I am a former associate at The Amy Rennert Agency, Inc., where I had the pleasure of working with many esteemed and talented writers, including Pulitzer Prize winner Herman Wouk, Jimmy Buffett, Jacqueline Winspear, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Tom Lichtenheld, National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart, Amy Franklin-Willis, Dr. Rick Hanson, Two-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone, and Dr. Nancy Snyderman, among many fabulous others.

At Working Title Editorial, I specialize in fiction and narrative nonfiction and assist writers with everything that’s involved in the evolution from raw material to a finished book. I provide in-depth evaluations, line-edits, and guidance on proposals and manuscripts. For more about how I work as an editor, please visit my website at www.workingtitleeditorial.com.

I am also the founder of Robyn Lit, a boutique literary agency located in Wailea, Hawaii. In the realm of fiction, I’m actively seeking rich family dramas, short story collections that bring to mind the likes of Carver and Chaon, mysteries, legal thrillers, and any piece of work that compels me to stop everything else I’m doing to finish reading. On the nonfiction side, I’m interested in memoir—particularly those that are driven by fresh women’s voices and that explore the absurdity but beauty of life—biographies, art, and sports (namely surfing). I’m also interested in acquiring YA and children’s picture books that are dynamic, witty, and speak to kids in the way they ought to be spoken to—with genuine honesty. I represent the wonderful Ericka Clay, whose blog, Creative Liar, http://creativeliar.com/, should be read by everyone who feels a little nutty here and there; Art Director of Achiote Press Jason Buchholz; travel writer and artist Krish V Krishnan, and web designer and author of Exploits of the Satyr Todd Crawshaw.

It should be noted here that my two companies are completely independent of one another. My working for you as a freelance editor will not entail my representing you as a literary agent, as it is unethical.

Queries to Robyn Lit should be sent to robyn@robynlit.com; inquiries about hiring me as an editorial consultant will be gladly received at robyn@workingtitleeditorial.com.

“Since Robyn Russell started editing my novels, my understanding of writing in general and my own style in particular have reached completely new levels. Robyn understands what I’m trying to say, which is extremely validating, but she also sees precisely where my blind spots are. She has taught me so much about how to capitalize on my own use of language, how to deepen and push my characters to places I’m afraid to go, how to heighten my subplots, when to restructure, when to change point of view…and so much more. She not only gives me overall notes but also tells me specific places where development is needed, which is invaluable. Robyn has made revising easy, creative, and exciting. She is a very wise person and editor, and I trust her inherently. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her.”—Betsy Franco, author of Metamorphosis: Ovid’s Notebook. The audio book version is narrated by her actor sons, Dave and James Franco.

“Robyn Russell is a completely modern young woman in every way except for the fact that she is a throwback to another era when there were a few skilled and insightful editors around who were gifted and tough but caring, thorough and utterly reliable in their judgement. She is really everything you could want in an editor — skillful, trenchant, able to see flaws and defects with an eagle eye and equipped to point them out with a grace and diplomacy that even the most behemoth and outsized ego can abide and benefit from. She is, I believe, an editor’s editor. I recommend her in the highest terms.”—Michael Krasny, the host and senior editor of KQED-FM radio’s award-winning Forum and author of Spiritual Envy: An Agnostic’s Quest and Off Mike: A Memoir of Talk Radio and Literary Life.

“You can’t believe how good your book can be, if you’d just let Robyn help you.”—Alan Hruska, author of Wrong Man Running and the co-founder of Soho Press.

“Robyn has given me something every author needs: thoughtful perspective. I’ve had the pleasure of her advice and insight on two of my novels, and her constructive criticism made them better. And her praise made me write on. The first novel was recently a Top 5 Drama and Top 10 Legal Thriller on Amazon, and the second novel landed me a wonderful literary agent. If you need an editor, she’s the bee’s knees.”—Michael Zarocostas, author of Plummet.

“I have had a long career as a published writer and many editors for my seventeen published books. Robyn is the best I have worked with. She’s a fine and sophisticated reader, with a keen eye for detail, a solid sense of a work’s structure, and an infectious enthusiasm. She has the wonderful ability to know what a manuscript is aiming for, along with the skill and tact to get it there.”—Kim Chernin, author of Obsession: Reflections on the Tyranny of Slenderness, The Hungry Self: Women, Eating and Identity, and Reinventing Eve: Modern Woman in Search of Herself. She is also the author of The Flame Bearers, which was a New York Times Notable Book, and In My Mother’s House.

“Robyn Russell is absolutely the best editor you will ever have. She has this amazing ability to see your whole book as you meant it to be, and wherever it falls short, her suggestions for large-scale revision—tightening the plot, perfecting pacing, developing characters—are always spot on, always clear, and always keenly insightful. She’s also got this meticulous eye for detail, noticing how many times you’ve used a single word, or whether or not your comma usage is breaking pattern. She’s also kind and encouraging, which is a rare and beautiful attribute combined with such rigorous editorial precision. With Robyn, your writing will be transformed and you will love every second of it.”—Lydia Cooper, author of My Second Death

“Robyn is that unusual–and truly valuable–person who can not only spot the problems in your manuscript but is able to communicate ways to fix them. She is smart, perceptive, and articulate, and she was enormously helpful in editing my memoir. I cannot recommend her highly enough. I promise, your book will improve with her input.”—Judy Goldman, author of Losing My Sister: A Memoir.

Master of Fine Arts, Writing, University of San Francisco

Darren Russell: darren@wailealaw.com