Today is the official launch of Present Yourself: Proven Strategies for Authentic and Impactful Public Speaking by Danielle Barnes and Christina Wodtke of Women Talk Design!

Danielle and Christina have gathered insights from a diverse group of accomplished women and from their own experience to provide women with a framework for sharing their unique perspectives in authentic and effective ways. 

This book called to me because of my own mission of supporting books that center women and that help individuals to create the space for all their identities to thrive. (Not to mention I need the public speaking help!)

Here’s what co-author Danielle Barnes had to say about working with me: ​

Which of these books would you pick up first?

It's an eclectic bunch, isn't it?

If you're wondering why I've gathered them all here, here's what they have in common:

• Books on each of these topics are launching this year (see below).
• I am so proud to have played a role in each one's becoming 🥰

1- Daily Practices of Inclusive Leaders: A Guide to Building A Culture of Belonging by Jonathan Stutz, M.A. and Eddie Pate, Ph.D. (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, May 2024)

2- Financial Literacy For All: Disrupt Poverty, Alleviate Struggle, and Realize Financial Security by John Hope Bryant (Wiley, April 2024)

3- Flourishing Kin: Indigenous Foundations for Collective Wisdom by Yuria Celidwen Ph.D. Yuria Celidwen (Sounds True, November 2024)

4- Present Yourself: Practical tools, advice and stories to help you get your ideas out into the world by Danielle Barnes and Christina Wodtke (March 2024)

5- Smart, Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons by Jessica Chen (Portfolio, July 2024)

6 - Survive, Reset, Thrive: Leading Breakthrough Growth Strategy in Volatile Times by Rebecca Homkes (Kogan Page, February 2024)

7- Wild, Willing, and Wise: An Interactive Guide for When to Paddle, When to Rest, and When to Jump Naked into the River of Life by HeatherAsh Amara (St. Martin's Essentials, July 2024)

7 books from 7 publishers all launching this year! That's no small deal for my one-person team at The GoodGood Editing. Life is good. 

📚 Click the links above to learn more about each title and pre-order them today!
🤓 Learn more about my products and services here! 
💁🏻‍♀️ Contact me to learn how I supported the authors of these books and I how I can support you in bringing your book to life!

Great question! Let's start by defining what a developmental editor is.

One of the first things authors learn during the writing and publishing process is just how many different types of editors work on a single manuscript. The main types are developmental, line, copy, and proofreader and they play different roles at different phases of the writing journey: ideation, writing, editing, and finalizing. 

Developmental editors, however, are the only editors that can play a role in every step of the writing process.

Developmental editors are trusted thinking partners for authors. We help you to figure out what it will take to turn your idea into a fully fleshed out and compelling manuscript: themes, messaging, structure, organization, outline, topics, stories, etc. We are there to answer the "Now what?" question at every stage of the writing process. Many developmental editors (including myself) also play the role of Book Coach and Project Manager, keeping authors accountable and their efforts aligned with their goals for the book.  

Developmental editors help authors make the entire book writing process feel doable. In my case, I also aim to make the process enjoyable, exciting, and resonant. It is always my goal to support authors in writing the book that is burning in their hearts.   

If you're self-publishing, it's a bit easier to understand the value of hiring a developmental editor — everyone (and I mean everyone) benefits from a second pair of expert eyes on their work.

But if you already have a book deal and in-house editor at a publisher, what's the point? Especially if you have to pay for one out of your own pocket?

Here's the value outside developmental editors like me provide.

For over 15 years, I have worked with authors on all three publishing paths: traditional, self, and hybrid. Consistently, what they tell me is that:

Nobody else is giving them the feedback on their work that they crave.

Nobody else cares as much about their every word.
​
Nobody else is willing to go deep into the trenches with them to make this the best version of their book possible.

But that's not because in-house editors don't actually care. Sadly, it's because there's no one at a publishing firm whether it is a vanity press or a traditional press that has the time and energy to invest in making sure you are writing the book of your heart. This kind of intense editorial attention is simply not built into their business models.

In fact, that's why so many publishers (and agents) refer their authors to developmental editors like me—so they can be assured their authors and the books they are writing receive the tender, loving expert care that they really deserve. 

My Philosophy on Developmental Editing: What I offer authors is an ability to see and hear their idea, even if it’s not fully formed or well-articulated yet. From that place of connection and understanding, I partner with them to fully express their message in their own voice—and in a way that is accessible to readers. And of course, I do all of the other nerdy development editing stuff like working with flow, structure, hierarchy, consistency, etc!

That's just not something available to authors nowadays without hiring a developmental editor. 

But don't just take my word for it. See what the authors, agents, publishers, and book publicists I've worked with have to say about me here. And here's one testimonial below. 

This testimonial gave me the shivers.

It's like Eddie had a direct channel to my deepest desires for what I want to be as an editor and book coach. What a great reminder of the priceless and value of feeling seen. Eddie Pate, PhD, and his co-author Jonathan Stutz were dream authors to work with and I'm beyond ecstatic that the feeling was mutual. 

You can read Eddie's words below. 

See what other authors, agents, publishers, and publicists have to say about me here.

Pre-order Daily Practices of Inclusive Leaders here.

Congratulations to Jessica Chen for securing a book contract with Penguin Random House!

Jessica is an Emmy-Award Winner and LinkedIn Top Voice. She is also the founder and CEO of Soulcast Media, which trains Fortune 100 companies on all-things communications. A former broadcast journalist, she is a phenomenal speaker and expert on presence.

We started out with a nugget of an idea at the beginning of the pandemic: How do traditional Asian values help and hurt professionals in a Western workplace? Four years later (July 2024), Smart Not Loud: How to Get Noticed At Work For All the Right Reasons will make its debut and I can't wait to see Jessica's extensive communication wisdom in print!

Read her testimonial of our work together here. 

New author testimonials make my day!

Thank you HeatherAsh Amara and I can't wait to gift all my friends copies of Wild, Willing, and Wise: An Interactive Guide for When to Paddle, When to Rest, and When to Jump Naked into the River of Life (best subtitle ever!)

See what the authors, agents, publishers, and publicists have to say about me here.

Pre-order Wild, Willing, and Wise here.

​I’m a little late on this one: Congratulations to authors Robert Balentine and Adrian Cronje on receiving the Nautilus Book Award for First Generation Wealth: Three Guiding Principles for Long-Lasting Wealth and an Enduring Family Legacy. It was a pleasure supporting you and learning from you :) 

The book offers the perspective of these two expert wealth management insiders on how entrepreneurs (i.e., first-generation wealth builders) can overcome the financial, emotional, and psychological challenges they face to find meaning in their wealth for them and for their generations of their family to come. It encourages entrepreneurs to think about where they are and to consider what adjustments may be needed in various parts of their lives. It asks tough, and essential questions about what they want to happen over time to ensure they can grow, enjoy, and pass along the fruits of their labor as well as the values which round out their legacy. 

The Nautilus Book Award was founded 25 years ago to recognize “better books for a better world” identifies books in multiple categories that make a difference and inspire. 

Interestingly, another of my authors Alan Steinberg (book to be published) also won a Nautilus Award for his debut novel To Be Enlightened. Sadly, I can't take any credit for that one. 
 

I am so happy and proud to have edited 2 of the 3 top selling Berrett-Koehler books of all time. Over a million copies each! 😍 

Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute (2.8 million copies, 35 languages)
​Confessions of An Economic Hitman by John Perkins (1.7 million copies, 38 languages)

BK is where I got my start in books over 15 years ago. Yup, I've been in this game for a time ;) I remain ever grateful for BK, its wonderful editors, especially Steve Piersanti, Jeevan Sivasubramaniam and Neal Maillet, and the amazing authors they have connected with me. ​ 

You can see what author John Perkins and my favorite BK editors have to say about working with me on my testimonials page. 

I'm currently working on my third book with bestselling author, financial literacy entrepreneur and businessman John Hope Bryant so it seems appropriate to kick off my blog with an appreciation for the book we worked on over the pandemic, Up From Nothing: The Untold Story of How We (All) Succeed.

Not everyone has equal access to the American Dream (duh). Up From Nothing takes the idea of America as the Land of Opportunity and shows how that idea has been interpreted differently for black Americans. As John likes to say, the Dream is alive, the ladder is broken.

Up From Nothing explores what it would mean for the future of us all if we were to fix the broken ladder of economic mobility for the historically disenfranchised so they too can come up from nothing. In the book, John discusses what in his life allowed him to be successful—what made him the exception to the rule, frankly—and what we all need to do to remove the obstacles hindering African Americans from coming up.

I learned so much from John over the year and a half we spent working on this book together: African-American history and why America is the way it is, and the simple mindset shift we collectively need to all grow a bigger economic pie. Personally, John taught me through his words and example the incomparable value of being comfortable in your own skin and I am forever grateful.

John gave me the highest compliment of all when he told me I "spiritually co-wrote" Up From Nothing with him. See what else he said about working with me on my testimonials page.