What Makes Me Unique as a Book Editor (Rachel Warmath, Book Shaman)
With so many independent publishers, publishing professionals, and book editors out there, I wanted to share a little bit about who I am and what makes me different.
If we haven’t met yet, my name is Rachel Warmath, and I’m a writing coach, developmental editor, and book shaman based in the Mountain West.
I have a huge passion for storytelling—and supporting modern authors on their journey to publishing transformational books.
Here are some of the approaches that make me very different from many of the other publishing pros out there.
I’m a developmental, strategic partner with a holistic approach. Yes, I want to help you write a great book. And! I’m also about showing you just how incredible your book can make your life.
I’m doing more than just editing the words on the page or helping you create a physical product you can sell. I’m here to help you grow, learn, and evolve as a human being. I’m helping you tap into your power and your voice in ways that will shape your future—like the way you show up in relationships and how visible you are in your career.
In all I do, I’m taking a holistic approach and asking questions like:
Why are you writing this book?
Why are YOU the only one that can write it?
Where do you want this book to take you? Like what do you really, really want?
Together by understanding the answers to these questions, we can create a quantum leap—your book acts as the push-off point and catapults you into a new chapter of your life. (For more on that topic, after you’re done reading this post, head to my Substack article: how publishing my first book was a quantum leap.)
I want you to discover the joy and fun of the book writing experience.
The way I guide authors is different than what you would experience at a fast-moving, capitalist-driven, money-making machine like a big five publishing house. I’m not just in it to hear how many book sales you have… I’m also in this to show you how book writing gets to be a soulful, embodied, joyful experience.
A full-body experience. (Not just your head, but also your heart!)
Writing your book is a life experience you’ll never forget. Let’s make it a fun, rewarding experience, not a grind.
We’re not going to rush through things, cut corners, or go harder. We’re going to laugh, cry, and do a celebration dance when you reach different milestones.
We’re going to slow down, breathe, and get curious about what’s possible.
We’ll take breaks. We’ll stretch. We’ll talk and connect. I want to hear how this creative process is changing you from the inside out. I want to hear about what you’re struggling with and what you want to celebrate.
There’s space for you to grieve the old you as you become the new you.
There’s space to feel any emotion that comes up, and trust that you’ll get through the experience stronger and more courageous in the end.
I want working with me to feel like you can let your guard down and breathe a little easier. Book writing doesn’t have to be as serious and stuffy as you’ve probably been conditioned to think it is.
It gets to be healing, eye-opening, and transformative. It gets to look how you want it to look. This is your journey, and I’m here to help you remember that and move from a space of empowerment and grace, not like some machine pumping out work just to make money.
Of course I’ll help you brainstorm genius ways to make money… but I also want you to have fun along the way and stay true to what matters most to you.
I notice patterns. I also help authors break patterns they’ve been in for years.
Growing up, my family jokingly nicknamed me “Eagle Eye.” It was because I would notice the smallest things—someone’s haircut, the way a picture frame had been moved to the other side of the desk, a sound in the distance.
I am a careful observer and I pick up on patterns quickly.
This is of course an excellent skill to have when reading someone’s book manuscript. I can spot errors and notice ways the book’s organization can be improved. I sense storylines and thematic development right away, and I can help you identify blind spots that need to be developed.
I also read people—the subtle things they say, their energy, little behaviors they do that reveal things about them.
I’m able to “see” stuckness in someone. I can identify the ways you’re self-sabotaging, playing small, or avoiding something.
I can also interact with the “soul” of your book—its essence. Its desires and intelligence and life energy. I can help you connect with that essence, trust yourself more, and bring the book through to fruition.
I’ve been through several dark nights of the soul, and I know how intense it can be writing about those experiences.
I have empathy and compassion for highly sensitive writers talking about the moments that have shaped them—because I’m a writer like that, too. I’ve been on a journey of healing, mental health, recovery from addiction, anxiety, and depression. I’ve experienced abuse and supported other women writing about their trauma and abuse experiences.
I know the depths of grief and loss and I think it’s powerful to write about big, heavy topics like those.
And because of what I’ve been through, I have more capacity than many editors to create safe space for exploring those kinds of topics, too.
I draw out the fierceness of your voice, letting you speak the story that needs to be heard.
I want to hear your authentic voice. And if I’m not hearing it on the page, I’ll let you know. I’ll offer suggestions and gentle ways to bring out more of YOU, even if that feels scary at first.
Ultimately this journey is a journey of letting yourself be seen in all your glory. Authorhood is a lot. But it’s worth the discomfort.
I care about the integrity of your teachings, stories, and lived experience. I also care deeply about helping you get to a place where you trust the inherent power of your voice.
I’m here to help you step into confidence, one step at a time. The book writing journey can feel long because of all the emotions it brings up, and that’s okay. We need to free your voice!
Whether you’re writing about healing, ancestral wisdom, transformational philosophy, or expanded states of consciousness, I’m not here to make your work sound more cookie-cutter or watered down.
I will not ask you to edit out stories about trauma, loss, grief, or sensitive topics.
I will not suggest that you placate, be timid, or people-please your audience by diluting your book.
I will also call you out if I see perfectionism and avoidant patterns preventing you from really speaking your truth.
And I will help you make smart decisions about what to include, how to write it, and what makes the most sense for your particular book manuscript.
Together we look at questions like:
Is what you’re saying working? Is it effective and memorable? Will the reader understand it and be impacted by your message?
If a scene doesn’t belong or is too intense, how can we adjust it without sacrificing what you want to say?
Can you “show” more than “tell” in certain moments? Is there stuff that needs to be cut because you’ve lost the reader or gone on a tangent? I’m here to help you find that balance.
And of course, when fears and doubts creep in, I’m here to talk through that with you so that you can get back to a place of confidence.
I care about you as a person. I don’t just see you as a number, a product, or an outcome.
It might sound cheesy, but I truly care.
I’m in the book business for the people it connects me to. For the stories that inspire me when I read them.
I’m an author too, so I get what it’s like to traverse all of these ups and downs. I know the pain of desperately wanting to tell a story, but struggling to find the time to write. Or feeling absolutely terrified that people are actually going to read your book once you’re done writing it!
I’m here supporting authors because I believe artists are needed in the world, and that as we return to our creativity, we heal and grow in ways that make the world a better place.
I have experience with trauma-informed narratives, and I understand that writing vulnerable material can bring a lot to the surface. I’ll support you through that.
I care about your nervous system, the reader’s nervous system, and keeping the heart of your story intact. Authors deserve to feel safe and supported in the process—and it’s a very human process.
I’m a book shaman.
I use that phrase “book shaman” with intention. What I mean is that I’m here to guide and support you not just through the writing but also through the depth work and shadow work it brings.
I believe writers who feel called to publish are on a journey of making the world a better place.
It starts with reclaiming your power and your voice, which is no small thing, especially if you’re struggling with insecurity or going through a period of intense changes in your life.
Most publishing professionals only focus on what's on the page. I help you see what's happening beneath the surface, too.
I see writing is a sacred act of remembrance and transformation.
I help you find the deeper story. I help you see how you’re writing the story of your life as you write this book. Sometimes that means editing. Sometimes coaching. Sometimes ghostwriting. Sometimes it just means discovering the ways you’ve lost trust in yourself… and taking steps to restore that trust.
I help you turn what you’ve lived, learned, and devoted your life to into a book that you’re incredibly proud of.
And what a magical process that is!
Well, friends—I hope that gives you a little glimpse into what makes me unique as a book editor, ghostwriter, and writing coach. If you read this whole post, thank you!
If it resonates and you want to chat with me about your book project, head over to the Contact Rachel page and send me a note.
You can also learn more about me here:
