Lisa Kaufman

Lisa Kaufman – Editor

Developmental editor of narrative nonfiction books (and proposals) with 35 years' experience at major trade publishers and literary agencies

Overview

Drawing on decades of experience as a book editor and marketing director for trade publishers in New York, and a decade-plus teaching creative writing, I help writers shape ideas and words for maximum impact. Editorial services include proposal and manuscript evaluation, developmental and line editing, and book development. Five recent proposals I helped to write earned six figure advances. I also work with writers at earlier stages of book development to provide guidance and advice, elicit and shape material, and coach progress.


I've worked with authors developing books for Atria, Cambridge University Press, Little Brown, Penguin Press, SoundsTrue, Skyhorse, and Zando, and for literary agencies, book publishers, and nonprofit organizations including Aevitas Creative Management, Basic Books, Bold Type/Nation Books, PublicAffairs, Portfolio/Current, DaCapo/Hachette Go, Northwell Health, Open Society Institute, Running Press, The Narrative Trust, and Seal Press.


My approach to editing and content development is informed by my expertise in book marketing. I know what publishers look for in acquiring books, what they need to sell them to colleagues and consumers, and how to help authors develop book proposals and manuscripts that deliver.


A sampling of testimonials from authors:


“Without Lisa’s skills and passion, the proposal wouldn’t have been a success that attracted five competing bids. Her thinking and smart edits were substantive and critical to making the book happen. My weekly calls with Lisa became a source of delight to me with equal parts humor, collaboration and productivity that I will always cherish. There would be no NAMI book without Lisa.”

--Ken Duckworth, M.D., author of You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health


“Lisa K has edited all of my books with patience and keen insight. She has a genius for being able to read a 90,000 word manuscript, digest the entire thing, and then explain how it needs to be organized to make it better. I am extremely lucky to have such a skilled editor and dear friend.”

--Robert Bryce, author of Power Hungry and A Question of Power


“Lisa K is smart and exacting with her critiques. But she’s also compassionate and kind, and made me feel like I had a partner, not just an editor.”

- Amy Haimerl, author of Detroit Hustle


“Lisa seemed magically to become an extension of my own passion and mental picture for my book. She nurtured me every step of the long writing journey and helped me express my tale with a clarity that would have eluded me.”

--Richard Lewis, actor, comedian, author of The Other Great Depression


“Smart and deft work, which greatly improved [my] book. . . I know of no better book editor anywhere.”

--G. Wayne Miller, author of Toy Wars, Men and Speed, and Car Crazy

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Health & Wellbeing History Humanities & Social Sciences Political Science & Current Affairs Psychology
Awards
  • Virginia Center for the Creative Arts 2023 fellowship
  • Finalist, American Society of Journalists & Authors ANDY Award for Best Book Collaboration: Prescriptive Nonfiction

Work experience

Self-employed

Dec, 2014 — Present

I provide a full range of editorial services to book publishers, literary agents, and individual authors, including manuscript and proposal evaluation, proposal development, conceptual and structural editing, line editing, and writing instruction/ coaching. Genres & categories include Biography/Memoir, Current Events/Politics, History, Psychology, Health & Wellness, Parenting, Education, Public Health, Sports, and an occasional mystery/thriller.

PublicAffairs

Sep, 1997 — Nov, 2014 (about 17 years)

I helped to found and provided creative direction for this 'small but noisy' independent nonfiction trade book publishing company for 17 years, while also acquiring and editing books. Books I've acquired and/or edited have been New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and regional bestsellers; and winners of and finalists for the Overseas Press Club, Helen Bernstein, Ralph Gleason, Action Against Hunger, Harry Chapin, and Books for a Better Life awards; among others.

Carol Publishing Group

Nov, 1996 — Jun, 1997 (7 months)

Acquiring editor for a now-defunct, pop-culture-oriented publisher. Specialized in self-help, spirituality, quiz books and travel guides.

Viking Penguin

Jul, 1992 — Aug, 1995 (about 3 years)

Managed copywriting for and production of all annual catalogs, consumer ads, and promotional materials for Viking and Penguin imprints, and cover copywriting for all Penguin paperbacks. Wrote Penguin Classics reading group guides cited by booksellers as the best available from any publisher (Publishers Weekly).

Viking Penguin

Sep, 1988 — Apr, 1990 (over 1 year)

Acquired and edited books in diverse genres for both hardcover and paperback imprints, with particular responsibility for mysteries. Some of my favorites: Feature Filmmaking at Used Car Prices (in print for 20+ years in two editions) by indie filmmaker Rick Schmidt and Rock Critic Murders by Austin-based rock guitarist Jesse Sublett.

Viking Penguin

May, 1986 — Sep, 1988 (over 2 years)

Random House

Dec, 1984 — May, 1986 (over 1 year)

University of Texas

Nov, 1982 — Dec, 1984 (about 2 years)

Assisted the internationally bestselling author as he drafted his novel, Texas.

Portfolio

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
The authors of The Red Web examine the shifting role of Russian expatriates throughout history, and their complicated, unbreakable relationship with the mother country---be it antagonistic or ... read more
Developmental Editing
The psychiatric establishment in the Western world has unanimously branded addiction a brain disease. And the idea that an addict has an incurable illness, as opposed to a contemptible moral w... read more
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
“Paul Farmer, doctor and aid worker, offers an inspiring insider's view of the relief effort.”—Financial Times “The book's greatest strength lies in its depiction of the post-quake chaos In th... read more
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
In the ancient world it was guns, germs, and steel that determined the fates of people and nations; now, more than ever, it is electricity.Global demand for power is doubling every two decades... read more
Developmental Editing
It was the 1960s--a time of economic boom and social strife. Young women poured into the workplace, but the "Help Wanted" ads were segregated by gender and the "Mad Men" office culture was rif... read more
Developmental Editing
Now a Showtime original seriesIn the mid-1970s, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Andy Kaufman, Richard Lewis, Robin Williams, Elayne Boosler, Tom Dreesen, and several hundred other shameless showoff... read more
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
A political scientist explains how the American immigration system ran off the rails -- and proposes a bold plan for reform Under the Trump administration, US immigration agencies terrorize th... read more
Developmental Editing
A sweeping global human history that describes the separate beginnings of the world's major cultural movements - Confuscianism, Islam, Judeo-Christianity and Nomadism - and the dramatic, somet... read more
Developmental Editing
Through the story of the brief, brave life of a promising poet, the president and CEO of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art evokes the turmoil and tragedy of the Vietnam War eraIn That Time... read more
Developmental Editing
Do more. Be more. Try harder. It's the battle cry of our culture —and it's making millions of us sick, tired, and frustrated. Why? According to Dr. Samantha Brody, "We simply can’t solve stres... read more
Developmental Editing
Advice and inspiration for women of color seeking new heights of influence, from the top Latinx advisor to President Obama Women of color are becoming more visible and more powerful than ever,... read more
Developmental Editing
Re-Engineering Humanity

Brett Frischmann

Every day, new warnings emerge about artificial intelligence rebelling against us. All the while, a more immediate dilemma flies under the radar. Have forces been unleashed that are thrusting ... read more
Developmental Editing
Impact investment--the support of social and environmental projects with a financial return--has become a hot topic on the global stage; poised to eclipse traditional aid by ten times in the n... read more
Developmental Editing
We in the west share a common narrative of world history. But our story largely omits a whole civilization whose citizens shared an entirely different narrative for a thousand years.In Destiny... read more
Developmental Editing
Chris von der Ahe knew next to nothing about base¬ball when he risked his life's savings to found the franchise that would become the St. Louis Cardinals. Yet the German-born beer garden propr... read more
Developmental Editing
In the face of today's environmental and economic challenges, doomsayers preach that the only way to stave off disaster is for humans to reverse course: to de-industrialize, re-localize, ban t... read more
Developmental Editing
Journalist Amy Haimerl and her husband had been priced out of their Brooklyn neighborhood. Seeing this as a great opportunity to start over again, they decide to cash in their savings and buy ... read more
Developmental Editing
Everyone knows someone who's sick or suffering. Yet when a friend or relative is under duress many of us feel uncertain about how to cope.Throughout her recent bout with breast cancer, Letty C... read more
Developmental Editing
In the bestselling book that provoked a media sensation, former White House press secretary Scott McClellan takes readers behind the scenes of the presidency of George W. Bush. Scott McClellan... read more
Developmental Editing

Lisa has 9 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Nikki J. B.

Nikki J. B.

Aug, 2024

Lisa has been great to work with. She is extremely professional, knowledgeable, and personable. She goes above and beyond in her work and communication. She strives to understand the message and works to collaborate to make that message as impactful as possible to the readers. I highly recommend her!
Jonathan F.

Jonathan F.

Nov, 2022

Lisa is wonderful to work with. I can't believe all the effort she puts into this—if you do the math, she might be earning the minimum wage. I am now far, far better equipped to have my book proposal find a welcome at publishers!
Lisa K.
Jonathan, I won't work for minimum wage for just anyone! I hope I helped somehow to enhance the publishing prospects for your valuable book in the service of criminal justice reform. Thanks for yo...
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Daniel N.

Daniel N.

Oct, 2020

The reason I went with Lisa was that I emailed 5 editors on Reedsy and the other four gave me generic responses to my sample work. Lisa took the time to give me meaningful free feedback. Even though she didn't know me from Adam, and I hadn't paid her a dime, she took the time to give me advice. I knew right then that she was the one for me. Lisa is an professional and engaging editor. I broug...
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Lisa K.
Thanks so much Daniel. Your willingness to seek editorial guidance, receive it gratefully, absorb it deeply without defensiveness and apply it thoughtfully in a revision, makes you officially a pr...
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Melanie C.

Melanie C.

Mar, 2020

I feel very fortunate to have found Lisa through Reedsy. Not only did she “get” my humor and help me avert some of the pitfalls my project might face, she is warm, witty and compassionate. She is cannier than your average editor, I’d postulate, with a lot of worldly wisdom to share from many aspects of the publishing industry as well as the psychology of relationships. Highly recommended!
Lisa K.
Awww Melanie thank you. You were a dream client; it was so much fun working together.
Polly S.

Polly S.

Aug, 2019

Lisa helped me take my book from a jumbled lump of words to a book with a structure and flow. I would recommend her to anyone! I'm so grateful for how she helped me shape my book! She met deadlines, her edits made sense and added value to my book.
Lisa K.
Polly, thanks. You were a dream client: clear-eyed in your vision of what you wanted your book to be and what help you needed to get it there; responsive to and appreciative of my work, and insp...
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