Tennessee Jones – Editor

If you feel like you haven’t seen your story told yet, or the experience you're writing about has more intersections than Times Square, there’s a good chance we’ll work well together.

I’m an award-winning writer, editor, and coach with over ten years of experience in the publishing industry, specializing in literary fiction, memoir, and work by queer and trans writers of all genres.

I started out at the venerable indie Soft Skull Press, where I worked with counter-cultural writers who went on to achieve mainstream success, including Maggie Nelson and Charlie Anders. As a freelance editor and writing coach, I’ve worked with critically-acclaimed writers such as Joey Soloway, the Emmy-winning creator of Transparent, and Meredith Talusan, author of FAIREST. My recent clients include writers publishing with Crown, Viking, Little A, and Dutton, as well as first-time novelists who landed agent representation after we worked together.

One of my joys and strengths is working with authors to develop a story with such strong narrative tension that a reader simply can’t put it down. However, my approach to editing is more holistic than the bare craft mechanics of plot and structure. I work with writers to produce great, page-turning stories that have the depth and power to stay with a reader. My love of reading, editing, and writing has grown out of the belief that storytelling has the potential for personal and cultural transformation. I hold an equally strong belief writers can and should make a living from our work.

A few other things about me: in addition to an MFA, I hold degrees in Social Work and Divinity, and am a licensed therapist. I bring the full extent of my training and empathetic sensibilities into all my work with writers. Choosing an editor is a very personal choice, and you’d like to get a better sense of where I’m coming from, you can find my personal essays in The New York Times and The Believer.

We all know writing can be difficult—and I deeply enjoy my role in making it easier.