Lisa Kaufman – Editor

Drawing on thirty years’ experience as a book editor and marketing executive 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