Photo by Mindy MyersI started editing professionally in 2003 while I was still a student at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and it wasn't long before I realized I'd found my career. Since then, I've worked with hundreds of writers across a wide array of genres and styles: biography, business, commercial/mainstream fiction, genre fiction (fantasy, horror, mystery, sci-fi, thriller), historical fiction, humor, literary fiction, memoir, satire, self-help, travel, and young adult literature. I've written thousands of pages of manuscript evaluations and line-edited dozens of books (for money), and I've connected writers with top-notch literary agents and publications (for sheer joy). In 2007 a friend of a friend of a friend sent a potential ghostwriting client my way, and I was so busy with editing I almost turned him down. Thank goodness I didn't: I took part in an extremely rewarding collaborative effort, and the client found his book on the best-seller lists. Who could look back after that? There's no better job than to help people realize their literary dreams, and I'm grateful that I get to do this full-time. I've ghostwritten full-length manuscripts, articles, speeches, brochures, and blog entries.
I have a B.A. in English literature and philosophy & religion, an M.Div. in theology, and an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Before small children killed my literary aspirations, I published my own poetry, fiction, and non-fiction in literary journals and on the Web. The Writers' Workshop led me to Iowa and then a tenure-track job for my husband convinced us to stay. I now live in Des Moines with my husband and two children. East Coasters through and through, we are continually surprised by how much we like it here.
If you have further questions or would like more information, I'd love to speak with you. Please contact me at catherine@catherineknepper.com to set up a phone appointment.