Mark O'Brien – Editor

I'm a freelance editor with three years of experience interning in trade publishing, most recently at Writers House. Before that, I spent time at Triada US, Stonesong, and Entangled Publishing. I'm also a sensitivity reader who has worked with several New York Times bestselling authors and a volunteer with the Twitter pitch event #DVpit, where I offer free pitch critiques for marginalized writers. Additionally, I perform developmental and line edits for a children's imprint at a Big Five publisher on a freelance basis.Many of my clients have gone on to sign with agents, sell their books to publishers, and receive nominations for major industry awards like the RITAs. Authors I've edited during my internships such as Sayantani DasGupta and Julie Hammerle have landed on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, respectively.I edit all genres of YA and MG fiction. That said, if your manuscript centers around a non-queer character's journey of coming to accept a queer character for their sexuality or gender, or if it prominently features gore and intense violence, I won't be a good fit.I pride myself on my attention to detail and structure alike, as well as my accessibility and friendliness. I push my clients to make their materials the best they can be without encroaching on their vision, and I'm always more than happy to answer follow-up questions on my notes or brainstorm how to incorporate my suggestions.A few of my testimonials:“Mark is an expert. He’s not just encouraging; he’s clever, decisive, and wise in the ways of editing queries, pitches, and manuscripts. He’s helped me with all three, with incredible patience and insight. Through his guidance, I not only found an agent, but I also found a voice in my work that has since carried me through a book deal. I absolutely recommend working with him.”—Ryan La Sala, YA author of REVERIE (Sourcebooks Fire, fall 2019)“Mark is like a personal fitness trainer for words. He spots the dead weight words that need trimming, rearranges phrases for better flow, and gives great suggestions to make each sentence pop. Also, he’s incredibly positive and supportive, which is huge during the torture that is revision. He’s a total pro and I’m so thankful for his help whipping my query and first chapter into shape before querying. Two thumbs up!”—Jessica Kim, MG author of STAND UP, YUMI CHUNG! (Kokila / Penguin Random House, spring 2020)