Hannah Elnan, Editor

Welcome!

I'm a freelance book editor with over 15 years' experience in trade publishing in New York and Seattle at imprints of Penguin Random House.

I edit nonfiction and fiction for adults. My offerings include manuscript evaluation, developmental editing, and line editing of nonfiction book proposals and manuscripts for authors, agents, and publishers. I also edit literary and book club fiction for select projects.

In addition, I provide inclusivity reads (also known as sensitivity reads) with a queer lens for most genres of fiction and nonfiction.

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About Me:

I'm a lifelong bookworm and career editor with over 15 years of experience in book publishing with a focus on editing trade nonfiction for adults.

I love helping writers take their book proposals and manuscripts to the next level. My approach to editing is both intuitive and analytical—I read very closely with an eye to what the target audience wants out of your book, keeping your goals in mind the whole time. I have deep knowledge of the nonfiction publishing market in many genres and lots of experience putting together an appealing nonfiction book proposal.

Working with me, you can expect an editor who is encouraging and organized while offering incisive feedback. It is a true pleasure for me to get to help authors achieve their dreams. I've edited New York Times bestsellers, long-time regional bestsellers, award-winners, million-plus copy sellers, apps, and books that have kickstarted publishing trends.

As a nonfiction editor, I enjoy working on a wide range of subject matter but have a soft spot for memoir, narrative nonfiction, and LGBTQ+. In terms of fiction, I enjoy literary and book club fiction.

My History:

For 10 years, I worked as a Senior Editor at Sasquatch Books when they were a division of Penguin Random House, helping a small regional imprint achieve national and regional successes. While there, I had a hand in the entire publishing process: identifying trends, working very closely with authors to develop nonfiction book proposals, doing developmental editing and line editing on the manuscripts, and shepherding the books through every stage of production and publication.

At Sasquatch, I was named a Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree, as well as a Sasquatch Books Employee of the Year. I'm proud to say that I developed and edited the mega-bestselling 52 Lists guided journal series by Moorea Seal with over 1.5 million copies in print.

Before that, I worked at Ballantine Books in New York City, also a division of Penguin Random House, where I edited bestselling fiction and nonfiction. I started my publishing career on the agency side, at Elyse Cheney Literary in New York City.

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