Welcome to the garret
I’m Kristen Tate. I work with authors who are ready to find their readers. I provide the editing, practical help, and encouragement you need to get from rough draft to finished book.
What is your path?
Learning the craft
Researching editors
Read about the different kinds of editing
Take my free course, Copyediting: What Indie Authors Need to Know
Listen to my interview with Joanna Penn about how to find an editor who is a good fit for you
Learn from my Novel Study analyses of openings, scene studies, and story structure—plus reviews of writing craft books
Subscribe to my free newsletter, full of craft tips and creative encouragement
Learn about my content editing and copyediting services
Request a sample edit
Read about the Blue Garret processes and principles
Ready to work with an editor
Novel Study
The Novel Study series — case studies that show you what’s working for today’s most successful fiction writers, with graphs and takeaways that help you use the tools in your own manuscript
Book 1
Case studies including The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, The Searcher by Tana French, The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
Book 2
Case studies including The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby, Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Novel Study Deep Dive
See how a #1 bestseller is built.
A detailed craft study of Freida McFadden’s The Intruder—the opening hook, an in-depth look at one chapter, and a structural analysis with 5 charts.
It’s free!
Newsletter
Twice monthly emails full of craft advice and creative encouragement
What people are saying
“I’m so grateful for Kristen’s coaching and advice, and, most of all, her encouragement for me to push myself and write the book I wanted to write.”
“Kristen has more patience than anyone I know… Somehow, she finds the story and helps it breathe.”
“For all the feedback, all the laughs, and all the stars bestowed, thank you, Kristen! You are a rock-star editor, and I couldn’t have taken this girthy book baby to the next level without you.”
“Kristen was more than an editor—she was a guide, patiently answering all my questions, not just about editing, but about the process of publishing.”
See more past projects and testimonials
Kristen Tate, owner and lead editor at the Blue Garret, has a PhD in English from Columbia University and a Professional Editing Certificate from University of California at Berkeley.