What I Don’t Do—And What I Actually Do (For Authors, Entrepreneurs & Storytellers Across Media)

Maybe you’ve started over more times than you can count. Maybe your ideas feel too big, too tangled, or too personal to pin down. Maybe you’ve got a half-written manuscript, a document full of notes, or a voice memo that almost gets there. If you’ve been circling your story and can’t quite land it, that’s where I come in.

But before we go any further, let’s clear up some common misconceptions about what editors actually do—because this work covers a wide spectrum.

There are proofreaders, who fix grammar, punctuation, and typos—technical, detail-oriented work. Copyeditors refine tone, brand language, sentence structure, and consistency. I offer copywriting for brand messaging and websites, but I’m not your grammar-fix-it fairy. There there are line editors who help shape voice, sequencing, and flow, which I also do across formats—from books to blogs.

Then there’s developmental and structural editing, where the majority of my work lives. This is about story architecture—clarifying purpose, identifying your stories arcs, and making sure everything connects with meaning and clarity. I work at the level of intention and resonance. My strength isn’t in following the rules—it’s breaking them with intention and building something truer, bolder, and unmistakably yours.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way—here’s what I don’t do, and what I do instead.

What I don’t do—and what I do instead:

• I don’t promise publishing deals.
  I do help you shape your book so agents, publishers, or aligned audiences can see its strength and potential.
• I don’t ghostwrite.
  I do help you say what you mean in your own voice—clients often tell me, “It sounds like me—but better.”
• I don’t proofread every comma.
  I do help your story hold together—making sure it has emotional depth, strategic clarity, and a structure that truly supports what you're trying to say.
• I don’t just help you “sound good.”
  I do help you get clear—so your message lands with clarity and feels deeply human and real.

What is storytelling coaching and narrative strategy?

Whether you're writing a book, refining your brand, or crafting a message that needs to land across platforms, I offer storytelling coaching and narrative strategy that anchors your message in clarity and intention. This isn’t just about words—it’s about crafting a message with shape and soul, one that feels true to you and magnetic to the people who matter.

I’m a structural and developmental editor with a cross-media background. I’ve worked in film, photography, communications campaigns, and story strategy—so I think about story as more than just writing. Whether it’s for a book, a website, a podcast, or a campaign, I help you craft your message with purpose.

My editorial process unfolds in three phases. First, we define the heart of the story and its role in the wider conversation—what it’s here to do and who it’s for. Next, we move through the material line by line, tuning into tone, rhythm, and emotional flow. Finally, we widen our lens to consider your audience—what they need, what they care about, and how your story can meet them there. Throughout, I draw on storytelling science, intuitive structures, and somatic practices to support both the story and the storyteller.

When it comes to publishing, I help you pivot—not just polish. Most authors write proposals like they wrote their book: full of feeling—or they go the other direction and make it so straightforward it loses its spark. But agents and publishers are looking for a different frame. I help you shift the lens so they can see what makes your work matter.

How I support your path to publishing

Let’s be clear: I’m not a publishing expert in the traditional sense—I don’t pitch to agents or promise book deals. But I’ve spent years writing proposals and learning how to speak the language that resonates with big five agents and decision-makers. I can’t promise miracles, but I can help you create a strong, compelling proposal that reflects both your vision and the market’s needs.

Many authors write proposals that feel like their book: heartfelt, meaningful, and beautifully written—but not necessarily framed in a way that speaks the publishing industry's language. I help you bridge that gap. We identify your ideal audience, refine how your story is positioned, and connect it to the conversations publishers are already paying attention to—without losing its soul.

How storytelling shapes your brand messaging

Your story lives far beyond the page—and my background across film, photography, and communication campaigns helps me support you in all those spaces. If you're building a brand or writing copy for your business, I bring that same story-first lens. Whether we're crafting a homepage, a founder story, or how you talk about your work in a conversation, I help you say what you really mean in a way that resonates and feels true to you.

I also help you build a brand story archive—a storytelling tool that captures the key narratives behind your work and helps you articulate what you do with confidence, alignment, and ease across your content. Clients tell me this gives them language that finally feels like them—without the pressure to “sound like a marketer.”

If your story is a house...
I help you pour the foundation, frame the walls, and make sure the structure can hold the weight of what you want to say. We move room by room, making sure each space feels intentional and aligned with your message. I’m not here to choose your paint colors or cabinet knobs—that’s where a copyeditor or proofreader steps in. But the bones of the house? That’s the sacred structure of your story—the part that holds the weight of your message, gives it shape, and helps it move people. That’s where I do my best work.

This approach applies just as much to entrepreneurs. Whether it's a story on your homepage or how you talk about your work in conversation, we’re building something sturdy, resonant, and real—so you feel grounded every time you share it.

If you’re ready to shape a story that transforms—your reader, your client, your message—that’s where I come in.

Curious if we’re a good fit?
Book your free story clarity session and let’s talk about your story—and how we can shape it for the impact it’s meant to have.

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