You wrote a book.
Now what?
Unlock the heart of your story, breathe life into your characters, and prepare your book for querying or publishing under the guidance of award-winning author and editor, Leah Konen.
Writing is a lonely business.
Preparing your book for the world doesn’t have to be.
When I set out to be a writer, I never dreamed I would actually have a book published—much less six.
Over thirteen years in the industry, I’ve learned that ushering a novel into the world is a marathon, not a sprint. In takes early mornings and late nights, idea-filled notebooks and an almost obsessive passion for your idea.
But I’ve also learned that when we become enmeshed in our work—they call them book babies for a reason— it’s near impossible to take a step back and see the bigger picture.
That’s where I come in.
Having written across genres and age ranges, from mystery to romance and adult to YA; as well as on my own projects and in development with Alloy/Warner Brothers; I’ve spent more than a decade honing my expertise on plot, character, pacing, motivation, stakes and crafting crystal-clear prose.
Editors and readers are hungry for stories that hook them—books they simply can’t put down—but even the most talented writers frequently struggle to unearth the hook, unique premise, or enthralling character that leaves readers wanting more.
Whether you’re looking for a comprehensive developmental edit for a finished novel or help writing a query that leaves agents begging to see your full manuscript, I would love to work with you to uncover the heart of your story and help get it into readers’ hands.
Editorial Services
Global Developmental Editing
A global developmental edit can help unlock your unique hook, tighten pacing, nail down character motivation and most importantly: avoid the pitfalls that can have agents and editors saying no.
Book Coaching
Sometimes, what you need doesn’t fit into a traditional package. Perhaps you haven’t finished a project and are feeling particularly stuck. Maybe you want to jump-start your plot, solve a character problem or take a step back and think big-picture about your next round of revision. In those cases, book coaching can be a fantastic option, and I’d love to work out a tailor-made plan for you.
Query Letter Consults
If you’re ready to send your book into the world but don’t know where to start, I offer query letter writing/editing and consultations around the process of getting the best agent for your career.
“Every fiction writer needs an editor like Leah! She has a rare gift for getting to the heart of a query or story and helping you understand how to fix it on both a deep, structural level and within individual scenes and lines. She’s a master at pitching creative solutions to sticky plot problems and always helps me create the strongest and most sellable version of a manuscript possible. I’ve worked with her for every one of my books—I can’t recommend her highly enough!”
—Andrea Bartz, bestselling author of The Lost Night (which received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal and is in TV development with Mila Kunis) and The Herd (named a best book of the year by Real Simple, Marie Claire, Oprah Magazine and more)
“I've worked with Leah Konen over the years — from humor books to fiction — and she has a keen eye for everything from overall plot points to line edits. An accomplished writer whose bibliography speaks for itself, Leah and her top-notch editing skills are the secret weapons you need to get published.”
—Brenna Ehrlich, author of Placid Girl (which garnered praise from Teen Vogue, Paste and Huffington Post) and Stuff Hipsters Hate (called “depressingly astute” by The New Yorker)
”I can't speak highly enough about Leah. She is a kind yet constructive editor who gets really excited about digging down into a story and making it the best it can be. When you need help wrangling a story, she's always ready with great ideas.“
—Fiona Taylor, co-author of New Erotica for Feminists and founding editor of The Belladonna, a satire site written by women and other marginalized genders