A book editor with 30+ years’ experience in senior positions at top New York publishing houses
“Kind, subtle, wise and scalpel-sharp perceptive.”
— Lee Child
“David has had a big impact on my writing life.”
— Brad Meltzer
“Nobody is better!”
— Patricia Cornwell
My Services
I work with both fiction and narrative nonfiction, and the processes are slightly different even if some of the ultimate goals are similar. I’m happy to evaluate a full manuscript, a partial manuscript or a proposal depending upon where you are on your journey. Usually, the best way to start is for me to read a short sample of your work to see if we’re a good fit. I’m probably not the right editor for science fiction, fantasy, YA fiction or practical and how-to nonfiction.
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Nonfiction
In narrative nonfiction, I work most often with biography and autobiography, American history and politics, military affairs, pop culture and the entertainment world, stories from the American South, investigative journalism, true crime and LGBTQ+ stories.
I work on projects in development as well as full manuscripts, and this may involve honing a central thesis and an outline as well as work on structure and narrative drive. I believe story-driven nonfiction can be as emotionally engaging and as ‘unputdownable’ as the finest fiction, and I love the challenge of finding the best ways to achieve that goal.
Fiction
I edit a wide variety of fiction, from crime and thriller to what I think of as crossover literary fiction. I can offer a full editorial read and evaluation that includes coverage of elements both large and small, from plot, character, and pacing to more granular work on sentences and graphs.
This might take the form of developmental work on story and structure and sometimes involves discovering what primary questions power the narrative and what changes can make the novel stronger and more cogent.
Why should you hire an executive editor with decades of experience at ‘big 5’ publishers?
I know the key elements that drive a compelling narrative—and how to unlock them.
I know story structure—from the opening that grabs you, the middle that’s tight and keeps you invested, to the last third that builds to a highly satisfying close.
I know what agents want because I’ve worked with the best of them.
I know what publishers need because I’ve read and evaluated thousands of proposals and manuscripts and acquired hundreds.
I know what publishers’ sales, publicity and marketing departments expect from a new or an established author.
I know how to edit and publish debuts as well as books by established New York Times bestselling authors.
Books I’ve Edited
The books below are not all that I acquired and edited in my publishing career, but are a selection of those that were bestsellers, won awards or received special notice.
Fiction
Nonfiction
Endorsements
“I’ve worked with David on many books (most of my career), and nobody is better! He’s a gifted editor with a gentle and thoughtful touch. He understands artists, and I can’t recommend him more.”
— Patricia Cornwell, no. 1 bestselling author of the Kay Scarpetta novels
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“David Highfill simultaneously resurrected the character Penn Cage and maybe even me after a catastrophic accident in 2011 left me wondering what kind of life I’d have again—to say nothing of a productive writing life. That work together resulted in Natchez Burning, the first in a no. 1 New York Times bestselling trilogy. We got to know each other earlier through the editing and publication of The Quiet Game, the first Penn Cage novel, and in all those years, David has been honest, challenging, motiving and inspiring. Just what I needed to keep going—and to thrive.”
— Greg Iles, author of The Natchez Burning Trilogy
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“David Highfill has had a big impact on my writing life. We built only one book together, but in The Lightning Rod he helped me find a brand-new way to look at myself. Simply put, he let me see myself as the writer I HOPE to be. That is an incalculable gift—a gift to last a lifetime. Thank you, David, for giving me perhaps the best thing you can give another person: understanding.”
— Brad Meltzer, no. 1 bestselling author of The Lightning Rod
“David Highfill is the second-most important person (after the author!) in the genesis of the Jack Reacher series. He turned a promising idea into what has become a $3bn global entertainment franchise. His editing was kind, subtle, wise and scalpel-sharp perceptive. His bedside manner was gentle and gracious, but it hid an implacable determination to make the books as good as they could be. Working with him was a pleasure and a privilege.”
— Lee Child, no. 1 bestselling author of the Jack Reacher novels
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“Working with David Highfill was a gift and a highlight of my career. He’s a legendary editor for good reason and his superb notes at every level—story, character, line—were crucial to the success of The Night Agent. If you have a chance to team up with him, take it!”
— Matthew Quirk, author of Hour of the Assassin
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“David was a sharp, meticulous and incredibly capable editor, totally focused on telling a great story. He improved the narrative structure and pacing with smart ideas and then dove into a deep line edit, sentence by sentence, word by word. He is completely committed to his projects and to his authors.”
— Debbie Cenziper, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and co-author of Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality
Contact
Please let me know about your book project. If it feels like we’re a good match, I’ll be happy to read some pages and give you a quote.