Overview
I am an editor of all types of writing, from children’s books and YA to self-help books and everything in between, and I have worked at top publishing houses including Random House and Macmillan. Although I specialize in YA and children's books, I love editing many different forms of literature and writing.I aim to make the editing process as positive and collaborative as possible so you to feel like a full member of a two-person team. Having studied five languages, I am accustomed to helping non-native English speakers enhance their writing to native fluency. I look forward to working with you and helping you achieve your dreams!Below are two of my author testimonials:"I am so blessed to have had Randi Abel as my editor. Handing over the book I was writing felt similar to allowing someone examine an intimate piece of my heart. Before hitting “send” on my first draft to her, I was scared out of my mind! I was afraid having an editor was going to feel tedious, frustrating, and like someone was picking apart my work and picking apart my passion. Perhaps I was even worried about being misunderstood or like my work was stupid. However, my actual experience of working with Randi was the exact opposite of all of my fears! From the very beginning she made it a pleasurable, collaborative, encouraging experience. She made me feel so good about my work while making me really think about what I want to say. She "got me" from her first edits and I discovered that I actually looked forward to her thought provoking comments and questions with each new draft. As a result of working with her, taking the next big leap (sharing my book with the world) was much more exciting and a lot less terrifying. I feel so proud of the work we produced through the writing/editing collaboration and would highly recommend Randi to anyone seeking to publish a work close to their heart."Laura J. Ingalls"I have been working with Randi for almost four years. She is an amazing editor and I couldn’t have finished my book without Randi’s guidance and expertise. She owns her editing craft and I will never consider using another editor for my projects. Randi edits my bi-monthly column for W42st Street magazine and keeps my blog looking polished and sharp. She edited my entire book, Tales from the Shallow End of the Manhattan Dating Pool, and got it ready for publishing. She is hands down the best editor I have worked with. Randi pays extreme attention to detail, gives suggestions on how to develop stories, she’s personable; I can always ask her a question and not feel silly. She gives me peace of mind knowing that my projects will be returned to me on time and in tip-top shape."Mary Geneva
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Health & Wellbeing
Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Sex & Relationships
Travel
Fiction
Middle Grade
Young Adult
Languages
English (US)
Work experience
Self-employed
Feb, 2012 —
Present
As a freelancer under the umbrella of my editorial services business, InkSpot Editing, I have edited everything from self-help books, memoirs, dissertations, short stories, scholarly journal articles, and beyond. If it comes in written form, it's likely that I have edited it. I have familiarized myself with several style manuals, including Chicago, MLA, and AP, as well as in-house style guides. I enjoy working with authors of all stripes, and see every opportunity to edit something new as a way to continue to self-educate and broaden my skillset and portfolio. I am an active member of the Editorial Freelancers Association.
DAVEbooks
Jan, 2017 —
Present
I perform quality control editing for Penguin Random House audiobooks. This requires an extremely high level of focus, attention to detail, and knowledge. I flag and note errors in the audio and in the text, such as grammatical mistakes, misreads, mispronunciations, and background noises.
Kaplan Test Prep
Oct, 2014 —
Jul, 2016
(over 1 year)
I was a verbal tutor trained and certified to tutor the verbal portions of eight exams. The application process was rigorous, requiring me to take and pass with a high score a condensed version of the SAT and complete writing prompts. As a verbal tutor, I was expected to be a master of grammar, usage, reading comprehension, and writing skills. I helped many kids get into their dream schools, even helping two students earn a perfect score and get into Princeton and Columbia, respectively.
Macmillan
Dec, 2013 —
May, 2014
(5 months)
I served as an assistant for Feiwel and Friends and Square Fish, both imprints of Macmillan Kids. I primarily read and evaluated manuscripts, and performed other editorial duties such as slugging manuscripts and writing copy. I worked under Jean Feiwel, one of the most prominent children's books publishers and for whom Feiwel and Friends is named.
Random House
Jan, 2013 —
Aug, 2013
(7 months)
I worked as an editorial assistant to Wendy Lamb, of Wendy Lamb Books, a middle-grade and young adult imprint, as well as a stint in the production-editorial department of Fodor's Travel. My duties primarily consisted of reading, evaluating, and writing reports on submissions and active manuscripts for Wendy Lamb, and quality analysis for Fodor's.
Skyword
Nov, 2012 —
Jan, 2014
(about 1 year)
I edited a variety of content marketing articles for brands such as Tom's of Maine, Colgate, and Kaplan.
Magic Sauce Media
Jun, 2010 —
Feb, 2011
(8 months)
I primarily edited content for the website We Blog the World, which is an international travel and lifestyle website. My main duty was to copy edit and rewrite content submitted by international writers, most of whom were not native English speakers.
Portfolio
“A gripping saga of wartime survival.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Based on a true story, this World War II novel by Scott O’Dell Award winner Graham Salisbury tells how Zenji, 17, is sent from Hawaii to the Philippines to spy on the Japanese.Zenji Watanabe was b... read more
"I'm obsessed with abandoned things." Siena's obsession began a year and a half ago, around the time her two-year-old brother Lucca stopped talking. Now Mom and Dad are moving the family from Brooklyn to Maine hoping that it will mean a whole new start for Luc... read more
Fodor's Alaska 2014 (Full-color Travel Guide)
Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she's a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm. Syrena law states all Half-Breeds should be put to deat... read more
An engrossing novel-in-stories that paints a tapestry of secrets and lies: why we keep them, why we tell them, and what happens next. Americans Jenny and her brother, Tom, are off to England: Tom to university, to dodge the Vietnam draft, Jenny to be the new g... read more
"Reinhardt writes wonderfully about delicate, precarious human relationships, articulating dynamics I never noticed but which ring brilliantly true. The Goldens radiate charm, but beneath their charm is heartbreak, ambition, and delusion. There is so much to d... read more
Inspired by a true story, Between Two Worlds is an impassioned coming-of-age novel set in a land of breathtaking beauty and danger, where nature and love are powerful and unpredictable forces. On the treeless shores of Itta, Greenland, as far north as humans c... read more
Written by a smart-mouthed Boston health coach and personal trainer who, after trying practically every weight loss diet on the planet, finally found her “f*** skinny” moment, this tell-all book shows you how to find yours. Not only will you be laughing out lo... read more
If you want to find true, lasting love you have come to the right place, this book is geared towards women and helping them find love. Its a book with some of my own personal story but is focused on helping women find the true love and self! Finding Mr. Right ... read more
Randi has 1 review
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
Virginia H.
Feb, 2019
