Shay Totten

Shay Totten – Editor

An experienced book editor who can help you tell your story, build your brand, and find the audience your work deserves. [he, him, his]

Overview

I'm an experienced book editor with a background in working on award-winning and bestselling memoirs, biographies, how-to manuals, and books on topical public affairs.

The authors I've worked with have earned top book writing awards, placed commentaries in national newspapers, and had their book-length work adapted for niche and national magazines. In addition, I've developed marketing and sales plans to help land these books on industry bestseller lists (including The New York Times).

Whether it's creating a query letter, a complete book proposal, or providing full developmental editing from start to finish, I can help you develop your book from idea to the marketplace.
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Business & Management Economics Nature Political Science & Current Affairs
Languages
English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Sep, 2016 — Present

I provide a wide range of strategic communication services - from editing and ghost-writing to audience engagement and business development. Clients have included Inside Climate News, the News Revenue Hub, Local Independent Online News Publishers.

Rights & Democracy

Mar, 2016 — Apr, 2020 (about 4 years)

Oversee all internal and external communications for Rights & Democracy (RAD), a member-based, grassroots organization working in communities throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. This includes ghostwriting and editing commentaries, public speeches, and other forms of communication for organizational leaders - both in regional and national publications.

Chelsea Green Publishing

Jan, 2011 — Mar, 2016 (about 5 years)

Managed the branding and external communications for Chelsea Green Publishing, an employee-owned book publisher, as well as day-to-day digital marketing efforts, including direct-to-consumer emails, social media, and online content on the company website. In addition, develop strategic marketing plans and publicity outreach for key books and authors.

Self-employed

Jan, 2009 — Present

I provide a wide range of editorial, audience development, and communication strategies to individuals, nonprofits, and media companies. From marketing plans to membership programs, my goal is to help individuals and organizations connect and engage with their audience. Clients have included the News Revenue Hub, Inside Climate News, ACLU of Vermont, Renewable Energy Vermont, and Local Independent Online Publishers, Banderas Canyonlands Alliance, among other individual clients.

Portfolio

Pearls, Politics, and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead

Madeleine M. Kunin

The next generation of women is ready and eager to lead, but not always sure how to turn their sense of purpose into reality. Pearls, Politics, and Power will help ensure that this inspiration... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment Book Coaching
The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot

Naomi Wolf

The End of America is now a feature-length documentary film by the award-winning filmmakers Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern. Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries is the sequ... read more
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
The Rabbit Between Us

Menza, Victor

Query Letter Review Book Coaching
Finding the Sweet Spot: The Natural Entrepreneur's Guide to Responsible, Sustainable, Joyful Work

Dave Pollard

"Now what am I going to do?" is a question many people ask—and leave unanswered—at critical potential turning points in their careers. Perhaps you’re a new graduate, but instead of lining up f... read more
Developmental Editing Book Coaching
The Gort Cloud: The Invisible Force Powering Today's Most Visible Green Brands

Richard Seireeni

"Green" has gone mainstream and, for many companies, caring for the environment is not just a philosophy, it's a marketing strategy. So how does a company that's genuinely committed to green p... read more
Developmental Editing Book Coaching
Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered

Woody Tasch

“We must bring money back down to earth.”NPR calls it a movement. Acres U.S.A. calls it a revolution. BusinessWeek online calls it “one of the big ideas for 2010.” Change.org calls it one of t... read more
Editorial Assessment Book Coaching
How The Rich Are Destroying the Earth (Foreword by Greg Palast)

Hervé Kempf

A best seller in France, and already translated into Spanish, Italian, Greek, and Korean, Herv Kempf's "How the Rich Are Destroying the Earth" now appears in its first English edition. Bringin... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
The Essential Bernie Sanders and His Vision for America

Jonathan Tasini

Meet the essential Bernie Sanders—an authentic and uncompromising champion of the people.Independent United States Senator Bernie Sanders—with a thirty-five-year career in public service, firs... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment Book Coaching
Companies We Keep: Employee Ownership and the Business of Community and Place, 2nd Edition

John Abrams

Part memoir and part examination of a new business model, the 2005 release of The Company We Keep marked the debut of an important new voice in the literature of American business. Now, in Com... read more
Developmental Editing
When Technology Fails: A Manual for Self-Reliance, Sustainability, and Surviving the Long Emergency, 2nd Edition

Matthew Stein

Hurricane Katrina and 9/11 have made Americans farmore aware of the need to be prepared for the unexpected.Matthew Stein’s comprehensive guide to sustainable living skills gives you the tools ... read more
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment Book Coaching

Shay has 6 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Don O.

Don O.

Jan, 2024

This was my first time using Reedsy. I posted a small assignment that involved about two hours of work. My intent was to see if I could find a person to work with beyond the initial assignment. Completion was scheduled for almost three weeks out. I was billed and paid the bills, but received no response to my project. After I paid and had received nothing, I received a survey form from Ree...
Read more
Clifford M.

Clifford M.

Feb, 2023

Shay is very well versed in the political arena as well as working with Non-fiction. I used Shay for structural work and he threw in some copy editing along the way as well.
James B.

James B.

Nov, 2022

Shay provided insight in to the political and social issues genre that were excellent and helped me write a more balanced book. His detailed suggestions on style and format were useful and his emphasis on keeping the reader in focus was very helpful.
Ed C.

Ed C.

Oct, 2021

I hired Shay for developmental editing -- someone to read my manuscript, share their professional opinion on its viability, and help me refine it so the expression didn't detract from the ideas. In short, Shay did all of the above. But, just as importantly, he did so with a casual, supportive, and educational style that was invaluable to me as a first-time author. He helped me remove extraneous...
Read more
Catherine G.

Catherine G.

Jul, 2021

Shay is very professional, knowledgeable and was a great fit for our needs. He was responsive to our expectations and went above and beyond to connect us with professional indexers for a complex indexing process we haven't undergone before. Thank you, Shay!

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