Margo Lipschultz

Margo Lipschultz – Editor

Editor of bestselling romance, book club fiction, young adult fiction, and suspense novels with 20 years of experience at major publishers.

Overview

With over two decades of experience as an acquiring editor at major New York publishers, I love working with authors to develop and polish their manuscripts. Through a combination of big-picture feedback and detailed notes—always tailored to an individual author's desired level of editing—my goal is to help authors successfully appeal to their intended readership.


I read and edit commercial and genre fiction, including romance, romantic comedy, new adult novels, women's fiction, book club fiction, young adult novels, and psychological suspense. While my twenty years of experience as an in-house editor (most recently as an Executive Editor at Penguin Random House) provided me with useful insider knowledge of all aspects of the traditional publishing process, I also work with self-published authors and understand the unique demands and rewards of that career path. I work with authors ranging from not-yet-published to seasoned bestsellers, and pride myself on adapting my editorial process to best suit each author’s distinct needs.


Career highlights include acquiring and editing a wide array of New York Times bestselling novels, including The Chicken Sisters by K.J. Dell’Antonia (a Reese Witherspoon Book Club selection), This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens (a Good Morning America Book Club selection), contemporary romance novels by Lori Foster, Maisey Yates, and others, and the Dark Elements young adult series by #1 NYT bestseller Jennifer L. Armentrout.


The services I offer include developmental editing, an editorial assessment, query letter review, synopsis review, and publishing consultation for those seeking a fresh perspective on the potential next steps in their writing journey. I greatly enjoy the collaborative process of helping authors fully realize their vision.


Services
Fiction
Contemporary Romance Psychological Thriller Romantic Comedy Romantic Suspense Women's Fiction Young Adult
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2021 — Present

-Work with self-published, traditionally-published, and not-yet-published authors to develop and polish their manuscripts. Genres include romance, women's fiction, book club fiction, young adult, new adult, and psychological suspense.

-Provide feedback on query letters and manuscript synopses for authors who plan to seek agent representation.

-Offer publishing consultation chats (via phone or Zoom) for authors who want a fresh perspective on potential next steps in their writing or publishing journey.

Penguin Random House

Oct, 2017 — Dec, 2020 (about 3 years)

-Acquired and edited bestselling and popular women's fiction, romance, romantic comedy, and psychological suspense, including New York Times bestsellers The Chicken Sisters by K.J. Dell'Antonia and This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens.

-My acquisitions/edits included a Reese Witherspoon Book Club selection and a Good Morning America Book Club selection, as well as several Book of the Month titles, Indie Next List picks, and Library Reads selections.

Harlequin (HarperCollins)

Sep, 2005 — Oct, 2017 (about 12 years)

-Acquired and edited bestselling romance novels for the HQN imprint, women's fiction and psychological suspense novels for the Graydon House imprint, and young adult novels for the Inkyard Press imprint.

Random House

Sep, 2000 — Sep, 2004 (about 4 years)

-Acquired and edited commercial and upmarket fiction for The Dial Press imprint.

Margo has 14 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Falynn A.

Falynn A.

Nov, 2023

My collaboration with Margo went very well. Lots of good, constructive feedback. Polite and professional, great work overall.
Michelle H.

Michelle H.

Aug, 2023

Margo's edit letter was kind, clear, and thoughtful. I felt like she really "got" the book and had well-reasoned edit suggestions that supported rather than contrasted with the soul of the piece. She also provided in line comments that were exceptionally well organized (every time she mentioned consistency with another previous mention, she'd take the time to dig up the page number) and phrased...
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Gracie B.

Gracie B.

Jul, 2023

Margo is an exceptional editor. This was my first time working with a professional editor (or using Reedsy’s services) and I’m so glad I chose Margo. At the very beginning with her initial offer letter, it was apparent she carefully reviewed my sample pages to give me meaningful feedback. Her notes and suggestions aren’t only thorough and challenging, they are given with genuine care. I am beyo...
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larry C.

larry C.

Jul, 2023

Very great editing skills and helpful!!
kristie B.

kristie B.

Jul, 2023

Margo completed both a developmental edit and a copy edit of my book. I really appreciated her support and enthusiasm for my novel. Her insightful feedback helped take my story to the next level. All her edits and suggested revisions were respectful of the integrity of my work. She was calm, patient, full of wisdom, and a pleasure to work with throughout our collaboration. I definitely recommen...
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