Artful editing for memoir
and narrative nonfiction
Helping you to deepen your story, elevate your craft, and reach your readers.
Welcome.
If you’re a writer of memoir, narrative nonfiction, or a nonfiction book about a topic you’ve researched, you’ve come to the right place!
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I work with both beginning and experienced writers who want to tell their true story in a way that makes readers care.
What authors say
Writing a memoir is an emotional journey that is both personal and daunting. I was fortunate to work with Ellie on mine. I was dealing with someone who not only did a wonderful job on the structural and stylistic editing, but also understood my feelings and thoughts. She sensed what I wanted to convey. Her insights and new perspectives shifted the story beyond what I was doing on my own, helped me find my voice and made me a better writer. ​
Gordon Miller
Choosing an editor who will be the right fit for you and your book can be a daunting task. I hired Ellie for my book Side Effects: A Nurse’s Journey Through Secondary Traumatic Stress because of her experience in editing nonfiction, and her interest in memoir. From the start, I felt that Ellie really understood the goal of my book and most importantly the tone I was hoping to achieve. Her insightful comments were always helpful and she was a pleasure to work with.
Dorothy B. Wright
Ellie Barton "got" me and my "voice" from the get-go. She shared her suggested changes with me in a professional yet delicate manner. I was impressed by her microscopic attention to the details, most notably continuity details that earlier editors had missed entirely. Ellie also helped to boost the confidence of a first-time author. I sincerely hope that I will be calling on her to work with me again someday.
Catherine Gourdier
Hello
My name is Ellie Barton
I specialize in memoir and nonfiction. My editorial feedback is hand-tailored to your manuscript, aligned with your voice and vision, and useful in developing your craft. I’m an editing instructor at Simon Fraser University and a former Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, which means I’ve been vetted by a rigorous panel of peers.
