About Whitney
Hey there! I’m Whitney: a detail-oriented and encouraging collaborative writer and editor with an affinity for fact-checking and Big Five experience. I’ve worked on more than 250 published titles, including multiple New York Times bestsellers, and I’d love to add your book to that list.
Since launching my business in 2015, I’ve guided writers through all stages of the creative process. One of the things I enjoy most about my job is the ability to work on a wide variety of projects with a diverse range of clients, which is why my experience has run the gamut from ideation to proofreading and from children’s novels to academic texts.
I’ve also gained valuable experience as a digital content marketer, working on short-form writing such as blogs, news articles, and web and social media content, mostly for small businesses. This skill set has uniquely equipped me to engage in discussions about market competition and author branding—all increasingly important facets of the publishing industry.
When clients work with me, they know they’re getting someone who pairs positivity, support, and author advocacy with honest, detailed, and constructive feedback. I also hope they’re getting someone they genuinely enjoy working with!
To that end, here are a few things you should know about working with me:
My nonfiction specialty areas include:
- Middle-grade nonfiction
- Travelogues
- Business guides
- Personal development
- Teaching memoirs
- Celebrity memoirs
- Narrative nonfiction
- Spirituality and wellness books
My fiction specialty areas include:
- Children’s picture books
- Middle-grade fantasy and contemporary
- YA fantasy and contemporary
- Women’s fiction
- Historical fiction
- Contemporary fiction
- Romantic fantasy
- Urban fantasy
- Low and high fantasy
My education and training include:
- BA in English Literature and Writing, including one semester abroad studying Shakespeare in England, James Joyce in Ireland, Hemmingway in France, and visiting many significant World War I and World War II sites.
- Continuing education coursework through UCLA and Jane Friedman Classes
- Staying up to date on the latest developments in the world of writing and editing as a member of:
Publishers and agencies I’ve worked with include:
- Edit Resource
- KN Literary Arts
- The Editorial Department
- HarperCollins
- Penguin Random House
- Hachette Book Group
- Zibby Books
- Blackstone Publishing
- Forefront Books
- Zando
- Baker Publishing Group
- Barbour Books
- 1517 Media
Testimonials
Having worked with Whitney Bak on over 100 projects, I can say without hesitation that her editing expertise, communication and relational skills, attention to detail, and professionalism are excellent. She is also simply a delightful person. I highly recommend her!
Elisa Stanford
Owner of Edit Resource
Whitney has been a trusted colleague and a joy to work with for over two years working as the editor of a project called The Girl Child & Her Long Walk to Freedom. She is a skilled editor with a fine attentiveness to the careful art of word choice and also a sense for the progression of an idea and what needs to be done to make a document flow well. Whitney has very high standards for her work and knows how to work with a writer and enter into a project to amplify the impact of someone’s voice and also fill in the gaps where necessary with her own writing. Whatever the genre, she will up the game of your project—I recommend her wholeheartedly!
Emily Nielsen Jones
Author of The Girl Child & Her Long Walk to Freedom
Whitney came highly recommended to me by a close friend. So my expectations were to receive professional grade services. Whitney came through in spades. Not just that, but in her role as editor, she interacted directly with my clients. In an industry where reputation for results in paramount, Whitney is more than just a service provider. She is an invaluable asset helping me secure repeat business, forge lasting client relationships, and safeguard the process all along the way.
Dan Wright
Owner of Fitting Words
Whitney Bak, I am astounded by your expertise. When I couldn’t quite express what was on my heart, you never failed to formulate the words I could not. It’s as if you knew me—knew my story before your eyes met the first page. It’s like we were one entity accomplishing this work. That gave me the courage to maintain this calling. You have made this the stirring, evocative read it needs to be in order to connect to the lives of others.
Peter Hoewisch
Author of the Walking Wounded
Whitney Bak took a disorganized ministry and whipped it into shape. With clear direction, proficient skills, and meticulous attention to detail, she not only provided immediate improvement but established a framework for the future. Her work, always of the highest caliber, was pleasantly combined with good communication and a servant attitude.
Ruth Buezis
Founder of Awaken Love
Thank you, thank you! Your words are holy and will help so many kids feel free to process their emotions and heal. What you wrote has helped and will continue to help my own sweet girl.
Toni Collier
Author of Broken Crayons Still Color
You did an INCREDIBLE job, it’s so much better, and a lot of the parts are up to 500% funnier after you fixed them. I couldn't have done this without you. You really were the secret weapon!
Esther Mollica
Author of Kirkus Star Reviewed The Queen of Gay Street
Whitney Bak exudes professionalism, enthusiasm and excellence in all areas of her work. She is a hardworking and dedicated editor, always striving toward for continuous improvement. Whitney brings incredible energy to every project she is involved with. She is very personable, approachable, and inquisitive, which makes her an excellent coworker for any employer or author she works with.
Reverend Jamie Morrison
former executive publisher of Books by the Bundle
Thank you to my editor Whitney Bak for your crazy-cool skills that give me pause long enough to say, Wow! Your attention to detail, consistency, timelines, life, and character development are such a gift. Just think, I could have ended up with a genius scientist who was barely twenty-three and a Kevin Bacon movie that someone watched when they were in middle school and a baby that was born in the wrong decade—a cool story, probably, but not this story. Thank you for your insight and for polishing this story like a treasured jewel.
Jennifer Moorman
Bestselling author
I have never had someone line edit so well. I feel like I’m learning as I read along and that this book is getting so much stronger thanks to your careful help. Your comments in the margins were so encouraging.
Rachel Fordham
Author of The Letter Tree
To copy editor Whitney Bak—thank you. A lot of writers don’t like to be edited, but when it’s done by such thoughtful, talented professionals, it’s actually a lot of fun.
Anna Lind Thomas
Author of We’ll Laugh About This (Someday)
Thank you so much for your work on To Free the Stars! You caught some great stuff, and I really appreciate it, especially the sensitivity things. The number of changes was perfect—not too many and not too little.
Jodi Hughes
Senior editor at HarperCollins
Colleen [Coble] loved the copy. Thanks to Whitney!
Amannda Bostic
Vice president and publisher of fiction at HarperCollins Christian Publishing
Thank you to my editor, Whitney Bak. Your edits and questions taught me so much about writing and providing context for my readers. This book has a warmer feel and a smoother flow because of your guidance and expertise. You showed me what a difference a good editor can make!
Cathay Reta
Author of Dance in the Meadow