Lindsey Alexander

Lindsey Alexander started her 20-year editing career at HarperCollins US and received her MFA in Fiction from the New School University. She’s helped authors across a range of genres launch their careers and has worked with numerous publishers and literary agencies to develop and hone some of the best-loved books of the last two decades.

Among the books Lindsey has edited are numerous New York Times and USA Today best-sellers, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, and a winner of an Agatha Award. Authors she’s had the privilege of working with include Delia Ephron, Matthew Salesses, Rhys Bowen, Jane Healey, Joy Jordan-Lake, Bernadette Calonego, Amy Butcher, Sheila Yasmin Marikar, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Queen Latifah, and Steve Madden, among many others. A number of books she’s edited have been optioned for film and published in translation.

With her well-rounded knowledge of the art of storytelling and the ins and outs of the publishing industry, Lindsey is sought after as an editor, book coach, and educator. 

Specialises in: Contemporary, literary, and women’s fiction, historical fiction, romance, crime/thriller, comic/satire, YA, and short stories. Lindsey also specialises in selected non-fiction, including memoir, narrative non-fiction, and health/wellness, business, and personal growth texts.

Lindsey provides tuition for our Mentoring Service.

At the heart of my mentoring practice is the belief that books make us better at being human. That is, a great book can help us become more empathetic and understanding of each other. As a professional editor, I’ve worked with hundreds of authors to develop and hone their ideas. As a writer who has studied with a number of mentors myself, I understand the personal nature of the writing process and appreciate that, just like in a workshop or critique group, a constructive collaboration necessitates an understanding of the author’s intentions, respect for the work, and trust.

I see mentoring, much like editing, as an invitation to help bridge your intentions as the writer with a reader’s understanding of a text. Does the reader’s experience—factually, emotionally, or otherwise—correspond with your objectives? By identifying where and how this correspondence can be strengthened, I work as an advocate for both writer and reader, communicating clearly, constructively, and tactfully.