Editorial Services
If you would like to register your interest in working with me when new slots open in November 2026, please submit a message through the Contact page – I look forward to working with you on your project and will be in touch within 3 business days.
I love working with authors to hone their craft, realise their creative vision and develop an authentic authorial voice. In addition to being a published author, I have fourteen years' experience as a professional editor as well as a PhD in Creative Writing.
From November 2026, I will be taking on a limited number of new clients for editorial services, including full-manuscript assessments and mini-crits (feedback on the first 10,000 words of your manuscript). A full breakdown of fees and services offered will be posted here in November 2026.
and she is my go-to critique reader. I trust her implicitly with my writing; she has provided a thorough, thoughtful service for all of my Highland books. I’ve taken on board every piece of feedback she’s offered, and my manuscripts are infinitely better for it.
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Kristien’s expertise in novel structure is invaluable—she consistently pushes me to sharpen my characters’ motivations, and I’ve learned so much from her. She also excels at sensitivity reading, ensuring my work avoids unintentional missteps or lazy clichés. Handing your writing over for editing can leave you feeling vulnerable, but Kristien’s feedback is always gentle, constructive and encouraging. She highlights where improvements are needed while giving you the confidence to make your novel the best it can possibly be."
"I’ve worked with Kristien for over seven years,
EMMA BAIRD, award-winning author of Beautiful Biters, Baked with Love and the Highland series
Client Testimonials
Dr Olivia Loots, Post-doctoral Research Fellow: DSTI/ NRF/ CSIR SARChI Chair in Waste and Society, University of the Western Cape
She was indispensable in refining Let’s Do This: A Creative Methodologies Guidebook (2026), an open-access publication co-edited by myself and Dr Princess Sibanda. Beyond being a joy to work with, Kristien is highly detail-oriented, professional and curious, and has an intuitive engagement with the text presented to her. She did an astounding job in standardising the eleven contributors’ entries, pointing out discrepancies and ensuring the text flows naturally."
"I highly recommend Kristien’s language editing services.
She is an excellent and thorough editor for scientific journal articles and Master's and Doctoral theses. Having a PhD herself, she knows what is required of postgraduate and academic texts, and provides fair feedback and useful direction for improvements. She has good insight into a wide range of humanities and related fields, which supports her editing. In the age of AI use, she has sharp observational skills and can detect when it has been employed."
"I've worked with Kristien on a regular basis since 2020.
Prof. Catherina Schenck, DST/NRF/CSIR SARChI Chair in Waste and Society, University of the Western Cape
