Melaina Balbo

Melaina Balbo – Editor

Editor of Best-selling books (NYT / WSJ / USA Today), Publishing Consultant, Literature Doctorate, fluent in Italian.

Overview

I turned my love of reading into an editorial career.From managing editor to proofreader and in every position in between, I've always loved the work of helping authors get their work published in its best form.Whether the author is a former navy SEAL and an authority on piracy, a sex therapist, a former ambassador, or world class triathlete, a best-selling novelist or a first-time novelist, my job is to make sure the author's voice is heard loud and clear.It has been a gift to be able to a part of so many interesting projects and I look forward discovering those yet to come.
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Humanities & Social Sciences Political Science & Current Affairs Travel
Fiction
Classics Literary Fiction Mystery & Crime Romance
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Dec, 2002 — Present
I tackle a variety of editing projects, from trade fiction and nonfiction to scholarly and academic titles. My writing projects span a broad range of topics including lifestyle topics, wellness, personal profiles, travel, and equine topics. I manage multiple projects simultaneously while consistently delivering high-quality work. Clients for whom I edit scholarly and trade books include Kirkus Media, Amazon Publishing, Rowman & LIttlefield Publishing Group, VeloPress, Smithsonian Institute Scholarly Press, Crescent Hill Books, ISI Books, Paper Chase Publishing, Cadmus Communications. I have also worked directly with authors to prepare manuscripts for submission to agents and publishers. My writing has appeared in numerous print and online publications including Skirt, Cake & Whiskey Magazine, Saratoga Today, The Saratoga Special, Equicurean Magazine, Chronicle of the Horse, UnTacked Magazine, Horseplayer Magazine, The Blood-Horse, Breeder's Cup Magazine, and Other writing experience includes website content, internal reports, and publications, catalogs, grant proposals, expressions of interest, and marketing proposals for clients including Global Emergency Group, Saratoga Marketing Group, and numerous independent marketing consultants as well as reader reports for an independent literary agent.

Blood-Horse Publications

Sep, 2012 — Nov, 2013 (about 1 year)
Edited the Stallion and Breeding News pages for the weekly Blood-Horse magazine. Contributed graded stakes stories to the publication with a focus on breeding of winning horse. Contributed written profiles and features for the Blood-Horse magazine. Previewed and recapped Thoroughbred races and wrote news articles for. Engaged readers in the sport of Thoroughbred racing through content sharing on social media channels. Edited the annual Stallion Register, the industry standard publication for horses at stud.

Potomac Books, Inc.

Jan, 2010 — Apr, 2011 (about 1 year)
Managed an editorial staff of seven, including hiring and performance reviews. Evaluated, hired, and supervised freelance and contract editorial staff. Updated and revamped house style guide. Oversaw departmental project budgets and generated monthly reports. Established and cultivated relationships with vendors, solicited bids, and negotiated vendor terms. Collaborated with authors on manuscript/project development and other editorial matters. Reviewed and advised graphic designers on cover design, working in concert with acquisitions and marketing departments. Set and managed production schedules. Directed weekly department meeting. Collaborated with other department heads on interdepartmental matters.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group

Jun, 2002 — Sep, 2004 (over 2 years)
JASON ARONSON imprint: Integrated the then newly-acquired Jay Aronson imprint into the company workflow. Evaluated manuscript preparation and scheduled them to determine production needs. Drafted contracts, worked with authors, secured permissions for publication. Solicited peer reviews and edited cover blurbs. Worked closely with production and design departments on book production, publication schedules, and cover designs. UNIVERSITY PRESS OF AMERICA imprint: Initiated the re-establishment of the company's co-publishing program, developing collaborations with scholarly, political, and professional societies, organizations, and associations. Aquired titles in the fields of literature, linguistics, and language, and religion and cultural studies. Represented the press at academic conferences around the country while promoting new titles, hosting book signings and events, and developing new industry contacts.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group

Sep, 2000 — Jun, 2002 (over 1 year)
Managed production from manuscript to bound book for an average of 23 titles simultaneously. Coordinated and approved the review of sample pages for camera-ready book projects. Edited and/or proofread select manuscripts and proofs. Set style for manuscripts, assigned, reviewed, and approved work of freelance editorial staff. Set production schedules for projects; set style and interior designs for books; coordinated typesetting of texts and hiring editorial freelancers. Managed budget for each title and finalized financial documentation related to each project's costs and profits.

Portfolio

Robert Kiyosaki ― author of the #1 Personal Finance book of all time ― has built a legacy around simplifying complex and often-confusing subjects like money and investing. He continues to challenge conventional wisdom and asks the questions that will help read... read more
Beginning with the Communist Saur Revolution of 1978 and continuing through Gen. David Petraeus’s 2010 appointment replacing Stanley McChrystal as commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, this book is an inside account of one of the most vicious conflicts foug... read more
For thousands of years pirates, privateers, and seafaring raiders have terrorized the ocean voyager and coastal inhabitant, plundering ship and shore with impunity. From the victim’s point of view, these attackers were not the rebellious, romantic rulers of Ne... read more
Hong Kong was once an established hub of creativity in Asia recognized internationally for its cinema, Bruce Lee and Kung Fu. Cantopop, its particular form of pop music, was popular throughout China and East Asia from the 1970s. So why is Hong Kong’s creative ... read more
In Fast-Track Triathlete, elite triathlon coach Matt Dixon offers his plan of attack for high performance in long-course triathlon―without sacrificing work or life. Developed for busy professionals with demanding schedules, the Fast-Track Triathlete program ma... read more
Based on over twenty years of original archival research, this history unfolds a nearly day-by-day narrative of the Salem Witch Trials as the citizens of Salem experienced the outbreak of hysteria.
In 1924, the last caliphate—an Islamic state as envisioned by the Koran—was dismantled in Turkey. With no state in existence that matches the radical Islamic ideal since, al Qaeda, which sees itself as a government in exile, along with its hundreds of affiliat... read more
The complex and romanticized lifestyle of elite fox hunters is revealed in this thrilling murder mystery. An attractive and wealthy lawyer and horseman, Doug Cummings personifies the old-money equine subculture of Middleburg, Virginia. Driven to succeed, Cummi... read more
The only reference guide to Supreme Court cases organized both topically and chronologically within chapters so that readers understand how cases fit into a historical context, the 17th edition has been updated with 20 new cases, including landmark decisions o... read more
Given the fact that 50% of marriages end in divorce, you would think marriage wouldn't be so popular, but getting married is one of the most popular of all life events. In fact, many new couples are willing to face considerable debt for the wedding ceremony al... read more
In the second Rogue Vows novella, the town of Solitude, Oregon, will learn that good TV makes for terrible reality.When Chase Ryan, a popular crime TV star, turns up dead, the entire town of Solitude is shaken—but the show isn’t over yet. The confessed murdere... read more
In the first Rogue Vows novella, Zane and Stevie are about to get an unexpected wedding present…and it’s a deadly one.It should be the happiest weekend of Officer Stevie Taylor’s life. She’s finally going to marry Police Chief Zane Duncan and live happily ever... read more
Dale Carnegie and Joseph Berg Esenwein’s The Art of Public Speaking will teach you to use your voice and gestures effectively, cultivate and exude real confidence, and convert listeners to your cause. Whether you’re making a toast, debating in town hall, leadi... read more
In this Wall Street Journal bestseller, a pair of ritual murders could expose Mercy Kilpatrick to something terrifying: her own past…Raised off the grid by survivalists, Mercy Kilpatrick believed in no greater safeguard than the backwoods of Oregon. Unforgiven... read more
The year 1968 retains its mythic hold on the imagination in America and around the world. Like the revolutionary years 1789, 1848, 1871, 1917, and 1989, it is recalled most of all as a year when revolution beckoned or threatened. On the 50th anniversary of tha... read more
The late Ambassador David Abshire lived a quintessentially American life, one that spanned the Great Depression, World War II and the Cold War. He graduated from West Point, fought in the Korean War, earned a doctorate in history from Georgetown University, an... read more
In Twenty Years: A Novel

Allison Winn Scotch

Twenty years ago, six Penn students shared a house, naively certain that their friendships would endure—until the death of their ringleader and dear friend Bea splintered the group for good. Now, mostly estranged from one another, the remaining five reluctantl... read more
Written in her characteristically breezy and humorous style, Dr. Ruth expertly explains the unique challanges and opportunities encountered with the onset of middle age, including issues of health, family, and career. Designed for both singles and couples, and... read more

Melaina has 2 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Joe C.

Joe C.

Aug, 2020

Melaina has been responsive, reliable, professional, and encouraging.
Thomas D.

Thomas D.

Jul, 2020

Melaina has been great to work with right from the start. When choosing an editor, its important to have a connection not only to your writing but to your personality as well; it provides the context where your story came from. I am fortunate to have found an editor with Melaina’s writing and e...
Read more

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