Carol Higham

Carol Higham – Editor

I successfully help non-fiction, particularly academic, authors create books that get contracts, a broader audience, and critical attention.

Overview

A student once asked me which was harder: having a baby or writing a book. Writing a book, I replied. No one asks you to edit a baby.


Initially, when most of us write, we write to ourselves, whether we mean to or not. I learned years ago, through my own publishing journey, to channel readers: cranky critics, disinterested students, picky specialists. I can do the same for you.


As your developmental editor, I will amplify your voice and viewpoint for the broadest audience. I am NOT a copy editor (nor do I want to grow up to become one!) , but I can help you identify your readers and shape your writing to connect with them.


I specialize in history, both academic and public, religious studies, film studies, and other humanities works. I am voraciously curious and I love reading other people's manuscripts. (Have I told you about the summer I read every book I could find on North Korea? No? Maybe later.) I enjoy learning about the world through your work while puzzling out how to make your writing sing.


The writers I have helped say I excel at examining both the structure and argument of their work, as well as the clarity of their paragraphs and sentences. I take pride in empowering my authors and making the editing process as rewarding and stress-free as possible.


You can count on me to turn your work around quickly, and I will not take on work if I do not believe I can do so for you. I provide an in-depth overview of your work as well as a line-by-line guide.


Of the last three books I edited, two won awards and two were accepted for publication without revisions. Additionally, I spent several years developing and editing the American West series for Harlan Davidson (now Wiley.) With a co-editor, we brought five books to the student market where they have resonated and sold well.



" Dr. Carol H. is one of the most gifted developmental editors that I have ever known. She has the ability to help you transform your rough manuscript into a polished, publishable work by posing insightful and thought-provoking questions and offering detailed content editing that encourages you to seek the potential within your own work. As stressed-out writers undertake the often self-deflating revision process, Dr. H.'s positive and calming attitude helps writers to build confidence and reminds them of the significance of their own work. Now, as a full professor and as I receive positive feedback on my recently published work, I can only remind myself of how far I have come as a writer and how much Dr. H has helped me to get where I am today. With her busy calendar, If she decides to work with you on a project, please trust me or the other award-winning writers that she has helped over the years, she won't let you down! "

Services
Non-Fiction
Art Education & Reference History Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies
Languages
English (CAN) English (US)

Work experience

UNC Charlotte

Aug, 2009 — Present

In addition to content courses, I teach our department's require writing/research seminar to sophomores. This experience means I can find a thesis in a haystack of words.

Harlan Davidson (now Wiley)

May, 2006 — Jun, 2015 (about 9 years)

With my co-editor, Dr. William Katerberg, we developed and edited a series of textbooks on the American West, including our own work, Conquests and Consequences, Expectations of Equality, and Choices and Chances, as well as two other works. We took these works from proposals, through several drafts, to readable, accessible narrative textbooks for undergraduates.

Carol has 4 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Emilia B.

Emilia B.

Aug, 2023

Carol was incredibly helpful. Her feedback was clear and easy to follow, and genuinely made the manuscript better. Working with her was also very valuable as someone new to book publishing. She was able to give me meaningful information about the publication process that will definitely make it easier when I begin reaching out to publishers. I would absolutely recommend Carol to others and hope...
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Paul D.

Paul D.

Jun, 2023

Carol was an excellent developmental editor on my book project. I have now worked with a couple development editors, and I found Carol to have provided the most valuable feedback. She provided detailed comments in the text and overall comments on my chapters, identified patterns in my writing that helped train me to see my writing more objectively, offered alternative wording for improving my t...
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Edward W.

Edward W.

Feb, 2023

After a colleague recommended Carol, I engaged her services as a development editor via Reedsy. (I'm not sure I would have felt comfortable hiring someone on the site without a personal recommendation though. I'm sure others are also great, but I would remain uncertain.) Anyway, my needs are perhaps not what others are facing. I've written two academic monographs and I'm looking to produce a 3r...
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Kristalyn S.

Kristalyn S.

Oct, 2022

Conscientious and thorough, I would absolutely contract with Carol again and look forward to applying her thoughts to my edits!

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