I offer comprehensive developmental editing services and monthly coaching for authors at all levels, with a focus on queer fiction and narrative nonfiction.

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I graduated Sarah Lawrence College with a BA in Liberal Arts and shortly thereafter began working in the publishing industry—first as an intern at Macmillan, with the children’s and young adult imprint Roaring Brook Press and the comics publisher First Second, and then as an assistant at the Jennifer Lyons literary agency. I started freelancing primarily as a copy editor, working on academic books and SEO for small businesses. In 2015, I returned to school for an MFA in fiction at Emerson College. There, I worked as an editorial assistant at Ploughshares and as a developmental editor for the now-defunct young adult publisher Merit Press. I also started teaching at Emerson and the community writing center GrubStreet—the “day job” that sustained me for five and a half years and helped develop my pedagogical standards for working with emergent writers. But I started freelancing because, simply, I wanted to help people make their writing better, and in my time as an educator, I missed having my hands on big, sprawling, messy manuscripts-in-progress. Since, I’ve collaborated with established writers and first-time authors; on novels, short stories, memoirs, essay collections, and strange in-between forms; in worlds both distant from this one and incredibly close, in historical settings, mirror dimensions, and—perhaps the strangest place of all—in high schools. I’ve worked with small presses, journals, publishers, and individuals of all experience levels—and I’d like to work with you.

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Past projects.

  • The Odd Ueven Time, Emma Stanley

    Developmental and copy edit.

  • In the Roses of Pieria, Anna Burke

    Developmental edit.

  • Darker than the Starless Night, Rebecca Brodkey

    Developmental edit.

  • Fred, Annie Krabbenschmidt

    Developmental and copy edit.

  • A Long Time Dead, Samara Breger

    Developmental edit.

  • No Shelter but the Stars, Virginia Black

    Developmental edit.

  • Ploughshares Literary Journal

    Copy edit.

  • Hell Bent‎‎, Calista Lynne‏‏‎

    Copy edit.

  • Blood Remains, Cathy Pegau

    Developmental edit.

  • Bloodline, Jenn Alexander

    Developmental edit.

  • Touch of the Bone, Baxter Clare Trautman

    Developmental edit.

Reviews

  • Pamela Jane

    Kit Haggard is a rare combination of intelligence, perception, empathy, and just plain fun. She is a conscientious and thorough editor who takes time to think deeply and comprehensively about the project at hand. I cannot recommend Kit highly enough.

  • Annie Krabbenschmidt

    Truly an unbelievable experience working with Kit. Not only did she make my manuscript an improved version, she added intellectual insights in her commentary that actually unlocked problems I was having with some of the cohesion and flow of the project. Just a super smart, super thoughtful collaborator, and I can't wait to work with her on future projects.

  • David Sidhu

    Kit was everything I had hoped for in an editor, and then some! Her edits and comments were all spot on, and incredibly insightful. She pointed out things I hadn't noticed, and suggested great ideas that I hadn't considered! In every case it was clear that she had taken her time, and really dug into the entire manuscript. I have no doubt that she improved my work immensely, and I cannot recommend her highly enough!

  • Rebecca Peterson-Hall

    Kit was an incredible editor and overall thought partner on our project. She has a very balanced method of delivering feedback, making sure you understand what was and wasn't working in the manuscript, and truly incredible insight into characterization, worldbuilding and journey/arc. It felt like she had been sitting with the manuscript for months, with how accurately she understood the characters and the vision for each of them, as well as the underlying principles of the story world and magic (this was for a fantasy manuscript), even though in reality she turned around edits very efficiently! I look forward to continue collaborating with Kit on this and future projects.

  • Victoria Denton

    Kit was incredibly professional and passionate, an absolute delight to work with! She did developmental editing on my novel and delivered high-quality feedback in a very timely manner. Very easy to communicate with, loves what she does, and is certainly someone that I hope to keep in touch with for future projects. Would highly recommend!

  • Sara Sugar

    Working with Kit got me to a place that would have taken me months and months if I had done it on my own. I felt like she really understood what I was trying to do with my story (maybe better than I did!) Her feedback on the structure of my novel and how she interpreted the central theme was like a lightbulb moment that laid out everything in front of me to make sense finally. I honestly don't think I would have gotten there on my own. I feel so inspired after receiving her feedback. Kit is a very talented editor. I would recommend her to anyone looking for feedback!