Tenyia Lee

Tenyia Lee – Editor

Experienced editor to bestselling authors at W. W. Norton and Macmillan—and now you! I specialize in creative nonfiction and YA.

Overview

I strongly believe that everyone has something valuable to say. My goal is to help you get your story and message out into the world, and to have it reach your readers through clear, engaging prose.I began my career as a teacher of writing, and that has defined my approach as an editor. Every editing project begins with a conversation in which I ask you about your goals and concerns. Knowing what you want out of the editorial experience and what you hope to accomplish in your writing, I can then approach the piece itself with not only my industry expertise, but a firm grounding in your voice, style, and message.As an editor, I don't shy away from messy first drafts, mid-process pieces that need some developmental heavy lifting, or press-ready books just looking for a final polish. No matter where you are in the process, I'm happy to listen, read, and help you make your writing shine.My special passion is for stories told by authors of color and memoirs of lives lived daringly. In short, stories that expand our view of our world and what it could be. I look forward to working and writing with you soon!
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Sports & Outdoors
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Fantasy Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Young Adult
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • BA in Creative Writing, Stanford University
  • MA in English Literature, Stanford University

Work experience

Self-employed

May, 2018 — Present

W. W. Norton & Co

Jul, 2012 — May, 2018 (almost 6 years)

Macmillan

Jun, 2011 — Sep, 2011 (3 months)

Stanford University

Sep, 2009 — Jun, 2012 (over 2 years)

Portfolio

Local: A Memoir

Machado, Jessica

Hello? Who Is This? Margaret?: Essays

Alpert, Dani

River Grove Books

The Trading Desk

Ginesin, Brad

"Are You a N****r or a Doctor?": A Memoir

Stallworth Jr. MD MBA, Otto E.

Charlotte's War

Graham, J. Lawrence

Come November

Lord, Scott

Beyond the Indigo

Taylor Thomas, Tina

A responsive, refreshed, and media-rich revision of the best-selling anthology in the field The most trusted anthology for complete works and helpful editorial apparatus. The Tenth Edition supports survey and period courses with NEW complete major works, NEW c... read more
A responsive, refreshed, and media-rich revision of the market-leading anthology of American literature. The most-trusted anthology for complete works, balanced selections, and helpful editorial apparatus, The Norton Anthology of American Literature features a... read more
The best-selling book that demystifies academic writingThis book identifies the key rhetorical moves in academic writing. It shows students how to frame their arguments as a response to what others have said and provides templates to help them start making the... read more

Tenyia has 77 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Nancy H.

Nancy H.

Nov, 2025

As a novice writer, Tenyia pointed out holes in my story and, at the same time, removed all the extra fluff. She was easy to work with and took my story to a different level.
Deborah O.

Deborah O.

Oct, 2025

Tenyia is a joy to work with, Knowing that the is not the typical submission for edit, I asked for an edit of my first chapter and Tenyia took it on. Not only was she responsive but her meaningful edits and insights has brought me one step closer to achieving my goal of completing this book. Will...
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Kathy P.

Kathy P.

Sep, 2025

Tenyia was superb. I wish I had used her in my first review. She was very thorough and provided keen insight and suggestions. I greatly appreciated her taking on such a sensitive and difficult subject. I'm still working through the changes, but I am confident the end result will meet all expect...
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Pei S.

Pei S.

Aug, 2025

Tenyia is a pleasure to work with. She's incredibly flexible, kind, and encouraging. I decided to make a drastic change to my project from a fictional memoir to a sci-fi that I had worked on years ago, but was not happy with. She had helped me shape the story into an interesting piece that I now ...
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D T.

D T.

Aug, 2025

Worth the weight in gold! That is how I would describe Tenyia’s editing services. I brought her a manuscript with lots of potential, but it needed a cohesive direction that I had difficulty finding independently. With Tenyia’s partnership, I saw new layers of opportunity to bring forth an even be...
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