I’m a
Developmental Editor
& Writing Partner
for intellectually and emotionally complex books
I work with experts, researchers, and thoughtful authors drafting challenging books that translate complex ideas or explore transformative life experiences.
Complex Ideas Demand More Than Excellent Transcription
Whether you're an academic translating research for a trade audience, an expert with a genuinely novel framework, or a storyteller making sense of transformative experiences, your book requires someone who can:
Engage intellectually with complex arguments and challenging material.
Challenge constructively to strengthen your thinking before critics do.
Find the structure that makes dense ideas or non-linear experiences coherent and relatable.
Translate without trivializing, so your work reaches broader audiences without losing rigor.
My job isn't to agree with you—it's to think with you to make your book clearer and more compelling.
My Focus Is On Partnership
My favorite clients are writers who need a comprehensive editorial partner. We work together to:
Unearth the most compelling arguments and narrative arcs,
Test ideas against objections,
Solve conceptual and structural problems, and
Craft prose that's precise, accessible, and moving.
The authors with whom I work are comfortable with collaborative thinking and iterative revision. My process isn’t the same across partnerships, but it is always transformative. Clients discover insights they didn't know they had. They refine their ideas. And they produce work they’re genuinely proud to claim.
I Work With People Who Have Something Difficult To Say
Whether They’re Writing Big Idea Books:
Novel frameworks that challenge conventional thinking
Research and analysis translated for non-specialist audiences (in areas like psychology, history, political science, or sociology)
Innovative approaches to systemic issues (in areas like healthcare, politics, cultural studies, and social justice studies)
Or Transformative Memoirs:
Life experiences that resist easy narration
Processing cultural phenomena or moral complexity
Stories that do more than recount—they examine, question, and illuminate
You need an intellectual partner who can engage with your ideas, challenge your thinking, help deepen emotional resonances, and work closely with you to produce a book that's as rigorous as it is readable.
I’ve helped authors achieve Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller status and write Amazon bestsellers across multiple categories.
To every partnership, I bring intellectual rigor combined with a proven track record of helping books succeed commercially. My clients don't choose between "smart" and "sellable"—they get both.
How We Work Together
Every project is different, but most fall into one of these three models:
DEVELOPMENTAL PARTNERSHIP
for authors who want to write their own books
You provide drafts, and we engage in regular editorial sessions. I provide comprehensive developmental editing, structural guidance, line-by-line feedback, and, when needed, substantial rewriting.
This is my specialty—working with engaged writers who need an intellectual partner to help them think through complexity, strengthen arguments, and craft a book that’s engaging.
Timeline: 6-12 months
COLLABORATIVE WRITING
for authors who need substantial writing support
You provide substantial content and ongoing input. I provide everything in the Developmental Partnership plus drafting sections and filling gaps—including reviewing and incorporating research.
We're true co-creators, even though your name alone appears on the cover.
Timeline: 8-15 months
FULL GHOSTWRITING
for authors who need someone to write it all
You provide content through interviews and feedback on drafts. I provide everything else—from structure to line-edited prose.
Available when needed, but most of my clients prefer more collaborative models.
Timeline: 12-18 months
Not sure which model fits your project? Let's talk.
About me
I hold a PhD in philosophy with specialization in critical theory and aesthetics. Before working full-time with nonfiction book authors, I spent nearly two decades teaching philosophy and writing, coaching researchers and scholars through the writing process, and helping students develop complex arguments.
That training and experience shapes how I work now: I can engage with intellectually rigorous material, challenge thinking constructively, locate and develop what’s brilliant within a manuscript, and help authors find clarity in complexity.
Since 2019, I've worked on 25+ nonfiction books across memoir, psychology, healthcare policy, systemic social issues, business strategy, and more.
What all those books have in common: They wrestle with complex ideas or experiences, and their authors wanted a kind and intellectually generous partner.
I work with a limited number of clients per year to ensure each book gets the deep thinking and editorial partnership it deserves.
What Clients Say about Working Together
“Jennifer is a careful and enthusiastic listener. I am so grateful to have worked with her as my writing partner on this journey.”
—Interior Design Entrepreneur (Memoir)
“My collaborator, Jennifer, made my ideas so much clearer, and her bountiful laugh made the writing of this book so much fun. Her gift is to bring out the best in people.”
—Global Nonprofit CEO (Gender Equity)
“Our ‘voice’ always sounds better when we are unencumbered by process and free to ideate, create, and flow outside traditional bounds. My hands can never type quickly enough to keep up with my thoughts, and I have always been more creative in talking things out aloud with others than plotting away by myself. This is especially true when talking with a conversation partner who is a great listener and asks all the right questions at exactly the right times. Jen is such a total rock star for being there with me every word of the way.”
—Technology Founder and CEO (Business Strategy)
Want to hear from clients whose projects may be similar to yours?
I'm happy to provide references once we’ve established a connection.