About Me
“Katie is an excellent developmental editor. She is able to see the heart of my book and help me bring it to its fullest potential. Katie has helped me streamline my book to enhance the characters and theme, all while staying true to my original vision. In my experience, this is a rare gift! I never knew how good my book could be until Katie helped me edit it, and I know I couldn’t have gotten it to this point on my own.”
-Lindsey DeMotts, author of My Soul to Keep
Katie Reed began her career in publishing while obtaining her bachelor's degree in English from California State University, Sacramento, but she would argue that it really began when she was five years old reading chapter books under the covers long after bedtime, as one does when becoming a lifelong reader of books.
Her love affair with language led her to pursue a career as a literary agent with Andrea Hurst and Associates. Here, she received intensive training in developmental editing alongside learning the industry and market and how to take a book from manuscript to publication. Under Andrea’s guidance and mentorship, she trained in the art of storytelling and how to identify a novel’s weak spots, play to its strengths, sharpen stakes, rachet tension, strengthen and enhance all elements of a story, and bring out the best in a hero and the worst in a villain, all while delivering feedback clearly and effectively.
As a reader, Katie is drawn to stories with deeply relatable characters, universal human themes that shine through the pages, page turning plot, and narrative that digs deep into the character’s inner conflict. Above all, Katie knows what readers want in a good story and she strives to bring out the best in a project while not sacrificing the author’s vision. She believes that there’s a reader out there for every book and every writer has a story worth telling; her aim is to get at the heart of what that is and offer feedback for how to best bring it to light.
When asked what her all time favorite book is, she may struggle with deep internal conflict and find it difficult to answer with ONLY ONE title (seriously, who can do this??) but the safe answer is “whatever book I’m currently reading that I can’t put down.” Truthfully, she has beloved favorite books across many genres. If she’s not ensnared in a book’s clutches, you may find her on the Snake River with her family in their hometown of Lewiston, Idaho, running along the trails of Hells Canyon, traveling (preferably to Disneyland or the coast), listening to the Hamilton soundtrack on repeat, or snuggling her cat Snoodle or her dog Angel (but never at the same time—they haven’t yet learned to share).
Meet Snoodle, the inspiration for the company name, who is no help whatsoever in the editing of manuscripts (unless you consider stealing my computer chair or laying across the keyboard “helpful”).
Where I like to spend my summer days (preferably with a book).
Spending time with my family is my favorite, with reading a close second, but I reserve the right to temporarily switch the order depending on how sucked into a book I am! (They know this and love me anyways.)