Melissa Kirk

Melissa Kirk – Editor

I'm your partner in self-help and wellness publishing success, with 20 years of experience in the transformative nonfiction genre.

Overview

Hi - Thanks for your interest in working with me to create a genuinely helpful, life-changing, transformative nonfiction self-help, wellness, or how-to book.


IS YOUR BOOK IN MY AREA OF EXPERTISE?

I exclusively work on self-help & wellness nonfiction and other types of "how-to" books. I do not work on memoir or autobiography.


AT WHAT STAGE IS YOUR MANUSCRIPT?

I work a little differently than many editors: I prefer to start work with my clients BEFORE they start writing their manuscripts or very early in the writing process. I do this because I've found that the best way I can help wellness authors is to offer my support in planning out the book before they begin writing.


You save money, time, and energy by writing a high-quality, well-targeted, focused, and effective manuscript right out of the gate. It's much, much harder (and more expensive, more time-consuming, and more of a roller-coaster ride) to fix a problematic manuscript than it is to create a high-quality manuscript in the first place.


IS YOUR MANUSCRIPT FINISHED?

I no longer edit finished manuscripts as a standalone service, though I do provide editing as part my coaching and collaboration services. I do offer editorial assessment for self-help, wellness, or how-to manuscripts even if they are finished.


AM I A COPY EDITOR?

Please note that I am NOT trained as a copy editor, and though I will fix any errors I see in any manuscripts I work on, I recommend you hire a copy editor and/or proofreader once our work together has concluded.


**WHAT TO SEND WHEN REQUESTING A QUOTE

Please be sure to send an outline or table of contents along with a completed (or mostly completed) full chapter when you submit your request.**


I look forward to hearing about your project!


-Melissa

Services
Non-Fiction
Health & Wellbeing Home & Garden Nature New Age Psychology Self-Help & Self-Improvement Sex & Relationships Writing & Publishing
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2016 — Present

I help self-help and wellness nonfiction authors with every step of the process, from idea conceptualization to publishing and marketing strategy.

New Harbinger Publications

Mar, 2003 — Jan, 2016 (almost 13 years)

Acquiring and editing psychology, health, and wellness books.

Portfolio

Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom

Rick Hanson

If you change your brain, you can change your life.Great teachers like the Buddha, Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, and Gandhi were all born with brains built essentially like anyone else’s—and then th... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
The 7 Energies of the Soul: Awaken Your Inner Creator, Healer, Warrior, Lover, Artist, Explorer, and Master

Gandelman, David

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
You Mean it Isn't in my Head?: What Sjogren's Syndrome is and What you can do About it

Masterson, Dr. Susan

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Project Relationship: The Entrepreneur's Action Plan for Passionate, Sustainable Love

Hamilton, Joli

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Mind without Mind: Using Zen And The Science of Flow to Get Out of Your Own Way, And Perform at Your Best

Komar, Marek T

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
I Want My Mind Back: The Go Cogno Approach to Halt or Reverse Mild Cognitive Impairment

Dearing, Tony

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Practical Mindfulness: A Physician's No-Nonsense Guide to Meditation for Beginners

Sazima MD, Greg

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Emotional Repatterning: A Journey into the Shadow Realms

Samet, Lisa

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Wellness by Design: A Room-by-Room Guide to Optimizing Your Home for Health, Fitness, and Happiness

Gold, Jamie

Query Letter Review
Conscious Nature: The Art and Neuroscience of Meditating In Nature

Josh Lane

"This book, if studied well, has the capacity to transform lives, and connect people back to the state of mind that kept us joyful for thousands of generations."- Craig Foster, author of Sea C... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Somebody Hold Me: The Single Person's Guide to Nurturing Human Touch

Epiphany Miriam Jordan

Nearly 50% of Americans checked the "single" box in the 2010 census. Because we equate touch with sex, many of us suffer alone when we crave physical comfort and tenderness. Somebody Hold Me: ... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Three New People: Make the Most of Your Daily Interactions and Stop Missing Amazing Opportunities

Brian Miller

“Practical, powerful, and a delight to read. A book like Brian’s can change everything for someone who cares.”-Seth Godin, Author, This is MarketingConnect with anyone. Strengthen your relatio... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Reveal: Embody the True Self Beyond Trauma and Conditioning

Harmony Kwiker

“All of this pain has a purpose,” 6-year-old Harmony heard from deep within as she practiced transcendental meditation for the first time. Feeling relieved by these words of hope, she knew ins... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD: How to Overcome Chronic Distraction and Accomplish Your Goals (The New Harbinger Ten Simple Solutions Series)

Stephanie Moulton Sarkis PhD

Managing attention-deficit disorder (ADD) as an adult is a constant challenge. You may notice that your mind sometimes wanders during conversations. Maybe you keep misplacing your keys. Or you... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and Helping Your Partner (The New Harbinger Loving Someone Series)

Julie A. Fast

Maintaining a relationship is hard enough without the added challenges of your partner’s bipolar disorder symptoms. Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder offers information and step-by-step adv... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Insecure in Love: How Anxious Attachment Can Make You Feel Jealous, Needy, and Worried and What You Can Do About It

Leslie Becker-Phelps

Has your romantic partner called you clingy, insecure, desperate, or jealous? No one wants to admit that they possess these qualities; but if you find yourself constantly on the alert, anxious... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Anxiety and Avoidance: A Universal Treatment for Anxiety, Panic, and Fear

Michael A. Tompkins

Do you suffer from panic, anxiety, and fear in your day-to-day life? Do you often avoid social situations, activities like driving, or even going to the store because of a fear of being overwh... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Menopause: A Step-by-Step Program for Overcoming Hot Flashes, Mood Swings, Insomnia, Anxiety, Depression, and Other Symptoms (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook)

Sheryl M Green PhD

No woman experiences menopause in exactly the same way. Some may endure hot flashes, irritability, or mood swings, while others experience insomnia, anxiety, or even depression. And while you ... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists

John O'Neal

The Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists has long been the definitive reference book for mental health clinicians and anyone else looking for clear, reliable information abou... read more
Developmental Editing
End Emotional Eating: Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills to Cope with Difficult Emotions and Develop a Healthy Relationship to Food

Jennifer Taitz PsyD

If you eat to help manage your emotions, you may have discovered that it doesn’t work. Once you’re done eating, you might even feel worse. Eating can all too easily become a strategy for copin... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
The High-Conflict Custody Battle: Protect Yourself and Your Kids from a Toxic Divorce, False Accusations, and Parental Alienation

Amy J. L. Baker PhD

Is your ex-spouse trying to gain custody of your kids? Has he or she launched a campaign to make you look like a bad parent, both in the eyes of your children and the law? You aren’t alone. Un... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Contemplating Divorce: A Step-by-Step Guide to Deciding Whether to Stay or Go

Susan Gadoua

Just as there are right and wrong reasons to marry, there are good and bad reasons to divorce. Some couples are quick to split because they are unwilling to devote the necessary effort to fixi... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook: An Integrated Approach to Overcoming Disordered Eating (The New Harbinger Whole-Body Healing Series)

Carolyn Ross

Some people use food to calm themselves when they feel overwhelmed. Others find it difficult to discern between eating out of hunger and eating out of habit. There are nearly as many reasons w... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Addict in the House: A No-Nonsense Family Guide Through Addiction and Recovery

Robin Barnett EdD LCSW

"This is a straightforward, rich resource for anyone who lives with, and loves, an addict." —Publishers Weekly Everyone suffers when there’s an addict in the family. Written by an expert in al... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Emotional Fitness for Couples: 10 Minutes a Day to a Better Relationship

Barton Goldsmith

The 10-Minute Relationship WorkoutPeak athletic performance requires regular exercise, and a great relationship depends on regular emotional practice to stay in top form. Don't wait for a cris... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It

David A Carbonell

Are you truly in danger or has your brain simply "tricked" you into thinking you are? In The Worry Trick, psychologist and anxiety expert David Carbonell shows how anxiety hijacks the brain an... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time

Rick Hanson Ph.D.

Audie Award Nominee, Personal Development, 2013 You've heard the expression, "It's the little things that count." Research has shown that little daily practices can change the way your brain w... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
The Mindful Woman: Gentle Practices for Restoring Calm, Finding Balance, and Opening Your Heart

Sue Patton Thoele

Imagine a day in which you can be in the midst of chaos but maintain a clear head and sense of balance and focus and have your feet firmly planted on the ground. Even the busiest of women amon... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Living and Loving after Betrayal: How to Heal from Emotional Abuse, Deceit, Infidelity, and Chronic Resentment

Steven Stosny

Betrayal has many faces, including anger, abuse, deceit, and infidelity. These feel like betrayal because they violate the implicit promise of emotional bonds, that your loved one will care ab... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
How to Be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use

Randy J. Paterson PhD

In How to Be Miserable, psychologist Randy Paterson outlines 40 specific behaviors and habits, which—if followed—are sure to lead to a lifetime of unhappiness. On the other hand, if you do the... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Yoga and the Pursuit of Happiness: A Guide to Finding Joy in Unexpected Places

Sam Chase

Enlightenment isn’t a strange, mystical, or faraway place. It’s a fundamental human experience available to us all in different ways and in different moments. Learn how the ancient philosophy ... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Depression 101: A Practical Guide to Treatments, Self-Help Strategies, and Preventing Relapse

John D. Preston

When you have depression, it can feel like there's no way out. To begin changing the way you feel, you'll need an arsenal of proven techniques for lifting your mood and preventing relapse. The... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment

Melissa has 19 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Helen S.

Helen S.

May, 2023

Melissa was a considerate and thoughtful editor who helped me to clarify my message while ensuring my voice remained my voice. I appreciated her willingness to address queries and concerns along the way. She was great to work with, and although sometimes took a little longer than anticipated to reply, I would certainly work with her again
Jacquie C.

Jacquie C.

Apr, 2023

I have not completed my work with Melissa but what she has edited has been good. Her comments make sense and make the book better. Looking for to the final edit.
Håvard S.

Håvard S.

Aug, 2022

Melissa was competent and gave good and honest feedback on a manuscript that was not really ready for a developmental edit yet. Many of the suggestions she brought up have been very helpful, but she did not fully finish what we agreed on because the manuscript wasn't ready, in her opinion, for line-to-line edits. Overall, the work she did was good, but in my opinion, due to the changes made d...
Read more
Maria B.

Maria B.

Jun, 2022

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Serena C.

Serena C.

Nov, 2021

Melissa gave me relevant and helpful feedback on my manuscript. She was especially helpful at getting me to focus in on the targeted market for my book. Reasonable turnaround times. I would highly recommend her.

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