about
Who I am
It’s wonderful to meet you! I’m Kelsey Klosterman, a book editor with a focus on fiction for young adult and middle grade readers. I edit books and submission materials for authors pursuing traditional publishing, self-publishing indie authors, literary agencies, and book publishers.
I have professional editorial training at publishing houses and literary agencies alike, including the Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency, Writers House, the Carol Mann Agency, McIntosh & Otis, and Peachtree Publishers. I hold a certificate in publishing from the Columbia Publishing Course, and I graduated from Emory University with high honors in English and creative writing.
Through my independent work and my work at literary agencies and publishing houses, I’ve moved hundreds of books through the editorial process. I’ve edited books that have then sold to the biggest publishers in the world, including Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. Will yours be next?
What I edit
I specialize in young adult and middle grade fiction. I also work on picture books, early readers, and chapter books, as well as adult and new adult books. My specialties are contemporary fantasy, high fantasy, contemporary fiction, and speculative fiction, though I do work on other genres as well.
I work on books at almost all stages of revision. My most popular services are developmental editing, line editing, and copyediting, all of which require a finished draft prior to editing. Once the book itself is ready to go, I help traditionally publishing authors with their query letters, and I write jacket copy for self-publishing authors.
I primarily edit novels, though I also periodically work on nonfiction and on projects other than books. If you’re not sure if I’m the right fit for your work, please feel free to reach out!
How I edit
I believe editors are coaches regardless of the kind of editing they’re providing. It’s important for an editor to not only advise on a single book but also provide the author with constructive tools and strategies to use in the future in order to become better at their craft. I see editing as a collaborative experience as much as the author would like it to be.
I also believe in the integrity of a book and greatly value an author’s personal vision for their work. During each edit, I carefully consider the author’s preferences for every individual aspect of their book. I never impose my own style or sentiments on the manuscript, and my clients always have the final say on what suggestions they keep and what they discard.
“Working with Kelsey was a wonderful experience that made me a better writer. The prompts and processes that she provided helped me transform my work into something I was truly proud of.”
editorial Services
book EDITING
Developmental editing
My most popular service is developmental editing. Often called “substantive editing,” “structural editing,” or “content editing,” developmental editing is for the big-picture changes. This helps reshape your book in terms of overall plot, character development, general structure, and pacing. Developmental editing is a thorough examination of the book for content to add or cut, major inconsistencies, and organizational matters. It does not include editing for smaller issues such as style, word flow, narrative voice, or grammar.
Developmental editing is most useful when you have a finished draft but you’re not quite sure where to take it next. You’ve gone through the book a number of times, but you need a fresh editorial eye to spot the bigger problems that you can’t quite see anymore because you’re so familiar with the story. Does the plot make sense? The narrative flow? The character arcs? Developmental editing is best when you’re at a stage where you still need to make big changes.
LINE EDITING
Known by some as “stylistic editing,” line editing is an examination of the book for issues involving word flow, style, narrative voice, and clarity. This is the type of editing that makes the book more readable and enjoyable on a sentence and paragraph level. Line editing includes rewording text to solve clarity problems and awkward writing, reorganizing paragraphs or sections for readability, and improving flow and presentation on a smaller level. It looks carefully at smaller narrative beats, pacing within each scene, and the flow of dialogue.
You can have the best plot and pacing in the world, and your book might be pristine and typo-free, but if the writing isn’t strong on a sentence level, the book won’t be able to reach its full potential. Line editing is ideal for making sure your writing actually sounds good. It ensures a consistent, compelling voice and effective style choices. Line editing doesn’t include editing for larger issues such as plot progression and character development, nor does it include editing for surface-level issues such as spelling and grammar.
COPYEDITING
Copyediting is what many know as “proofreading,” though in reality these are two different stages of editing. Copyediting is a comprehensive look at punctuation, syntax, spelling, grammar, word usage, choice in tone, tense, and point of view. It’s generally the best option for a book in its final drafts.
This is a simple matter of having a clean, finalized book. Once all the plot and character issues have been resolved, and once the writing is tight, it’s time to polish everything up. Copyediting is an important process to go through to ensure consistency throughout the novel. Copyediting does not include editing of broader content. This examination for typos and grammar issues is the final editorial step before a book goes through typesetting.
Proofreading, which is a different process than copyediting, occurs after a book has been typeset. To ensure as clean a manuscript as possible, it’s generally advised for the copyeditor and the proofreader to be different people.
It’s important to note that sometimes what’s grammatically “correct” may not work well stylistically with your story and may make the book feel overedited and stilted. As a result, like other editors, I’m willing to bend the rules just a bit in order to best serve the book and its storytelling style. The degree of copyediting rigidity that your book will go through is completely up to you.
“Kelsey is a superb editor. Her developmental editing is thoughtful and insightful, as she has an innate understanding of how to shape a manuscript.”
Book Pitching
Query Letter
In traditional publishing, once your book is finished, it’s time to send it to agencies and publishing houses! Most agents and in-house editors require that you send them a query letter. This letter pitches your book, providing a snapshot of the plot, characters, and narrative stakes without giving away the ending.
The good news: in addition to being an independent editor, I’ve also been a literary agent, and at every publisher and agency where I’ve worked, I’ve been the first to look through the submissions we received from authors. I know exactly what agents and editors are looking for.
If you’ve already written your query letter and want to make sure it’s ready to send out, I can provide a comprehensive edit. This is a head-to-toe edit that restructures and adds content as necessary, makes line-level fixes for voice and word flow, and polishes for surface-level issues like spelling and grammar. Query letters to be edited may be up to 500 words. If you have a longer query, please feel free to reach out, and we can discuss a process tailored to your needs!
If you haven’t written your own query letter, or if you’d like a brand-new one, I can write one for you—entirely original, complete, and ready to send to agents.
SAMPLE PAGES
Along with the query letter, most literary agents and in-house editors will also require a sample of your work. These are typically the first pages of your book. If you’re worried your sample pages may not be working as effectively as they should, I’m happy to offer a comprehensive edit of your sample.
A comprehensive edit addresses issues of structure, pacing, and intrigue in the sample pages. It provides suggestions for how to fix any existing problems and recommends the most effective cut-off points for the sample. This service involves direct changes to the text to address line-level issues such as voice and word flow as well as surface-level issues such as grammar and punctuation. Sample pages to be edited may be up to 2,500 words. If you have a longer selection of sample pages that you’d like edited, please feel free to reach out for a customized service!
STORY SYNOPSIS
Some literary agents require you to submit a synopsis of your book along with the query letter and sample pages. Whereas a query letter doesn’t give the whole story away, a synopsis specifically mentions the major narrative beats of your story all the way through the end of the book. It gives the agent a complete summary of the novel.
In a synopsis edit, I offer a comprehensive edit of your book’s synopsis. The comprehensive edit will address any issues in the synopsis, provide macro-level suggestions, and call attention to anything that may require further explanation. This service also involves making direct changes to the text to address line-level issues such as word flow and narrative beats as well as surface-level ideas such as grammar and punctuation. Synopses to be edited may be up to 1,000 words. If you have a longer synopsis, please reach out, and we can discuss what will work best for you!
JACKET COPY
In addition to working with authors in the traditional publishing space, I also work with indie and self-publishing authors. In self-publishing, there’s a different kind of pitch you’ll need to sell your book: the jacket copy. Also known as “flap copy” or “promotional copy,” this is the text that’s found on the back of the book, on the inside flap of a hardcover’s dust jacket, and in the online product description for your book.
The jacket copy pitches the book to readers. This is what gets a potential reader interested enough to buy your book. At Klosterman Literary, I can provide a comprehensive edit of your jacket copy. This includes reshaping and rearranging content as necessary, making line-level fixes for voice and word flow, and polishing for surface-level issues like spelling and grammar. Jacket copy to be edited may be up to 500 words. If your jacket copy is longer, feel free to reach out for a customized experience!
If you haven’t written any jacket copy, or if you feel more comfortable writing fiction than a pitch, I’m happy to write the jacket copy for you from scratch—complete and ready to go.
“Kelsey’s expertise on both the market and the craft of writing has made her an invaluable editorial resource for our agency. Her intuition is always spot-on!”
Book Consulting
Ghostwriting
If you have a solid story idea but you’re unsure exactly how to get the words down on paper, you might want a ghostwriter to take care of it. Using a ghostwriter means hiring someone else to do the actual writing for you. I’m happy to write your book—or parts of your book—on your behalf. If you enlist me as a ghostwriter, you can rest assured that you will always keep the rights to your own work, and you can take credit for writing it.
The amount of correspondence we have during the ghostwriting process is up to you. It can entail a lot of one-on-one discussions along with constant check-ins to make sure everything is going how you’d like, or, if you’d prefer, you can send me your ideas and I’ll provide larger returns at a time. I offer ghostwriting services for young adult, middle grade, and new adult fiction only. Please reach out for more details on the ghostwriting process!
series guide
Also known as a “series bible,” a series guide is a compilation of all your character details, setting descriptions, worldbuilding facts, time references, and more. Details can be so difficult to keep track of, especially when you’re writing a series, and a comprehensive series guide will have all of the copious details at your fingertips.
A guide is incredibly valuable for stories with a lot going on. If you have trouble keeping your character descriptions consistent, or if you have a huge number of worldbuilding facts scattered throughout your books, a series guide can be your easy reference. I’ll do the work of compiling the information so that you can take a quick glance at the facts without interrupting your writing.
“Kelsey paid such close attention to my book and was able to help me take it to a whole new level I didn’t even know was possible.”
rates
All prices and services at Klosterman Literary are tailored specifically to each project. Aside from ghostwriting, all services are available for a flat fee that you’ll be aware of before any work begins.
Novel editing prices are based in part on the length of the book and the amount of editing required. For picture books, early readers, and chapter books, you’ll find the base prices for each type of editing below. I’ll ask to see your full manuscript before I can offer a definitive price on any editorial services.
All pitch-related services are available at fixed prices. Ghostwriting is available at an hourly rate. The price for a series guide is based in part on the complexity of the guide and on the combined word count of all the books used to create the guide.
Typically I provide developmental editing, line editing, and copyediting separately, one after another, as it can inadvertently undermine the writing process to undergo multiple levels of editing at once. However, in some cases, particularly with picture books, early readers, and chapter books, I can provide a line edit and a copyedit together as a combined service. In these cases, both types of editing are offered at once for a reduced rate on both services.
BOOK EDITING
DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING
Picture books: from $400
Early readers + chapter books: from $600
Novels: typically $0.03 – $0.04 per word
LINE EDITING
Picture books: from $600
Early readers + chapter books: from $800
Novels: typically $0.03 – $0.04 per word
COPYEDITING
Picture books: from $200
Early readers + chapter books: from $400
Novels: typically $0.02 – $0.03 per word
BOOK PITCHING
QUERY LETTER
Comprehensive query letter edit: $200
Original query letter: $300
SAMPLE PAGES
Comprehensive sample pages edit: $400
STORY SYNOPSIS
Comprehensive synopsis edit: $200
JACKET COPY
Comprehensive jacket copy edit: $200
Original jacket copy: $300
BOOK CONSULTING
GHOSTWRITING
Novels: $120 per hour
SERIES GUIDE
Picture books: from $300
Early readers + chapter books: from $600
Novels: from $0.02 per word
“Kelsey’s sharp editorial eye helped me pinpoint areas of improvement I couldn’t see on my own and get my manuscript in beautiful shape. With her guidance and encouragement, I was able to tell the story I’d been wanting to tell from the beginning.”
Testimonials
“Kelsey’s editorial advice and passion were vital throughout the process of writing and releasing my debut novel. I’m very grateful to Kelsey, and recommend her for writing projects at any stage, length, format, or fragility.”
—Lexie Bean, author of THE SHIP WE BUILT, Dial Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House (middle grade)
“I had the good fortune early in my career to work with Kelsey on several projects. In every instance, she provided a clear understanding and compassion for what was on the page, incisive questions to help make the story deeper and more emotionally resonant, and genuine enthusiasm for what was both present and possible. I highly recommend working with Kelsey wherever you may find yourself along the writing journey!”
—Kaija Langley, author of WHEN LANGSTON DANCES, Denene Millner Books / Simon & Schuster (middle grade, middle grade in verse, & picture books)
“Kelsey is diligent, thorough, kind, and thoughtful. She’s been invaluable as a reader, editor, and researcher. Kelsey has a great reading knowledge of a variety of genres and really understands how to use plot, character, and voice to move a story forward. I couldn’t be happier with our work together and highly recommend her!”
—Kevin M. O’Connor, literary agent & principal, O’Connor Literary Agency
“Kelsey has always been very kind and helpful, and her edits allowed me to grow as a writer. She took my draft and turned it into something much more than I could have imagined it being. Four years after we started working together, I’m still so grateful for her services and intend to continue working together for future projects.”
—Olivia Angharad, author of INCONVENIENT FEELINGS & LESSONS IN LOVE (young adult)
“Kelsey’s expertise on both the market and the craft of writing has made her an invaluable editorial resource for our agency. Her intuition is always spot-on! Kelsey has worked with us on young adult and middle grade novels, picture books, and more. We’re grateful to have someone whose expertise we can trust; we’re enormously delighted to be working with Kelsey!”
—Trina Storfer, agent & co-founder, Orchard Street Ventures
“Kelsey has been incredibly helpful in developing and editing projects for me. It’s helpful to have someone at the early stages of a project to bounce ideas off of and go through my story looking at structure and character motivations. Kelsey is good at pointing out potential plot holes or things that might not be clear to the reader. If you’re looking for an editor, I super recommend her!”
—Aimee Dan, author & illustrator (middle grade graphic novels & chapter books)
“Working with Kelsey was a wonderful experience that made me a better writer. The prompts and processes that she provided helped me transform my work into something I was truly proud of. If you are looking to work with a detailed and thoughtful editor, I highly recommend Kelsey!”
—Faith Kazmi, author (picture books)
“Kelsey is a superb editor. Her developmental editing is thoughtful and insightful, as she has an innate understanding of how to shape a manuscript. I very much recommend her.”
—Laurie Blum Guest, founder & president, Re-Naissance Agency
“Kelsey paid such close attention to my book and was able to help me take it to a whole new level I didn’t even know was possible. I’ve worked with her on two novels, and both of them have improved drastically with her help. She gives constructive feedback and advice in a kind and encouraging way. Highly recommend!”
—Pauline Harris, author (young adult & new adult)
“Kelsey’s sharp editorial eye helped me pinpoint areas of improvement I couldn’t see on my own and get my YA manuscript in beautiful shape. With her guidance and encouragement, I was able to tell the story I’d been wanting to tell from the beginning. She gives constructive, actionable feedback and is a pleasure to work with.”
—Jessica James, author (young adult)
“Kelsey found and helped me fix issues with my manuscript that I’d completely missed, from small details to potential plot problems. She created two new query letters for my novel that are both one hundred percent better than anything I’d come up with. I’ve never enjoyed the querying process, but because of Kelsey’s help, I’m actually excited to start querying this manuscript again! I had a wonderful experience working with Kelsey, and will be coming back to her for help with my next completed manuscript.”
—Kay Lynn Mangum, author (middle grade)
CONTACT Kelsey
Ready to make your book into the very best version of itself? It’s okay if you’re not sure what kind of editing you need or what your book’s target audience is—I’m happy to discuss the best next steps for your project. Send me a message and we can talk! Fill out the contact form below or send an email to klostermanliterary@gmail.com.
“Kelsey has always been very kind and helpful, and her edits allowed me to grow as a writer. She took my draft and turned it into something much more than I could have imagined it being.”