Reader,
I have been running POP Editorial Services LLC as owner and editor since 2006. It’s hard to believe, but this month marks 20 years in business! A lot has happened in that time: a move from St. Louis to Silver Spring, transitioning from sole proprietor to an LLC, expanding my services, publishing five books, and more.
When I began this company, I offered copyediting and proofreading for nonfiction trade and academic publishers. That’s it. But I purposely named my company something broad, because I knew one day I might want to expand my reach.
Now I still offer copyediting and proofreading for nonfiction trade and academic books. But I also offer developmental editing, line editing, and coaching services. I work with publishers, corporations, and individuals. I gained professional training in fiction editing a full 10 years ago and have been serving aspiring novelists ever since.
And I teach. I began by hosting my own in-person workshops in St. Louis. When I moved to Maryland, I partnered with the Writer’s Center in Bethesda to offer new and different workshops. (See below for the latest offerings!)
Through it all, I have met some amazing and inspiring people. Through conferences, in-person and online meetings, and social media I have connected with other authors, editors, publishers, indexers, designers, formatters, and language specialists. I feel privileged to know so many interesting and successful people. And that doesn't even include the dozens (hundreds?) of clients I have worked with.
As the other editors on this mailing list will attest, some manuscripts pass an editor’s desk without making a ripple. The author didn’t need much counseling, the manuscript required a standard edit, and the project was finished as quickly as it appeared.
Other clients make a more lasting impression. They connect on a personal level. They share their heartache and their joy. Being there for writers along the very emotional path to publication, building them up when they get knocked down or simply answering questions that no one else has answered, makes this one of the most rewarding jobs around.
It’s why I keep at it. Twenty years on and I still love my job.
Thank you to all of you who have been a part of this journey, and especially to those who have allowed me to be a part of yours.
Client Kudos
This month I have several clients’ accomplishments to share. I am so proud to have been part of each of these projects in some small way.
L.V. Leonhard, a POP coaching client, had her flash fiction piece “Tagalong” published in Flash Flood in June. As with all of L.V.’s writing, the emotion here is visceral.
Hardy Menees’s book, Elusive Harvest, has published in hardbound and ebook editions. For this delightful and surprising collection of stories, I served as the proofreader.
David Sloan published two books in April: The Edge of the Woods, a middle grade reader with a fox as the central character, and Everybody Listen to Trent Amado, a middle grade fantasy story about a boy with an unusual superpower. I was lucky enough to be the copyeditor for both.
Joseph Polacco, a repeat POP client, is the author of the new book Potpourri, a collection of poems and stories published by Berringer Press. For this book I was again the proud copyeditor.
Congratulations to each of these talented writers!
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Reading with The Inner Loop
7-9 p.m. Shaw’s Tavern
I will be reading from Debra Lee Won’t Break as part of the Inner Loop's August author reading event. Come out to Shaw’s Tavern at 7 p.m. to hear from me and 9 other talented local authors. It will be crowded, so arrive early and grab a bite to eat while you’re there. More information here.
Thursday, September 17, 2026
Know Your Competition!
7-9 p.m. on Zoom
Know Your Competition! returns this fall via the Writer’s Center. This fun and interactive class shows you how to find competing books and what to do with them once you’ve found them. Check the Writer’s Center website for registration information.
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Crafting Compelling Characters
7-9 p.m. on Zoom
In this class, we explore three facets of character—tragic flaws, contradictory behavior, and backstory—and reveal how you can combine them to create characters readers will love. Come ready to write! This class includes hands-on writing exercises to get your creative juices flowing. Check the Writer’s Center website for registration information.
From the Blog: Mind Maps for Novels and Short Stories
The latest post from The POP Newsletter takes a closer look at mind maps and how you can use them for planning your fiction.
The basic idea of a mind map is that it gives you a visual representation of the swirl of ideas occupying your brain. You can write down snippets of ideas, draw lines between the ones that seem connected, and build your book or story around the framework.
Happy Writing!
Katherine
