Sadie Rittman

My first word was "book." As young as I can recall, my mother would send me to my room to revise my homework until it told a compelling story. I was trained in the art of "what sells" from far too young an age. All of this has loaned itself well to becoming an editor. 

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I now have several years and manuscripts of experience under my belt, shepherding rough drafts into fine literature and award-winning publishing success. I work across genres, from nonfiction to memoir to literary to sci-fi and fantasy. I'm praised for an eagle-eye approach that addresses both the sharpest of details and biggest of overarching pictures. I love helping writers of all stripes find their stories' deepest meanings.

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I have a masters in sociocultural anthropology, with a particular focus on spiritual ecology. I can read with some authority on topics pertaining to culture, spirituality, religion, folklore and myth, social and environmental justice, regeneration, and big, philosophical ideas pertaining to the interwoven crises of our times. I'm also just as happy with chic lit, though. I studied religion at Swarthmore College, where I graduated with high honors and phi beta kappa. 

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I was born in New York, raised in Singapore and have lived in seven countries on four continents. My perspective is inherently international, able to communicate between worldviews. I'm also one of the last millennials, so I can kind of understand Gen-Z. I'm a good fit if your intention is to reach younger audiences. 

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I too write, so I understand how you feel, and approach our work together with deep comraderie. 

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Testimonials

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"One of the best decisions I’ve ever made professionally or personally was selecting Sadie Rittman as editor for my manuscript. Even during the writing of this testimonial, I found it difficult to put into words how her editing ability totally transformed my manuscript into a work of art. Not only does she possess unsurpassed editing skills, but she’s also very personable and inviting.

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She was adept at pointing out ways to strengthen my story which effectively enhanced overall readability. I submitted my manuscript to Sadie while in its raw stages. Through her incredible editing acumen, what she was able to accomplish in a short time frame was more than remarkable. It was incredible. She produces work with an emphasis on attention to detail and a passion that’s seldom seen today. She remained fundamentally and technically sound throughout the entire editing process, often giving thorough and concise examples in order to advance my work.

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Sadie is more than an editor- I also consider her a writing coach and teacher who’s extremely dedicated to her craft and for putting 110 percent effort into editing.

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Sadie also possesses a very keen eye in recognizing areas of writing that need to be reinforced, eliminated and/or fortified with additional information. The gravitas that she displays in the quality of her work cannot be overstated, as I became more and more amazed in her ability to find areas of my work that needed improvement. such as inconsistencies that previous editors had overlooked.

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I highly recommend Sadie Rittman to anyone who’s searching for a devoted, fierce, competent, and diligent editor who will embrace their manuscript vigorously and who’s seeking thorough results."

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---Phyllis Lawson, author of Quilt of Souls (Penguin/Random House)

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"Sadie Rittman not only caught line errors but asked perspicacious developmental questions -- ones that rang true and deserved to be addressed. She pointed the way toward deeper, more dimensional characters, keener observation, more nuance, and more truth in the writing. I'm indebted to her for inspiring a better novel!"

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---Roy Freirich, author of Winged Creatures (Macmillan) and screenwriter

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"Sadie read my novel carefully, thoughtfully, and respectfully. Her comments were clear and on-target, and helped me identify real problems in my text; she also suggested creative and interesting ways of solving these problems. It was a pleasure speaking with her in our follow-up phone call; I truly felt she "got" what I was trying to do. I highly recommend Sadie as an editor!"

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---Susan Avitzour, author of And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones

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"Right off the bat, Sadie's enthusiasm towards my project made me excited about working with her. Her feedback was eye opening and she asked all the right questions that are helping to mould my story into a much stronger tale. I love growing as a writer and working with Sadie has definitely strengthened my skills. I'm looking forward to our next session!"

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---Dwayne Adams, author of the House of Infinite Doors

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"It has been a pleasure working with Sadie. Her critical eye revealed many places where the context was unclear for readers, and found ways to expand on important themes in the story. It made the editing process much easier."

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---David Tran, writer

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"One of the best decisions I have made in many years was to hire Sadie Rittman. She is unfailingly positive, motivated to solve problems and always willing to consider new and better ways to do things. Sadie is the rare creative individual with a passion for both big ideas and small details. She has a strong work ethic with the ability to define a task, create a plan and take it to completion."

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---Judi Mohn Griggs, former manager Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle