I have nearly twenty years of experience working in literary publishing. I spent eight years as a book editor at Bloomsbury Publishing in New York, editing novels and narrative nonfiction. I also worked for four years as a senior editor at The Yale Review, editing short fiction and essays. Pieces I edited for the magazine were awarded the Pushcart Prize, selected for Best American Short Stories and Best American Essays, and recognized as finalists for National Magazine Awards in both fiction and essays/criticism.
In my eight years as a literary scout, I’ve also read hundreds of novels and nonfiction book proposals, and have developed a keen sense for the stories that generate industry interest both domestically and internationally—and a sense for how to pitch them most effectively.
As an independent editor, I’ve worked with a variety of clients: fiction writers polishing their stories for MFA applications; essayists developing pieces for publication across multiple drafts; novelists under contract with major publishers, integrating high-level feedback; academics choosing between projects and crafting trade book proposals; and poets ordering and refining their manuscripts for submission.
I also provide publishing consulting services.
Please contact me for rates; I’m happy to work with clients to determine what services are within their budget.
Email: rachel [dot] mannheimer [at] gmail [dot] com