Is your story pulling
its weight—or just
pulling you in circles?
From the first spark of story blueprinting to the very final proofreads, I’m here to help you create books readers spam their friends to push to the top of their TBR. What’s that mean for you? It means we’ll work together to create character-driven, emotionally rewarding, and structurally sound story arcs to wow readers for years to come.
Meet Kate
For over a decade, I’ve helped authors write the kinds of stories that keep readers up too late—binge-worthy, emotionally charged, and structurally solid. I started my editorial journey in traditional publishing, where I learned how to spot what makes a manuscript work, the fundamentals of craft, and fine tuning authors’ voices. Over time, I found my real passion is working side-by-side with authors to shape their stories from the inside out—freelancing allows me this freedom.
In 2019, I co-founded Zory, an interactive reading app blending the immersive nature of reading with the player agency of video games. As head of publishing and editorial, I worked with bestselling romance authors—including Amazon top-ten sellers, NYT & USA Today bestsellers, as well as RITA & RT award winners—to craft stories to both entertain and emotionally engage readers in every possible timeline of their books. That experience honed my skills for tightening and creating compelling story structure, emotional pacing, and reader payoff.
Now, I’ve returned to what I love most: helping authors map out and edit their books, deepen their character arcs, and write unforgettable stories.
“Thanks to Kate, I now have a roadmap to move forward with the book of my heart.”
My Editorial Approach
My editorial style is deeply structural (but never clinical). I dig into the bones of the story, your characters’ motivation, personalities, and goals, as well as develop an understanding of your unique voice and the specific rhythm of your genre.
Additionally, I blend my expertise in story structure and craft techniques with character psychology (Jungian personality theory, GMC, archetypal character arcs, etc.) to help you write books rich in emotional depth, tight pacing, and totally you. I don’t simply flag slow scenes or redundancies (though I certainly will do that), I help you uncover why the weak spots are happening, if there’s a pattern to the crutches in your writing style, and I’ll help you kick any flabby writing muscles into shape. Think of it as physical therapy for writing. I’ll help identify what needs strengthening and will walk you through how to bolster it with intention and confidence.
Every edit is collaborative, compassionate, and tailored to your needs.
Whether you’re at the building-block stage of plotting, smoothing out a sagging middle of a draft, or wanting to rewrite an entire book that just isn’t landing—I’m here to help.
tap each card to read the details.
Pre-Writing Services
Editorial Services
I’m lucky to work with incredible authors frequently found on these bestseller lists:
Books I worked on at Zory
“I had the pleasure of working with Kate Johnson on a complete overhaul of a novel. She is an expert in reader expectations, and her developmental edits were invaluable. She not only gave my story solid and compelling character arcs, but she also helped bring the book in line with my writing voice. Kate has an in-depth understanding of storytelling and delivers comprehensive feedback in a collaborative way. Working with her was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot and enjoyed the process at the same time.”
Melanie Summers, Amazon Top 10 & USA Today Bestselling Author
“One of the best, most knowledgable editors I’ve worked with in my 20+ years in the industry. Kate has a nearly unmatched understanding of story structure, giving her the unique ability to dissect a book and analyze its strengths and flaws. I brought her a book that I knew in my gut “was broken” but that no one else had been able to help me understand why or how, let alone how to “fix it.” Thanks to Kate, I now have a roadmap to move forward with the book of my heart.”
Emma Lee Jayne, USA Today Bestselling Author & RITA Winner
“I had the pleasure of working with Kate Johnson on a complete overhaul of a novel. She is an expert in reader expectations, and her developmental edits were invaluable. She not only gave my story solid and compelling character arcs, but she also helped bring the book in line with my writing voice. Kate has an in-depth understanding of storytelling and delivers comprehensive feedback in a collaborative way. Working with her was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot and enjoyed the process at the same time.”
Melanie Summers, Amazon Top 10 & USA Today Bestselling Author
Let’s get started with a Sample Edit.
Whether you know exactly what kind of edit you need or you’re still figuring it out, a free sample edit is the best place to start.
You’ll get in-line comments on up to 1,000 words (usually your opening scene), plus a brief summary of strengths, areas for improvement, and a clear recommendation for next steps.
Just fill out the form below—I’ll follow up via email with instructions for sending your excerpt.
Please note that I vastly prefer working in Google Docs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all. If you’re unsure whether you need a developmental edit, line edit, or copy edit, that’s what the sample edit is for. I’ll assess your pages and recommend the best next step for your manuscript.