Sarah Jane Abbott - Editor

I am a children's book editor who has been lucky enough to work on award-winning and bestselling picture books and novels, including the New York Times bestselling Baxter Family Children series by Karen Kingsbury; Crystal Kite Award-winning debut novel The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast by Samantha M. Clark; Horn Book Holiday Fanfare picture book The Little Reindeer by Nicola Killen; and numerous others.

I specialize primarily in picture books, both fiction and non-fiction. It is deeply rewarding to work on books that can help shape a child's worldview or spark a lifelong love of reading and I take that responsibility seriously. When working on picture book texts, I help the author maximize a short word count to craft fleshed-out characters, plot, and themes. In a 500-word manuscript, every word counts and I am here to help authors pick the right ones. I have experience working on non-fiction picture books about topics ranging from marine biology to female athletes and I work with authors on the main book text as well as back matter. I am also passionate about working with illustrators to develop their sketch dummies, with a focus on composition, page turns, pacing, use of white space, and character development.

I also love editing a wide variety of middle grade novels. I have worked on a contemporary re-telling of a classic, augmented with recipes and craft projects; a supernatural mystery-thriller set on a deserted island; a post-apocalyptic fantasy with strong environmental themes narrated by a tree; and have assisted a best-selling adult author in creating a middle grade series about the childhoods of her best-loved characters. I work with my authors on crafting the all-important middle grade voice as well as on aspects including character development, plotting and pacing, building a vivid setting, world-building, creating natural-sounding dialogue, and more.

My editorial style is collaborative, detail-oriented, and personal. I give honest, to-the-point feedback while also being supportive, constructive, and sensitive to each creator's needs. My line edits tend to contain editorial notes alongside kudos and reactions to outstanding moments in the manuscript. I am a very visual person, so I also sometimes provide color-coded spreadsheets to illustrate points I am making about patterns or pacing issues in a manuscript. I write comprehensive editorial letters that cover a wide range of topics and give specific feedback for revision. However, I would never attempt to mold or re-write a manuscript according to my vision. My job is to help your manuscript become the very best version of the story you want to tell.