I spent twenty-five years in senior editorial and management positions at both Big Five and independent publishers. I went on to become a literary agent, first at Union Literary in New York, and then at the Ross Yoon Agency (now William Morris Endeavor) in Washington, D.C. These days, I help bring out the best in writers as an independent editor, consultant, and writing coach.
Books I’ve worked on have been New York Times bestsellers and finalists or winners of numerous literary prizes, including: the National Book Award; the National Book Critics Circle Award; the Pulitzer Prize; the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award; the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction; and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
In recent years, I started helping friends’ kids with their college essays, and found that I had a valuable perspective to bring to the process. I also had fun! Different writers have different needs, but they all need someone who can identify those needs and find effective ways to address them. Every situation is a unique cooperative process that allows the writer to shine.
What My Colleagues Are Saying
— Adrienne Brodeur
Executive Director of Aspen Words and bestselling author of Wild Game and Little Monsters
What Authors Are Saying
Photograph by Desiree Adams
“As a writer you have to choose your first readers very carefully; the wrong advice can be a real distraction. So much of my success is thanks to Tina. She is always the first person to read my work and her precision editing, and fresh perspective, are lifesaving in those early, doubt-filled moments. Tina is every writer’s dream editor, she is meticulous and it is a pleasure to work with her, to have a collaborator who thinks so deeply. The many decades Tina spent as an in-house editor make her feedback invaluable. She has the sensitivity to maintain the purity of a writer’s vision while balancing her knowledge of the publishing industry. I am so lucky to have found her.”
— Douglas Stuart
Winner of the Booker Prize and New York Times-bestselling author of John of John, Young Mungo, and Shuggie Bain
What Parents and Students Are Saying
Working with Tina was very seamless. Our daughter actually enjoyed the process of creating a college essay for the common app under Tina’s guidance. She was able to dig deep and create an essay that really represented who she is as a person, let alone a student. The final product helped our daughter gain admission to many of her choice colleges and the feedback received from these schools showed that the essay played a part in her admission. Tina’s patience and skills were evident throughout the process. Our daughter was in great hands. We highly recommend Tina for her ability to work with student writers.
— Donna A
Parent
Specialties
Editor and Publishing Consultant
College Admissions Essay Coach