Kimberly Coghlan, Owner

With over ten years’ experience in editing, Kimberly Coghlan is a veracious editor who knows how to make every word count. Kimberly has worked as an editor for several publishing companies, and in addition to owning Coghlan Professional Writing Services, she served as a senior editor at TouchPoint Press. Before opening her own company, Kimberly worked in secondary education as an English teacher. She has a BS in English Education and an MA in English. Kimberly lives in Mississippi with her husband Craig, her daughter Riley, her step-daughter Allix, and her two fur babies, Robby and Rookie.

From the Owner

Many, many years ago, my only desire was to be a lawyer like my grandfather, whom I do not remember. Life, however, had other plans for me, and after a messy divorce, some natural disasters, and other complications, I finished my bachelor's degree in English Education. I continued my education, earning my Master's degree in English. From there, I taught public school for over five years.

Then I took the plunge. I love to write. It purges the poisons of my soul. I believe that a true writer has inherent talent, and yet, so many acquired skills can polish that talent. In acquiring those necessary skills, my business took its own turn. I started out writing resumes, letters, sales pitches, and blogs, and before I knew it, I was editing manuscripts. And now, authors wait for over a year, just to have me edit their manuscripts. Life definitely has a funny way of placing you exactly where you should be.

It's funny how the world seems to choose your fate for you, but perhaps the fates have a greater knowledge of the universe than I. Though I am not a lawyer as I had originally planned to be, I am good at what I do. I love it, and I help change people's lives.

A note for authors

The publishing world can be an overwhelming, terrifying arena to navigate, and unfortunately, many potential authors fall prey to publishing scams. Here are some tips to remember before hiring an editor.

Ask for references. A good editor will have worked with multiple authors.
Ask for a list of published books on which the editor has worked. If your goal is to publish your book traditionally, then you need to hire an editor who is familiar with publishing and the desires of acquisition editors
Ask for an editing sample. At Coghlan Writing, we provide a free manuscript review, and in doing so, we edit the first ten pages of our clients' manuscripts for free.
Ask for a price quote. Make sure you understand the terms of payment before you sign an editing contract.
Ask for a sample editing contract. Copyright laws require that all editors have written permission to edit your words. Therefore, it's important to sign an editing contract.