Kirstin Whitman
Book Editor
How Did I Become an Editor?
In 2020—my last year of university—I had an existential crisis.
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As an English major, I knew I loved fiction and written communication. However, I faced an uncertain future.
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What awaited me after school?
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How could I channel my love of writing into a career?
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I had already taken a creative writing course—and fallen in love with it—but I wasn't prepared to take the plunge and become an author. The insecurity, the social media presence, and the inevitable criticism held me frozen.
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But I love books. I always have. Family photo albums are full of pictures of me, curled up on a chair, reading a book.
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So then I thought, “What if I help other people with their books?”
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This was my epiphany.
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With a path chosen, I stepped onto those yellow bricks and hoped for the best. What I found was a career where I can use my love for language, punctuation, and grammar every day. Where I can help authors fall in love with their manuscripts again. Where I have the opportunity to connect with creatives and be moved by their stories. Where I witness authors bravely exposing their work to the world and being inspired to nurture my own story.
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So if you’re feeling lost and a little uncertain about your book, please reach out. Every manuscript is a gem waiting to be uncovered, and I would be honored to join you as you work toward your dream.​
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On to the Facts (Try not to Fall Asleep)
I'm based out of London, Ontario, and I've been working as an editor since 2022 for Indie Publishing Group and Author Services Australia. I focus on fiction, particularly fantasy and romance, but I’ve edited many genres, such as self-help, science fiction, true-crime, religious auto-biography, action/adventure, and women's fiction.​
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I have a BA Honors Specialization in English Language and Literature from Brescia University College (which sadly no longer exists) and an Editing Certificate from Simon Fraser University. I've also taken a Creative Writing Course from King's University College. In my editing career, I am most proud of my following abilities: meeting deadlines, paying attention to details (such as a character with long, blonde hair in one chapter, then short, light-brown hair five chapters later), and collaborating effectively. I have a positive outlook and emphasize learning. ​
During the editing process, I use Microsoft Word's "Track Changes" feature. I make in-text changes, and I add comments that explain my thought process, ask for clarification, or offer suggestions. Since I work primarily with the Chicago Manual of Style, I also include what section of the style guide I am referencing when making style decisions.
My Philosophy
As someone who has always been led by curiosity, my editing philosophy is simple: Why?
Learning is a lifelong process, and I seek to inspire writers to ask questions. Alongside teaching clients about grammar tricks and punctuation faux pas, I prompt them to look at their own writing and question their thought processes.
Why are all the police officers men? Why are the female characters soft-spoken? Why are two characters falling in love based on appearance alone?
Not only do my clients receive documents void of grammatical errors, but they will hopefully be inspired to question the subliminal in both their manuscripts and the books they read.
