Editing by Karen Hansen
Meet Karen
Writer & Editor | If I don’t know, I’ll find out!
Developmental Editing | Line/Copy Editing
Bio
I’m a writer, editor, runner and cat mom. A Midwest gal at heart, I now live in Washington, D.C. I’m half librarian and half actuary, so I approach writing and editing with equal eyes on the art and the science of communication.
Qualifications
I am an experienced editor working in fiction since 2023. I specialize in developmental edits for new and debut indie authors of young adult/new adult romance and fantasy.
A representative selection of projects I’ve worked on includes:
- All 3 books in a debut YA fantasy romance trilogy
- An adult witchy romance featuring femdom kink
- A debut new adult/low spice Sapphic Norse romance
- A YA fantasy assassin conspiracy adventure
I focus on finding the heart of each story – what it’s really about at its core. With gentle, constructive advice, I’ll help your story blossom.
My full-time job is in the nonprofit world writing and editing journalism and civil rights content, which I’ve been doing for about 15 years. My experience includes writing, structural and copy editing, editorial oversight, fact checking, proofing, project management and publication logistics.
Courses
- Advanced Developmental Editing: Romance
- Developmental Editing for Fiction | Editorial Arts Academy
- Intermediate Developmental Editing for Fiction | Editorial Freelancers Association
- Intermediate Editing | Poynter Institute
- Fundamentals of Editing | Poynter Institute
- Lead with Influence | Poynter Institute
Certificates
- Club Ed Certificate in Developmental Editing (Fiction)
- Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing
- Poynter ACES Intermediate Certificate in Editing
Memberships
- American Copy Editors Society
- Editorial Freelancers Association
Why work with me
🚩 I won’t tear you or your work down.
✅ I will identify any primary challenges to readers connecting with and loving your book. I’ll provide gentle, constructive feedback to help make your book even closer to your vision.
🚩 I won’t tell you that you must do or change anything.
✅ I’ll give you potential solutions you can implement if they work for you — or use to spark your own creativity and solutions that best fit your vision.
🚩 I won’t provide generic advice that doesn’t relate to your manuscript and where you are as an author.
✅ I will approach your book systematically as a reader and as an analyst. I will provide tips and suggestions for your manuscript and to grow your craft going forward.
🚩 I won’t simply run your work through grammar checking or AI software. I will not input your work into any AI software that stores or trains on the contents.
✅ I will use software tools to help with consistency and identifying potential issues. I will always individually review and assess tools’ suggestions based on my own expertise and analysis.
Looking for a writer or editor?
Let’s chat about how I can help you achieve your storytelling goals!
Editing by Karen Hansen