Andrew Forrester
Editor
Andrew Forrester has been writing and editing for over a decade. He is the author of the forthcoming contemporary novel, How the Story Goes (William Morrow/Avon). A former English and creative writing teacher at both the college and high school level, Andrew has led workshops, offered writing coaching services, and edited manuscripts in a variety of genres, from literary and upmarket fiction to self-help and spirituality.
Apart from his novel, Andrew’s writing has appeared in McSweeney’s and Parents magazine and been performed at Letters Live by Benedict Cumberbatch. An Austinite, he is a former fellow at The Writing Barn and has crafted content extensively for both the University of Texas system and Whole Foods Market. He holds a PhD in nineteenth-century British and American literature from Southern Methodist University.
AREAS OF SPECIALTY
Literary, upmarket, and commercial fiction.
Historical fiction, particularly stories set in the 1800s
Middle Grade & YA, particularly contemporary stories about boys finding themselves
Nonfiction, including memoirs, self-help, and academic Papers, particularly those relevant to my doctorate in British and American literature
I tend to gravitate toward contemporary stories, family dramas, and romantic comedies, but I love anything that makes me laugh, think, or feel. My favorite books all have to do with relationships, whether familial, fraternal, or romantic. I really appreciate humor in all its forms, and I especially love stories set in small towns, temporary communities (think universities, summer camps, and vacation towns), or interesting international spaces.
AVAILABLE FOR
Manuscript critiques, developmental editing, content editing, writing coaching (whether for adults or students writing college essays); ghostwriting; general proofreading
NOT currently available for copyediting
“Andrew's editorial assessment was extremely thoughtful. He engaged with my novel draft on the scene and sentence level while never losing sight of the project as a whole, noting simple typos and raising big picture questions with clarity and precision.”
—Sean Adams, author of The Heap and The Thing in the Snow
“A fantastic writer himself, as an editor, Andrew has a keen eye for identifying the places where a manuscript can improve--from the broad strokes such as pacing and themes, to the small stuff like word choice. Also, he helped me nail down a killer title for my latest book, for which I'm forever grateful!”
—Alex Kiester, co-author of All Good People Here and The Missing Half and author of The Truth About Ben and June
“Andrew is a fine writer and an always-reliable editor who has helped me with several editorial projects over the years. Along with his depth of knowledge and passion for storytelling, he brings a lot of practical value to every project he works on - from ghost writing to concept consulting to line editing. I often rely on Andrew’s insights and expertise for my own projects and look forward to reading anything he touches.”
—Austin Sailsbury, author of Family Adventures: Exploring the World With Children and 500 Hidden Secrets of Copenhagen
“Andrew Forrester is the most generous kind of editor: instead of trying to change a manuscript into what he thinks it should be, he helps writers craft the very best version of the books they’ve envisioned. Because his clear and targeted (yet tactful!) feedback makes it easy to understand where to focus next, I always leave our discussions inspired and ready to get to work.”
—Jeanette Horn, author of Play, With Knives
“I am deeply grateful for Andrew as both a writing coach and editor. It was so wonderful to have him to write alongside rather than trying to do things all on my own. His insightful suggestions and gentle critiques have been invaluable for my writing.”