Valerie Kalfrin – Editor

Let's tell better stories and tell stories better! I've been a storyteller for decades, first as an award-winning daily crime journalist and later as a film critic and writer--honing skills I bring to the table when helping others' voices shine. (You can read some of my clips in the image gallery below.)

Since 2014, I've collaborated with independent authors and Amazon.com's imprints, providing constructive feedback (and some film analogies) about plot, structure, pacing, characterization, and dialogue. I've worked repeatedly with bestselling authors such as Marti Green, Chad Zunker, Avery Duff, Jenny Milchman, and Karen McQuestion.

Thanks to my years as a crime reporter, I notice rookie mistakes and mixups in procedurals, mysteries, and thrillers, but I'm comfortable in any genre--contemporary fiction, romance, sci-fi, middle-grade--where stories have a strong emotional core and a rich narrative. I'm also proud to be a sensitivity reader for authors seeking accurate and sensitive depictions of women and people with disabilities.

Expect:

* friendly but detailed story notes about structure, characterization, dialogue, and pacing;

* a sharp eye for latent typos, dangling participles, and wacky grammar;

* suggestions on how you can put your best story forward;

* no AI. I'm proud to use my brain--and I respect others' creativity and passion.

Here are some kind words about my work. Find more in my profile below:

"I've worked with Valerie for more than four years. As a copyeditor, she is able to handle difficult manuscripts, and we depend on her expertise and background in crime for a lot of the thrillers that come our way. Even when a manuscript needs a lot of work, Valerie always uses a gentle tone in both her editorial letter and manuscript comments to deliver criticism, suggestions, and praise."

-- Ashley Little, Kirkus Media Production Editor

* "Valerie excels in [script] coverage and copyediting. It was her keen attention to detail that helped me to improve my scripts so they would be ready to be sold to companies such as Lifetime, among others."

-- Adam Minneci, screenwriter, MOMMY'S STOLEN MEMORIES (2023)