Services Offered:

Author Coaching
Developmental Editing
Editorial Assessment
Substantive Editing
Book Doctoring

Preferred Age Level & Genre of Expertise:

Middle-grade, YA, and adult fiction in the following genres: contemporary, romance, fantasy, contemporary fantasy, fabulism, magical realism, and paranormal.

Kate especially loves working with voicey books that feature badass female protagonists (the kind that wield actual weapons and the kind whose “weapons” take another form, like a sharp tongue or clever wit), swoony romance (love triangles, enemies-to-lovers, and friends-to-lovers all welcome here!), fat positivity, sex positivity, and books that blur the line between reality and magic in all its many forms.

More About Kate…

Kate (she/her/hers) is the owner of Angelella Editorial and a full-time writing coach who began her career working as an in-house editor for Simon & Schuster Children’s Books. There, she edited for the chapter book, middle-grade, tween, and YA book markets. During her time at S&S, Kate edited several series, including the renowned middle-grade series Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. She also acquired and edited over thirty additional novels, including the first novels ever published by Kekla Magoon, winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award, Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent and NAACP Image Award, and #1 New York Times bestselling author Nova Ren Suma.

As a writing coach, Kate sees herself as a personal trainer for your writing and creative life. She specializes on helping writers get unstuck. She’d love to help you:

• finish that manuscript that’s been languishing in your hard drive for too long

• create an idea for and write a full draft of a novel

• edit your current full draft to get it on top shape for querying (traditional publication) or publishing (indie/self-pub)

Whatever state it is currently in, Kate wants to help you make your story the very best that it can be through thorough, yet compassionate, critique; moral support and accountability; and an easy-to-follow-through-with structure that will push you to finally reach your goals.

Kate earned her MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives with her husband (also a writer and writing teacher), book-loving children, and two rude cats in Baltimore.

Favorite Authors:

• Adult romance: Christina Lauren, Jasmine Guillory, Emily Henry, Talia Hibbert

• YA contemporary: Deb Caletti, Jenny Han, Rita Williams-Garcia, Katie Cotugno, Emma Lord

• YA fantasy: Holly Black, Leigh Bardugo, Laini Taylor, Sarah J. Maas

• YA fabulism: Nova Ren Suma, Francesca Lia Block

• MG: Kate DiCamillo, Kekla Magoon, Wendy Mass

• Across age ranges: Neil Gaiman, Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, Rachel Lynn Solomon

Favorite TV Shows:

The Bear, Ted Lasso, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Veronica Mars, Fleabag, Gomorrah, The Wire, Pushing Daisies, Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.

Testimonials.

“Any writer would be lucky to have Kate Angelella’s insightful, wise editorial guidance. In her time on the editing staff at Aladdin, Kate acquired and shaped books that launched careers of many industry stars, including the future #1 Indie Next pick author Nova Ren Suma and the multiple John Steptoe-award-winning Kekla Magoon. Kate has an eye for talent and a gentle, skilled hand at coaxing out the best from a writer.”
– Liesa Abrams, Editor-in-Chief, Labyrinth Road Books, Random House

“Kate Angelella has a wonderful eye for what works in the commercial marketplace, with a talent for finding new, fresh voices and pushing them to be the best writers they can be. While at Aladdin, she shaped many noteworthy debuts, and her collaborative editorial process was appreciated and respected by her colleagues and authors.”
– Alyson Heller, Senior Editor, Aladdin Books, Simon & Schuster

“If you want to go from a hobbyist writer to a professional novelist, having the right editor is crucial. Kate has the experience to tell you what works and what doesn’t. Her edit letters are as detailed as they are compassionate. I haven’t seen anything better than her line edits. I came to her with R&Rs on two novels and have learned so much, affecting not only those books but all writings thereafter. I emphatically recommend her services to anyone who wants to be published. I will caution that you will become addicted to knowing what she thinks of your writing after working with her in any capacity.”
– Meredith Ireland (author of The Jasmine Project and Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller, S&S BFYR)

“The whole thought of hiring a professional editor made me nervous, at first. But after looking at Kate’s background and reading through her testimonials, I was sold. It was one of the best career decisions I have ever made. Kate’s enthusiasm for my story made me remember why I loved writing, and her spot-on edits helped me shape and hone my manuscript into something I am immensely proud of. She gave her critiques with a genuine kindness that made me feel completely at ease while also incredibly motivated. Kate’s edits gave me the push I needed, and I am so grateful.”
– Katharyn Blair (author of The Beckoning Shadow and Unchosen, HarperCollins)

“One of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made as a writer was hiring Kate Angelella as my editor. I came to Kate with a manuscript that had potential, but was riddled with clichés, poor character development, a non-existent setting, and a plot that had more holes than Swiss cheese. Kate not only helped me fix these issues, she gave me the confidence I needed to push the boundaries and challenge myself as a storyteller. When I received her edit letter, it was 13 pages long (front and back!) and included several large and terrifying suggestions for changes—including re-writing my entire manuscript in a different point of view! However, Kate walked me through the changes with kindness, professionalism, and understanding. Her knowledge and experience, not to mention her supportive and caring personality, are the reason my book is what it is today. Kate saw through the mess, and found the heart of my story. She became a cheerleader for me and my characters and a true advocate of my work. Kate is not only an incredible editor, she is a wizard, a teacher, a collaborator, a kindred spirit, and a truly amazing friend. I am SO grateful to Kate, not just for her help with my book, but for taking interest in me as an author and a person. Kate is a bright light and I am SO thankful I had the opportunity to know and work with her! I hope every other writer out there is as lucky as I am! Thank you, Kate! You are the bee’s knees and I truly cannot thank you enough!”
– Kim Chance (author of Keeper and Seeker, North Star Editions)

“My agent recommended Kate to me when I’d gotten stuck with my manuscript. Although I was reluctant to hire an editor, Kate immediately put my fears at ease and let me know that, no matter what, it would still be my work at the end of the day. She was genuinely interested in the troubles I was having with my attempted edits and listened to the concerns my agent and I had with the manuscript. After listening, Kate asked pointed questions that immediately showed me she truly ‘got’ my manuscript. In a single discussion, I already had the direction I needed and knew where the bulk of the work needed to be done. Her editorial letter was precise, insightful, honest and compassionate. Kate was always quick and professional when responding to emails. I looked forward to our FaceTime discussions, because it truly felt like I had someone on my team who cared and wanted me to succeed. Kate went above and beyond my expectations, and I look forward to working with her again.”
– Melanie Sumrow (author of The Inside Battle and The Prophet Calls, Yellow Jacket Books)

“Working with Kate was a true pleasure. Her professional eye took what I thought was a polished manuscript, and made it shine. As a first time author I was nervous about the thought of working with an editor but Kate has such a wonderful way of suggesting improvements and a killer eye for the fluff that is not needed. Her expertise took my manuscript to the next level. I am thrilled to have had her by my side in this project and look forward to future collaborations.”
– Beverley Lee, The Making of Gabriel Davenport

“Working with Kate was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had as a writer. Her insight is inspiring and far from overbearing. Her edits feel much more like collaborations than they do corrections. Kate goes to great lengths to get underneath the story and between the lines to get to the founding fabrics of your work, extracting critical elements you might not have even picked up on yourself. My novel would still be a work in progress if it weren’t for her, and the glowing reviews I’ve been getting I attribute much to her. Kate is knowledgeable and is always there for you. Her responses are quick and she remains engaged through the entire process. I enjoyed working with Kate so much that I can’t imagine going to any other editor for any of my works in the future. Not only did I find an amazing editor, I found a friend and a collaborator.”
– Kyle V. Hiller, The Recital

“Kate Angelella is a ninja editor. She slashed my word count, culled characters, and hit me with the tough, in-depth questions, all while making me completely comfortable with the drastic changes needed. Her edit letter showed me the kind of detailed hard work I could expect, and from the arrival of the letter I knew she was all-in. She was always available for stupid questions, and so sweet and patient in her approach, despite our tight turn around time. It was after working with Kate that I signed with my gorgeous agent, and I know it wouldn’t have happened without her guidance. If you’re looking to work with an editor, place your MS in her perfectly polished hands–it won’t only benefit that MS, but every one you write thereafter. I challenge you to find someone with as much knowledge, patience, and dedication as this ten out of ten. A year later, and I’m still grateful for everything she taught me!”
– Heather M. Bryant (rep’d by Empire Literary)

“If you want an editor that is sharp, detailed, kind and insightful, I cannot suggest Kate enough. She was able to pinpoint and communicate problems I hadn’t seen in such a clear, detailed, but kind way that even the biggest suggested edits were easy to consider. Her follow-through and continued help has been so encouraging. Most of all, though, she worked to make my story shine, not change it to something else. Hiring Kate has been the best career decision I’ve made; I’m so glad to have her on my team!”
– Phoenix Kingston

“Kate Angelella is amazing to work with. She’s thorough and highly professional. With her experience at a major publisher, she is able to look at many aspects of a story and strengthen it. Kate worked with me to strengthen my manuscript, and was always ready to discuss any concerns or answer questions I had. Her understanding of story structure, plot, character development were all invaluable. She’s also filled with wonderful tips and tricks for writing. I recommend Kate to anyone who is looking for a professional editor. She makes the revision process as painless as possible and in the end, you will have a stronger story.”
– Elesha Teskey

More reviews available here.