Ronit Wagman

Ronit Wagman – Editor

Developmental editor specializing in book club & literary fiction, memoir, and more. 11 years at Doubleday. Honest, detailed, supportive.

Overview

After graduating with a BFA in theatre from Syracuse University, where I honed my knowledge of storytelling and dramatic theory, I worked for 11 years at Doubleday (a division of Penguin Random House in NYC) under the legendary publisher and editor Nan A. Talese on books by celebrated authors including Margaret Atwood, Pat Conroy, and Ian McEwan. I also acquired my own projects, with a focus on fiction and memoir.


Since 2015, I’ve been offering independent editorial services from my home base in Detroit, where I’ve been lucky enough to work with #1 New York Times bestseller Jennifer Weiner, Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick Alka Joshi, and the late U.S. Senator Carl Levin. My feedback offers clear, actionable insights to help bring out the best in your story and that you can carry forward to future projects.


I love a book that can make me laugh or move me to tears. Some of the books that I’ve enjoyed reading this year, to give you a sense of what I’d love to work on: Margo’s Got Money Troubles, The Wedding People, Pineapple Street, We All Want Impossible Things, All Fours, Bad Summer People, Good Material, Stay True, and The Many Lives of Mama Love.


I offer critiques, developmental edits, query letter reviews, and phone consultations. Send me a sample, and let's see if we're a good fit!

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Fiction
Coming of Age Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romantic Comedy
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • Barnes & Noble Discover selection (On the Come Up)
  • Finalist for the LA Times Book Prize (Isabella: The Warrior Queen)
  • Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award (Backing into Forward)
  • Finalist for the NAACP Image Award (On the Come Up)
  • Finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor (The Lost Book of Mormon)
  • New York Times Notable Book (Saul Steinberg: A Biography)
  • Indie Next List (The Drowning House)
  • Longlisted for the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography (Isabella: The Warrior Queen)
  • Finalist for the Minnesota Book Award (The Healing)

Work experience

Penguin Random House Inc.

Nov, 2011 — Nov, 2015 (about 4 years)

Random House Inc.

May, 2009 — Nov, 2011 (over 2 years)

Random House Inc.

May, 2007 — May, 2009 (about 2 years)

Random House Inc.

May, 2005 — May, 2007 (about 2 years)

Detroit Metro Times

May, 2003 — Aug, 2004 (over 1 year)

Pitched and wrote articles on art, theatre, and culture for Detroit’s largest alternative newsweekly, including a 4,000-word cover story.

The Daily Orange (Syracuse University)

Sep, 2000 — May, 2003 (over 2 years)

Portfolio

The Henna Artist: A Novel

Joshi, Alka

Developmental Editing
Moms Like Us: A Novel

Roter, Jordan

Little A

Developmental Editing
Betting on Good: A Novel

Francis, Wendy

Lake Union Publishing

Developmental Editing
The Last Secret of Lily Adams: A Novel

Blaydes, Sara

Developmental Editing
Feels Like Summer: A Novel

Francis, Wendy

Developmental Editing
The Letters We Keep: A Novel

Sharma, Nisha

Developmental Editing
Golden Hills: A Short Story

Weiner, Jennifer

Developmental Editing
The Healing

Jonathan Odell

Plantation mistress Amanda Satterfield’s intense grief over losing her daughter crosses the line into madness when she takes a newborn slave child as her own and names her Granada. Troubled by... read more
Developmental Editing
Cut Me Loose: Sin and Salvation After My Ultra-Orthodox Girlhood

Leah Vincent

An electrifying memoir about a young woman’s self-destructive spiral after being cast out by her ultra-Orthodox Jewish familyIn the vein of Prozac Nation and Girl, Interrupted, this brutally h... read more
Developmental Editing
Lilli de Jong: A Novel

Benton, Janet

Developmental Editing
On the Come Up: A Novel, Based on a True Story

Hannah Weyer

An NAACP Image Award FinalistAn ALA/YALSA Alex Award NomineeAnnMarie is growing up fast. After years of living in foster homes and homeless shelters, the twelve-year-old girl can take care of ... read more
Developmental Editing
The Perfumist of Paris: A novel from the bestselling author of The Henna Artist (The Jaipur Trilogy, 3)

Joshi, Alka

Developmental Editing
Someone Better Than You: A Comedy of Manners

Knister, Barry

Booklocker.com

Falling Wisteria: A Novel (Yellow Crocus)

Ibrahim, Laila

Lake Union Publishing

Floreana: A Novel

Raymond, Midge

Little A

Backing Into Forward: A Memoir

Jules Feiffer

The award-winning cartoonist, playwright, and author delivers a witty, illustrated rendition of his life, from his childhood as a wimpy kid in the Bronx to his legendary career in the arts. A ... read more
Developmental Editing
Man Fast: A Memoir

Scripture, Natasha

Developmental Editing
Getting to the Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate

Levin, Senator Carl

Developmental Editing
The Empty Cell: a Novel

Alden, Paulette

Developmental Editing
In This Land of Plenty

Smathers, Mary

Developmental Editing
The View From Breast Pocket Mountain: A Memoir

Anton, Karen Hill

Developmental Editing
The Plum Tree Blossoms Even in Winter

Wilson, M. Roy

Developmental Editing
Loaded Blessings

Faith Quintero

Developmental Editing
All at Sea: A Memoir

Aitkenhead, Decca

Developmental Editing
Enchanted Islands: A Novel

Allison Amend

Inspired by the midcentury memoirs of Frances Conway, Enchanted Islands is the dazzling story of an independent American woman whose path takes her far from her native Minnesota when she and h... read more
Developmental Editing
Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian

Avi Steinberg

Avi Steinberg is stumped. After defecting from yeshiva to attend Harvard, he has nothing but a senior thesis on Bugs Bunny to show for himself. While his friends and classmates advance in the ... read more
Developmental Editing
The Drowning House: A Novel

Elizabeth Black

Mourning for her daughter and her crumbling marriage, photographer Clare Porterfield returns to her childhood home in Galveston, Texas, hoping to find distraction in mounting an exhibition fea... read more
Developmental Editing
A Nearly Perfect Copy: A Novel

Allison Amend

Elm Howells has a loving family and a distinguished career at an elite Manhattan art auction house. But after a tragic loss throws her into an emotional crisis, she pursues a reckless course o... read more
Developmental Editing
Dancing with the Enemy: My Family's Holocaust Secret

Paul Glaser

The gripping story of the author’s aunt, a Jewish dance instructor who was betrayed to the Nazis by the two men she loved, yet managed to survive WWII by teaching dance lessons to the SS at Au... read more
Developmental Editing
The Lost Book of Mormon: A Journey Through the Mythic Lands of Nephi, Zarahemla, and Kansas City, Missouri

Avi Steinberg

Is the Book of Mormon the Great American Novel? Decades before Melville and Twain composed their great works, a farmhand and child seer named Joseph Smith unearthed a long-buried book from a h... read more
Developmental Editing

Ronit has 12 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Maria M.

Maria M.

May, 2023

Pinned
Working with Ronit was a pleasure and I very much felt like she "got me." Her enthusiasm for my story made me feel that yes it is actually possible that I could complete a novel which I would be proud to have written. Her editorial letter was full of good suggestions that led to a very profitable phone conversation. Ronit has that way of addressing a story problem as if this were something we ...
Read more
Ronit W.
Thank you for your extremely kind words, Maria. It was a pleasure collaborating with you on this manuscript, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of its development. I wish you the bes...
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Katie B.

Katie B.

Apr, 2022

Pinned
The experience with Ronit was beyond helpful. She is professional, timely, detailed, and critical - all of the things an editor should be. She helped me to see some rather glaring flaws in my writing (the appropriate reality check) but also provided encouraging words to keep at it, as well as tips on how to improve the problem areas. I hope to work hard and get my writing back to her in a few ...
Read more
Ronit W.
Katie, thank you so much for your wonderful review! I'm thrilled to know that the experience of working together was helpful and inspiring. Thank you once again for entrusting your work to me, and ...
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Loree W.

Loree W.

Dec, 2017

Pinned
Ronit seemed to be genuinely interested in my novel right from the start. She picked up on nuances in the sample material which other editors missed, and generally seemed to 'get' what I was trying to say. And rather than simply pointing out the novel's flaws, or aspects which she felt didn't quite work (as, again, some editors did), she posed questions to help me develop those areas. As well a...
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Lynda C.

Lynda C.

Dec, 2024

Ronit worked very quickly and gave great suggestions for my query letter. They were patient and welcomed all of my questions - I'd hire them again.
Julie K.

Julie K.

Oct, 2023

I'm so happy with the feedback Ronit provided. She helped me understand overall needs in my work but also gave me plenty of actionable advice. I learned ways to improve my WIP, but I'm also going to be able to use this feedback in my future work. Thank you!
Ronit W.
I'm so glad the feedback was helpful, Julie! Looking forward to our phone call next week.

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