Overview
My passion is your work! First and foremost--congratulations on making it this far. Taking your work seriously enough to invest in your creative goals is no small feat, and I admire you for this step.
I'm Shira, a long-time publishing professional with varied experiences across literary agenting, editorial development, acquisitions, and subsidiary rights licensing. I've worked with agencies, publishers, startups, and audiobook companies. I adore children's literature -- picture books through young adult novels -- and recently completed my MFA in Writing Books for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA). This degree now sits alongside my BA diploma from Columbia University, where I studied Creative Writing, with a focus on adult fiction.
As an editor, I go above and beyond. I offer line edits and editorial development feedback with a keen eye honed over more than 15 years in the industry. I can also share professional context on positioning, audience, and sales potential, including query letter revision and strategy for pitching agents, or focus solely on the beauty (and necessity!) of craft. I will guide you towards what you need most at this stage in your writing, and I will do so kindly but firmly. You will feel supported with clear notes and unambiguous next steps.
I'd be honored to step into your writing story. Please let me know how I can help.
Services
Non-Fiction
Fiction
Languages
Certifications
- BA - Creative Fiction Writing, Columbia University
- MFA - Writing for Children and Young Adults, Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA)
Work experience
Boz
With a background in publishing startups (or PubTech), I was well-suited to join Boz's earliest team of startup advisors. They are a new (soon-to-launch) company creating a communal and social space for creating and achieving our goals! Boz will help authors, and creators of all kinds, find encouragement to keep going, complete our goals, and solicit encouragement along the way. Boz is breaking the reality of independent work as we know it.
Self-employed
I launched Kinder Kids Media to create and package original children's audio content for ages 6-10. I develop original IP in-house, as well as revise and edit manuscripts across a range of genres.
My consulting projects include the upcoming launch of two new indie kidlit imprints, and editorial development of manuscripts including a picture book, young adult/crossover commercial fiction, contemporary women's fiction, literary fiction, and narrative non-fiction.
Blackstone Publishing
Led a 5-person acquisitions team responsible for bringing in over 1K audiobooks, and 100-150 print titles per year. Our print list ran the gamut, including early Middle Grade fiction, MG non-fiction, YA Fiction, and contemporary and historical Adult fiction and narrative nonfiction titles. My role included aiding acquisition by reviewing team selections and assisting in profit and loss analysis.
Audible
Managed publisher accounts with thousands of inbound audiobook titles. Curated lists for various audible programs in development, such as "Audible Stories" in 2020. Negotiated terms with publishers, agents, and content companies for distribution on Audible's platform and programs.
ICM Partners
Literary assistant responsible for administrative tasks alongside submissions reviews, and editorial development of works by existing clients to Senior Literary agents.
Penguin Random House
Portfolio
