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Memoir editor and book coach Ellie Barton walking through the forest in Kingston, Ontario

Write and publish your true story. 
The path shimmers with possibility.

I listen to what writers are really saying, deep down, and help them get their transformative story onto the page and into the world.

Services for Writers

My qualifications are unusual, in that I’m trained in the full spectrum of book coaching and editing. That means I can see a project through from start to finish.

Writer working on a memoir draft with book coaching support from Ellie Barton

Book Coaching

The Lookout:
Mini-Blueprint + Opening Pages

Writing a memoir is a journey like no other, and it’s easy to get lost in the forest. The Mini-Blueprint will give you a mountain-top perspective on your story and where it needs to go.  Feedback on your first chapter will help you start strong.

Map Your Memoir

Have you lost the trail in a thicket of pages? Creating a map of your story doesn’t constrain you. It frees you to be fully present and explore the terrain.  

It’s Your Time:
1:1 Coaching

You'll work through the big story questions and create a nimble outline that can grow organically with your project

Author editing a manuscript with guidance from memoir editor Ellie Barton

Editing Services

Manuscript Evaluation

Unsure whether your story is any good or how to revise it? Get a 6-page report that assesses the overall strengths and the top five things to work on.

Developmental Editing

Can’t see the forest for the trees? A developmental delves into all aspects of the story, deepens your writing craft, and gives you a roadmap for revision.  

Line Editing

Have you tinkered with your words so much that you no longer know what sounds good? Line editing clarifies meaning, improves flow, and suggests changes in harmony with your voice. 

Copy Editing

You want to publish a book you’re proud of. Copy editing catches and corrects the small, niggling errors that could embarrass you and distract readers from your story. 

Hi, I’m Ellie!

​​I’m a highly trained editor and certified book coach specializing in memoir and narrative nonfiction. I believe that we learn through stories, and that we’re always telling ourselves stories about our lives. Some of these narratives are true, and some are harmful interpretations that get stuck on rewind in our heads. Writing your true story is transformative not only for you, but for the reader, too.

 

I’ve worked with over 75 authors who have published with HarperCollins, Douglas & McIntyre, Jessica Kingsley, university presses, and small presses, as well as with authors who have chosen to self-publish. I bring over twenty years of experience to this transformative work of midwifing stories onto the page and into the hands and hearts of readers.
 

Professional headshot of Ellie Barton, certified memoir editor and nonfiction book coach
Book cover from author Catherine Gourdier edited by Ellie Barton
"Ellie did two or three rounds of editing on my book. Her editorial letter gently prompted me to share more of my personal story and guided me in revising. That was followed by an exquisitely careful line edit. Important life events kept happening while working on my book, and her help made my task so much more manageable."
Nancy MacMillan

Let me do for you what I did for them.

Ellie Barton Memoir Editor and Book Coach logo

Artful editing for memoir and narrative nonfiction

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elliebarton@editorbooks.net

613-572-3567

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