Kristen Havens. Writer & Developmental Editor, Los Angeles.

Kristen havens

Writer | Editor

Los Angeles, CA

What I do:

I'm a developmental editor and copywriter. I help businesses and nonfiction authors get their concepts clear and their content organized. My focus is on refining your "big picture" message so you can make a meaningful connection with readers or customers.

I also write fiction and poetry, and I've found that what these various forms have in common is storytelling. Is your writing solving a problem for people—and taking them on a journey in the process? Because all forms of writing can do both, and a great editor or writer can get you there.

Let's talk about your project.

Editing

Books and professional documents • Developmental editing • Manuscript critique

Ghostwriting

Nonfiction books • Thought leadership • Professional bios • Websites and blogs

Content Writing

B2B & B2C • Websites • Blogs • Newsletters • Content for lead generation • E-learning

WHAT CLIENTS SAY

"I was so lucky to find Kristen to help me with my book, Getting the Best Care: Rescue Your Loved One from the Healthcare Conveyor Belt. Kristen has a friendly and approachable nature but she is a stickler for process. That is a great combo in an editor. She helped me to clarify my thinking and to make the book so much better with her editing expertise. She is responsive to emails and never left me wondering. I would love to work with her again!"

— Margaret Fitzpatrick, Author, Speaker, and Advocate for a More Rational Approach to Healthcare as We Age

"After wrestling with a narrative nonfiction manuscript for some time, I finally realized that what I needed was an objective set of eyes on the work, someone to help me craft a more compelling story arc and 'journey.' Kristen's manuscript critique was invaluable, providing me with specific suggestions and ideas. Supportive, yet with a keen eye for detail, she is a delight to work with."

— Leslie Karst, author of the Sally Solari mystery series*

* The author secured agent representation for her memoir after revising using my notes.

"[Kristen] not only ensured the original text flowed naturally. . . she also provided valuable insights on how to expand and enhance the book to make it appeal to an even broader audience of English-speaking businesspeople. Her talent, knowledge and facility with organizing and conveying ideas has made the work of expanding this edition a true pleasure."

— Temel Aksoy, Author, 7 Rules of Marketing that Get Results: Discard the Myths, Follow the Facts

"Kristen had a wonderful ability to understand what I wanted to express and then write with clarity and intelligence. She also has a good grasp of working with medical and technical information, which makes her services even more valuable. My book turned out better than I could have imagined and I am thrilled with the result."

— Author, Amazon.com Bestselling Health Book

"Kristen worked with me on editing my manuscript (which was originally a collection of blogs) into a solid book. She was efficient, resourceful, and collaborative, and really served as a consultant in addition to editor. Kristen hooked into my message and target audience and worked with me on tightening up a manuscript I felt proud to deliver to the marketplace."

— Stacey Rosenfeld, PhD, Author, Does Every Woman Have an Eating Disorder? Challenging Our Nation’s Fixation with Food and Weight

"Kristen was recommended to me as very knowledgeable, diligent and would get the job done to the customer’s complete satisfaction and this certainly was the case for me. Kristen was persistent in her probing questions to learn about my business for her best understanding in order to maximize the effectiveness of my website. She had the distinct ability to think as if she was in the business, which I believe was the key to its [the project’s] success."

— Thomas Pfund, President, Medicaid4You, LLC

Work with me