Catherine Knepper

Catherine served as a fabulous, much-needed second reader on my (rather long and complicated) novel, Cloud Cuckoo Land. She helped me tighten language, repair chronological wrinkles, clarify muddled passages, and even invent some terminology. And she served as an essential sounding board for all sorts of revision ideas. Most importantly, Catherine helped me stay confident and buoyant when I was exhausted from the work of assembling the book. I wholeheartedly recommend her services.

Writing a book can feel very lonely. Catherine was the ultimate companion on the journey and made it feel far less so. It was important to me to have someone who could coach me through the process—someone who truly got me, my voice, my intent, and my message, and who was willing to challenge me, push me, and sharpen my thinking and writing along the way. Catherine was all of that and more. Her ability to help you get out of your own “lost in translation” moments is uncanny. I’ve told her once and I’ll say it again: she’s stuck with me!

Catherine Knepper has a rare gift for finding your voice before you've fully found it yourself. She brought patience, creativity, and razor-sharp attention to detail to every page of Burnout Immunity, pushing my ideas further while keeping them authentically mine. But what I appreciate most is how much fun she makes the process—collaborating with Catherine feels less like work and more like the best kind of creative partnership. I'm thrilled to be working with her again on my second book.

There are editors, and there are editors. And then—I kid you not—there are editors. I’ve worked with a lot of editors. All kinds. Heck, I’m an editor. Catherine Knepper is damn near peerless. Fiction or nonfiction; it matters not. She’s the kind of editor that editors want to work on their prose. It won’t be easy to get on her schedule but if you get the chance, grab it with both hands and hold on for a wild ride.

Catherine is truly lovely to work with. She immediately made me feel very comfortable, making it easy to share my story. She immersed herself in my personal journey, and her ability to take my life and put it down on paper in a way that is completely authentic and genuine is so impressive. She captured my voice and translated it to a story that reads so beautifully—exactly what I wanted to say, but better.

Catherine Knepper isn’t just an editor—she’s a true writing partner. She takes the time to really understand a writer’s voice, vision, and goals, and works alongside them to bring out the very best version of the book. She never tries to impose her own agenda; instead, she helps you make the work unmistakably yours. When the process calls for big, even seismic decisions about content, Catherine has a rare ability to guide you through them with clarity, confidence, and care.

As a second-time author working with Harvard Business Review Press, I knew I needed someone who could deliver a high-quality, no nonsense, practical manuscript for a business audience and be able to do that in a way which also captured my natural style, authenticity, and voice as an executive coach. From the outset, I noticed Catherine’s rigor in how she approached really understanding the publisher I was working with and the reader I was writing for. Her level of commitment only continued as we spent months working together to transform outlines, drafts, research, and interviews into a fully realized manuscript. Catherine is a gifted writer and fully brought to life my voice and message. On top of producing an outstanding, quality end product, Catherine is an absolute joy to work with! She is authentic, positive, and encouraging all along the way, which offers an author a sense of important ease during a process which can bring high stress and tight deadlines.

I have no doubt my book would not have been the success it is without Catherine’s editorial help. This was a challenging piece and I had fast deadlines, but she immediately understood my objectives and voice, and was able to quickly identify smart solutions on exactly how to move it forward. She breathed new vision into my manuscript in just a few short weeks. Catherine puts great dedication and care into her work. She spends the time to do what’s best for her clients, and handled my writing with an incredible amount of thoughtfulness. There is no doubt Catherine is in your court. She gave me the direct feedback I needed, and set me on a smart path forward. Working with Catherine on my manuscript was one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve experienced over a decades-long career.

Catherine Knepper is a dream of an editor. She excels at both diagnosing the problem and figuring out a way forward. This combination is extremely rare: it takes special skill to understand not only what a writing project is, but what it might be. What’s especially wonderful about Catherine is that she is able to explain both what is wrong and what is right in a clear, supportive manner. I’d recommend her to any writer who wants a super-smart, talented, warm and professional editor who is both thorough and creative. She is the real deal, and seeing her work left me with just one word—wow.

It was a magical experience working with Catherine Knepper. It began with a finely-tuned book proposal and finished with a 334-page product, Heal Your Heart: The Positive Emotions Prescription to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, in an insanely short period (4 months!). Catherine interviewed many of my patients, all of whom loved speaking with her and sharing their stories, and converted dull medical material into an interesting “page turner.” Perhaps my editor summed it up best by stating that this was the most complete manuscript she had ever received.

It seemed like I met a soul mate when Catherine and I talked for the first time about co-writing Against the Wind. I found a real treasure of talent and understanding in Catherine. Thank you, Catherine, as you have touched my soul and so many readers who have read our book!

Catherine Knepper has been a critical member of our team as we researched, wrote, published, and promoted The Adversity Paradox. Whether it is editing, writing, or structuring ideas, she is highly proficient.

Catherine is gifted not just in crafting great prose and helping others craft great prose. She’s gifted in gently instructing and guiding you along the way so that your future work will be that much better.

Many important eyes have looked at Fear and Faith in Paradise: Exploring Conflict and Religion in the Middle East, but few as discerning and imaginative as Catherine Knepper. She has played more than a few roles in the manuscript’s development, from copy editor and sounding board to fact checker and midwife. Her faith in the manuscript was untiring.

Catherine Knepper provided incisive and erudite criticism of my fiction manuscript. Her editing suggestions made good sense and improved the book immeasurably. I value her insights enough that I plan to ask her to edit its sequel.

Catherine is the ultimate teammate. She is always encouraging, and offers ideas and suggestions in such a positive way, she makes you want to keep writing. I especially appreciated her leadership in helping me create a structure that allowed my stories and ideas to flow, and to make sense.

When I began writing my book I wanted to reach out to people who might also want to restore the natural quality of their land. But I had no idea how to go about getting published. Thanks to Catherine my writing project became a professional book proposal. The proposal drew the attention of every agent to whom it was submitted, and in the end was accepted by a top literary agent who offered representation less than three hours after receiving it.

The idea to write a book came after 12+ years of running our own business. We had a genuine desire to share what we had learned with the next generation of entrepreneurs. We quickly learned that tackling this alone was not feasible, so after numerous interviews and false starts we were referred to Catherine Knepper. After the first interview we knew the search was over. Catherine has been exceptional to work with in every respect imaginable and has exceeded our expectations every step of the way. If you are looking for a ghostwriter look no further, Catherine is the best of the best.