVER MEDAL WINNER in the Readers' Favorite Awards - Contemporary Romance Category "Foster's tale of stubborn yet persistent love takes us on a heartbreaking and soul... read more
Homicide in Hardcover: A Bibliophile Mystery
Kate Carlisle
Book expert Brooklyn Wainwright discovers that murder is always a bestseller in the first novel in the New York Times bestselling Bibliophile Mystery series.Brooklyn Wainwright is a skilled surgeon. Sure, her patients might smell like mold and have spines made of leather, but no ailing book is going to die on her watch. The same can’t be said of Abraham Karastovsky, Brooklyn’s friend and forme... read more
Go Down Hard
Craig Faustus Buck
Sex, Thugs, and Rock-n-Roll The wild, daring, sexy and outrageously original crime novel from Macavity Award winner and two-time Anthony Award nominee Craig Faustus Buck. Nob Brown is a divorced, disillusioned thirty-something ex-cop turned bottom-feeding tabloid writer. His best friend and occasional lover, Gloria Lopes, is an LAPD detective who needs an Excel spreadsheet to chart her sex lif... read more
The Line (Witching Savannah Book 1)
J.D. Horn
Savannah is considered a Southern treasure, a city of beauty with a rich, colorful past. Some might even call it magical…To the uninitiated, Savannah shows only her bright face and genteel manner. Those who know her well, though, can see beyond her colonial trappings and small-city charm to a world where witchcraft is respected, Hoodoo is feared, and spirits linger. Mercy Taylor is all too fam... read more
Dying for a Taste: A Sally Solari Mystery
Leslie Karst
After losing her mother to cancer, Sally Solari quits her job as an attorney to help her dad run his old-style Italian eatery in Santa Cruz, California. But managing the front of the house is far from her dream job.Then in a sudden twist her Aunt Letta is found murdered in her own restaurant, and Sally is the only one who can keep the place running. But when her sous chef is accused of the cri... read more
Mad Dog House
Mark Rubinstein
Roddy Dolan, a successful suburban surgeon, long ago left behind his past--one that nearly landed him in jail at 17. When he's approached by an old friend about becoming a silent partner in a Manhattan steakhouse, he's understandably wary. So he consults with his lifelong blood brother, Danny Burns.Danny's convinced this "vanity project" is the perfect trophy to illustrate how far they've trav... read more
Death of a Poison Pen (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries Book 19)
Beaton, M. C.
Anonymous: A Madison Kelly Mystery
Breck, Elizabeth
Love, Lacey Donovan (Blue Ridge Book Club 1)
Brashear, Jill
Now I See You
Work, Shannon
All The Good Men (Garrison Chase Thriller Book 3)
Hooper, Craig N.
The Bitter Past: A Mystery
Borgos, Bruce
Killer Story
Witten, Matt
Flash Point: A Romantic Suspense Novel (The Blackwells Book 1) (Steele Ridge: The Blackwells)
Devlyn, Tracey, Ridge, Steele
Kristen has 19 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Kristen was very thorough and gave me great feedback for my query letter! Highly communicative.
Brandy Biegler, January 2023
Kristen edited my debut novel, and those edits really helped me improve the overall story. She's so good at judging narrative pacing and overall story structure, and her suggestions made all the difference. Because of her, I was able to find a literary agent. Literally. The agent read my manuscript just because Kristen had edited it! From there, I sold my first book. I just finished the second ...
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Bruce Borgos, December 2022
Her feedback on my novel has been invaluable. As I go through my revision, I feel that her suggestions are making me a better writer.
Damond Fudge, August 2022
Kristen was really fast, responsive and supportive. Her comments were right on, exactly what I needed. She's flexible and provides great value, exactly what I needed and she encouraged me to ask questions. She definitely got what I was trying to do, and I have to say it again - and she responded amazingly fast!
I wish I had contacted her while I was writing, her developmental edit would have b...
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David Taylor, June 2022
Prior to connecting with Kristen via Reedsy I was petrified as to what to do next regarding content editing. My experience with Kristen and Reedsy was a relief and a pleasure. Thank you.
Richard Domann, September 2021
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