Writing advice you can actually use.
Delivered in the time it takes to sip your coffee.
I’m Kristen, a longtime editor of commercial fiction, especially crime fiction and romance. Every week, I cut through the noise and tell you exactly what matters.
I’ll nudge you back to the page with bite-sized insights, behind-the-scenes publishing wisdom, and the kind of encouragement that gets you back to the page—without wasting your time.
Think of me as the tiny editor-angel on your shoulder, offering clear, doable steps to help you get closer to “yes.”
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“Listen to Kristen. She knows her stuff.”
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“Short, sweet and to the point, always realistic but also hopeful and positive.”
About Kristen
I began my career in the subsidiary rights department of what is now Hachette Book Group, but quickly switched to the editorial side, eventually overseeing Grand Central Publishing’s legendary Mysterious Press. There, I worked with many amazing authors, including such luminaries as M. C. Beaton, Lindsey Davis, Margaret Maron, and Marcia Muller.
I most recently worked as a senior editor for Penguin’s New American Library (NAL), where I helped launch Obsidian, their dedicated mystery imprint. Besides running the day-to-day operations of Obsidian, I edited approximately 30 original titles per year. I was also in charge of NAL’s movie/television tie-in program and edited numerous original novels based on TV programs such as Burn Notice, The Unit, Criminal Minds, and Psych. I have a Publishing Master’s Degree from Pace University.
I moved from New York to Los Angeles to follow my television writer husband and have been freelancing ever since. While I work directly with authors most often, I also work with several literary agents, either editing novels for their clients or offering a second opinion on manuscripts they’re considering for representation, and as an editor on a contract basis with several publishers. I work on all commercial fiction, with a focus on crime fiction and romance.
I also share insight and advice every week via my newsletter “Inside an Editor’s Brain,” which is my way of making my professional advice more accessible. The best part: the newsletter is currently free, open, and available to everyone on an internet that is increasingly paywalled.