My special skill is the ability to diagnose the reasons a piece of writing isn’t functioning as well as it could and to intuit what might help it work better. I am completely unable to do this with my own writing, but I can do it for yours. As a developmental editor and coach, I’m here to assist in any stage of the process, from idea to finished draft. My goal is always to help you get wherever you intend to go. I work with a select number of clients on book-length projects yearly. Please reach out to inquire about timing, process and rates.
TESTIMONIALS
“Katherine Dykstra edited my essay “It Will Look Like a Sunset” after it was accepted for publication at Guernica Magazine. Her suggestions at the line-level were excellent, but perhaps what was most helpful was her suggestions for perfecting the essay structure that best reflected the message I was trying to convey. I found her editorial guidance to be superb at both the macro and micro levels, and more importantly, she helped me improve my essay without superimposing her own voice onto it (not all editors know how to manage that balance). With Dykstra’s help, the essay went on to be anthologized at Best American Essays 2015 and later inspired my memoir, GOODBYE SWEET GIRL: A Story of Domestic Violence and Survival. I can’t recommend Dykstra’s editorial work highly enough. ”
“Working with Katherine launched my writing career—her loving support, keen eye, and deep understanding made sharing my writing (a deeply personal story about abortion) less daunting. What made working with Katie so special was that she lifted up my voice and championed me, rather than making me feel competitive, or that I had something to prove. I will be eternally grateful for her partnership; I consider her a sister.”
“Years ago I submitted an essay to Guernica with an opening sentence 300 words long, a massive run-on, crazy stuff. It was early days for me and I didn’t know any better. Somehow, Katherine Dykstra saw something she could work with, and with some precision punctuation, she made that monster work. At the same time, she prodded me to think harder about what I was really trying to say in this essay. She guided, but stayed true to my vision of things, true to my style. Dykstra’s micro edits tamed the piece. Her macro edits helped make it sing, helped make it resonate, and this essay was eventually Notable’d in the Best American series. I have since worked with dozens of editors, and have edited a book myself, and can safely say that finding an editor like Katherine Dykstra to support you as an emerging writer is basically impossible. Yet here she is. ”