Adina P
ortman is a published author, columnist, and book editor of numerous award-winning fiction and nonfiction titles. As founding editor of her own literary magazine, Revolver, she understands the publication process from start to finish. She has edited books for world-renowned literary publishers like Graywolf Press, Coffee House Press, Milkweed Editions, and HarperCollins, and she has critiqued manuscripts for The Loft Literary Center. She received her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota, summa cum laude, and has spoken at various universities and literary salons about being a writer, editor, and publisher. She is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, the Professional Editors Network, and WordStalkers, and she has worked for CLMP (Council of Literary Magazines and Presses) advising publishers on business practices. She has taught fiction and poetry writing to children of all ages, and is the author of four children’s books published by Capstone Press.
Adina’s editorial role is to help you reach your goals as a writer by bringing your work closer to your ultimate vision. In addition to providing an overall manuscript review, she can offer a thorough developmental edit and critique that gets into the nitty-gritty of how to improve your work. She checks for tone, continuity, word choice, correct sentence structure, and any “author ticks” that emerge. On a larger scale, she can ensure that the narrative is smooth and progresses naturally, pointing out where the story needs clarification or the plot is inconsistent. She will focus on the presentation, structure, and organization of your work as a whole, and will make sure that the content is as coherent and effective as possible.
When editing poetry, as with fiction, Adina works to honor the intentions and the voice of the writer. She can do a line-by-line assessment, watching closely for spelling, word choice, consistent punctuation, form, tone, line breaks, and continuity of metaphor. Depending on form and style, she’ll explore the musicality and rhythm of the language and suggest ways to push the poetry in new directions or incorporate into a larger collection.
Book Editor Reviews
“Adina picked up on exactly what I was trying to do (with narrative voice, narrative distance, first and third person, the mind of this particular narrator) and consequently her edits were pitch perfect.” —Steven Lang
“Working with Adina was like working with a side of my own brain that I couldn’t otherwise access—her edits identified problems I wasn’t able to see on my own, yet they struck me as intuitive and aligned with the overall goals of my book. Crucially, Adina knows how to tread those sensitive waters of being critical without being disheartening, and being supportive without blowing smoke.” —Robert Martin
“Thorough and meticulous, Adina was instrumental in bringing my novel to a submission-ready status. She was always responsive and willing to discuss minute details with me. I’m a better writer because of her efforts.” —Dylan Winterleafe
“Adina Portman was a huge part of my success, not only with my PhD dissertation, but also in developing the timeline and approach to my dissertation. Her patience and guidance helped me overcome some of my lack of understanding in the overall process. She was easy to speak with, very timely on getting back to me, and her ability to work under very short notice and tight timelines was excellent. I would highly recommend Adina for any editorial needs you may have.” —Michael O’Connor, PhD
“Adina showed up regularly, per our agreement, for coaching me in my book-writing process. Her edits had a way of letting the best of my work shine through. Her critique improved the flow of the story line
and helped me learn and grow as a writer. I was able to let go of chunks that didn’t fit and find other ways to express myself in some passages. Her natural curiosity and interest in my own unique expression encouraged me to go deeper in my writing process. I couldn’t have done it without Adina’s positive insight into my story and her attention to every detail.” —Constance Casey
“I was extremely pleased with the editorial services provided by Adina Portman. As an attorney, I write and edit on a daily basis. When I penned my first novel, I was fairly confident it was ready for submission. But I quickly discovered the competitive nature of the fiction market, and the discerning disposition of today’s agents and publishers. Adina proved to be an invaluable resource, diligently working with me to make the technical and substantive revisions necessary to fine-tune my novel. She was professional and honest, with a keen eye for detail and substance. Many thanks.” —Stephen Kosa, author of Vanish Trail
