Award-winning Editor
On August 8th, 2026, I was named Editor of the Year by the League of Utah Writers.
It is truly shocking to me that I am now able to call myself an “award-winning editor.” The efforts I make for my clients and the editing community around me (editors really are the best people ever) really bring me a lot of joy, and I would do all that I do no matter what. But to be recognized in such an public way is incredibly gratifying and just helps to fuel my passion for what I love to do.
The president of the League of Utah Writers who presented the Editor of the Year prize to me told me after the awards ceremony that I had been nominated by nearly a dozen people. (Like more than one person! Like kind of a lot of people!) This award is not a popularity contest, but knowing that so many of my colleagues and clients appreciate the time and effort that I put into perfecting writing projects and supporting the writing and editing community just makes me want to work harder. It is so rewarding just to feel seen and celebrated. I cannot thank the people around me enough for this honor.
I hope it is not overdoing anything, but I wanted to share some of the kind words that were expressed when I was presented this award: “This year’s Editor of the Year received an overwhelming number of nominations from both their author clients and their editing colleagues, which is a testament to the impact they’ve had on the writing community. This person is a successful freelance editor with over 20 years in the industry. In addition to her work for clients and volunteer service in various capacities, nominators also praised her generosity in taking unpaid time to support her colleagues in their professional growth, mentoring them through everything from editing client management dilemmas to creating presentations for writing conferences and chapter meetings in her capacity as the president of the Utah Freelance Editors. . . . Her professionalism and generosity were praised by several of her nominators including one who summed it up: ‘She puts in the hard, often invisible work that keeps a chapter and a community running smoothly.’”
As excited as I am by this unexpected recognition, I am still dedicated to working hard for my clients in order to cultivate high-quality writing and get it out into the world. I’m not interested in resting on any laurels; I’m interested in helping authors put out the best writing they can. And hopefully some of them will also be receiving their own awards soon.
Shout-out to my clients J. D. Penndagger and Hailey Bono for winning awards for their novels this year as well. Now I can say that I am an award-winning editor of award-winning books :)