About Me

A Chinese American woman smiling at the camera while wearing a short-sleeved magenta blouse

Hi! I’m Crystal, the rabbit with the red pen.

I’m an editor, authenticity reader, and educator who works with self-publishing authors and traditional publishers. I specialize in editing fiction, with soft spots for science fiction, fantasy, romance, and stories that center Asian Americans.

I believe that language should be used with intention and that words have the ability to liberate or oppress. Before becoming an editor, I practiced as a licensed clinical social worker. I started my editorial business to unite my love of language and my passion for social justice, and I’m proud to push for writing and representation that is more equitable, intentional, and just. I created the Conscious Language Toolkits for Editors and Writers, serve on the board of ACES: The Society for Editing, and teach for the Editorial Freelancers Association. When I’m not working with words, I’m probably swearing at a video game, watching football or a Korean drama, or eating all the things (particularly fries, baked goods, and Taiwanese food).
The logo for the Editorial Freelancers Association with "member" underneath
A blue badge with a checkmark that says "I recommend Conscious Style Guide"

My values

–Being kind, professional, and supportive in my communication and work

–Working collaboratively with clients to serve their writing and their story

–Valuing diversity as a strength, inclusion as a must, and equity as a right

–Pursuing social justice and working toward creating a more compassionate world

A portion of the monthly income I earn on projects goes toward We Need Diverse Books, an organization founded by marginalized authors that “strives to diversify the publishing industry and make bookshelves more equitable—all to promote literacy, build empathy, and reduce bias.”

Some of the projects I’ve worked on

  • Cover of "Goddess of the River" by Vaishnavi Patel

    Copyedit, fantasy. Redhook.

  • Cover of "The Scarlet Throne" by Amy Leow

    Copyedit, fantasy. Orbit.

  • The cover of "The Sense of Wonder" by Matthew Salesses

    Copyedit, fiction. Little, Brown.

  • The cover of "The Conscious Style Guide" by Karen Yin

    Copyedit, nonfiction. Little, Brown Spark.

  • The cover of "The Golden Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America" by Jeff Yang

    Copyedit, nonfiction. Black Dog & Leventhal.

  • Cover for I'm Laughing Because I'm Crying: A Memoir" by Youngmi Mayer

    Copyedit, memoir. Little, Brown.

  • Book cover for "The Secret Order of the Scepter and Gavel" by Nicholas Ponticello

    Copyedit, science fiction. Self-published.

  • The cover of "The Secrets of Tercast" by Ryan Sivek

    Line + copyedit, science fiction and fantasy. Self-published.

  • The cover of "Limelight & Larceny by Hero Bowen and Jordan Riley Swan

    Line + copyedit, fiction. Self-published.

  • The cover of "Wish Hunter" by Hero Bowen and Jordan Riley Swan

    Line + copyedit, urban fantasy. Self-published.

  • The cover of "The Risen Shard" by D.K. Holmberg

    Line + copyedit, fantasy. Self-published.

  • The cover of "Blade & Bone" by D.K. Holmberg

    Line + copyedit, fantasy. Self-published.

  • "Through the Shadow's Guise" by Kevin Shelley

    Line + copyedit, fantasy. Self-published.

  • The cover of "Match to Love" by Johana Gavez

    Line + copyedit, romance. Self-published.

  • The cover of "Law of the Raccoon" by Brian Bates

    Line + copyedit, thriller. Self-published.

  • Cover of "Lucy's Lane" by Laura Milligan

    Line + copyedit, middle grade fiction. The Paper House.

  • The cover of "Margo and You" by Megan Craft and illustrated by Angelus Albarran

    Line + copyedit, picture book. Self-published.

  • The cover of "C Train" created by Brigette Allen, illustrated by Angela Atuesta, written by Meredith Rusu

    Line + copyedit, picture book. The Circle Tales.

  • The cover of "Uplifted: A Collection of Stories from Asian Hustle Network" by Geena Chen

    Line + copyedit, nonfiction. Self-published.

  • The cover of "My Social Justice Dictionary: 150+ Words for Young Changemakers," a project of Camp Equity

    Line + copyedit, nonfiction. Self-published.

  • Cover of "Sorcery and Small Magics" by Maiga Doocy

    Proofread, fantasy. Orbit. Sunday Times bestseller.

  • Book cover of "How to Summon a Fairy Godmother" by Laura J. Mayo

    Cold read (proofread), fantasy. Orbit.

  • The cover of "The Faithless" by C.L. Clark

    Proofread, fantasy. Orbit.

  • Book cover of "The Mercy of Gods" by James S.A. Corey

    Proofread, science fiction. Orbit. NYT and USA Today bestseller.

  • The cover of "These Burning Stars" by Bethany Jacobs

    Proofread, science fiction. Orbit. 2024 Philip K. Dick Award.

  • Book cover of "Blacklight Born" by Alexander Darwin

    Proofread, science fiction. Orbit.

  • The cover of "The Bound Worlds" by Megan E. O'Keefe

    Proofread, science fiction. Orbit.

  • The cover of "Catalyst Gate" by Megan E. O'Keefe

    Proofread, science fiction. Orbit.

  • The cover of "Azura Ghost" by Essa Hansen

    Proofread, science fiction. Orbit.

  • The cover of "Acheron Inheritance" by Ken Lozito

    Proofread, science fiction. Self-published.

  • The cover of "We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Have Shaped the United States" by Naomi Hirahara and illustrated by Illi Ferandez

    Proofread, nonfiction. Running Press Kids.

  • The cover of "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein

    Authenticity read, middle grade fiction. Random House Kids.

  • The cover of "Welcome to Dweeb Club" by Betsy Uhrig

    Authenticity read, middle grade fiction. Simon & Schuster.

  • The cover of "Alessia in Atlantis: The Jellyfish Jailbreak" by Nathalie Lane

    Authenticity read, middle grade fiction. Self-published.

  • The cover of "When Words Have Power" by Lisa Chong and illustrated by Kaitlin Yang

    Authenticity read, picture book. Turner Publishing.

  • The cover of "Violent Nights" by Ryan M. Howard

    Authenticity read, horror. Self-published.

  • The cover of "The Viscount without Virtue" by Katherine Grant

    Authenticity read, romance. Self-published.

  • Book cover of "Second Chances in New Port Stephen" by TJ Alexander

    Authenticity read, romance. Emily Bestler Books/Atria.

  • The cover of "Fall for Him" by Andie Burke

    Authenticity read, romance. St. Martin's Griffin.

  • The cover of "Then, Again" by Jaclyn Youhana Garver

    Authenticity read, fiction. Lake Union Publishing.

Client testimonials

  • A light-skinned woman with long brown hair wearing a green blouse has arms crossed next to a Latina woman with dark brown hair wearing a bright orange blouse

    “Working with Crystal was an absolute dream and, really, you should just hire her immediately. We feel so incredibly grateful we found the wonder that is Crystal! She is incredibly communicative, flexible but clear, kind and brilliant and gave wonderful suggestions for the book overall. PLUS she is truly a leader when it comes to progressive, conscious language and taught us so much even though we are seasoned activists ourselves! As someone who loves writing but would rather stab ice picks in my eyes than correct typos and grammar issues, I am a copy editor convert for life! THANK YOU CRYSTAL!”

    Lauren Burke and Alex La Torre, Camp Equity

  • A woman with light skin and shoulder-length blond hair smiles. She wears a black turtleneck and black hoop earrings.

    “Now that I’ve worked with Crystal, I cannot imagine writing anything of consequence without her. She came highly recommended and exceeded my expectations. She was easy to engage and hit her promised deadline, even with some time to spare. Her work product was top notch and easy to implement. I knew I needed my book to be professionally proofed; however, I didn’t realize just how much! Crystal picked up issues that required her to do a bit of research, and her catches saved my bacon (i.e., my perfectionist writer’s heart) in a couple of instances. She looked at the whole picture and felt more like a partner than a service provider. In short, I can’t wait to work with Crystal again!”

    Ann K. Simpson, YA author

  • A light-skinned woman with brown hair smiling at the camera

    “Crystal is like a copy editor, continuity checker, sensitivity reader, and cheerleader all rolled into one. She was kind, clear, and thorough during every step of the process. As a developmental editor myself, it was so wonderful to know the manuscript was in the hands of someone I could trust to give their full effort and attention. Crystal is definitely my go-to editor now, and I look forward to working with her more in the future!”

    Diane Callahan, Quotidian Writer

  • A Colombian woman with black hair holding a pink book titled "Match to Love" and looking at the camera

    “I discovered Crystal thanks to her blog, and she soon became my dream editor. From the moment I contacted her I knew I'd made the right choice because of her professionalism, attentiveness and willingness to listen to my needs as a writer. I know my book is a lot better because I had her as an editor and I hope to work with her on many more projects in the future.”

    Johana Gavez, romance author

  • The letters "PF" in white script on a dark blue background with gray speckles

    “Crystal’s feedback informed me much more about conscious language along with clear explanations, suggestions, and sources for me to learn more. I truly appreciated her thoughtful and detailed consideration of my work.”

    Pamela F., fiction author

  • A light-skinned man with short brown hair, short mustache and beard

    “I’ve worked with other editors, but Crystal has proven herself to be among the best! Not only did she catch all those annoying grammatical errors, but she found inconsistencies in descriptions and details from the story that other early readers had missed. Her work is professional, quick, and incredibly thorough. I highly recommend her!”

    D.K. Holmberg, fantasy author

  • The letters "ML" in white script on a dark blue background with gray speckles

    “I am so delighted to have worked with Crystal. She provided a conscious language assessment of a manuscript for me. Her feedback was very clear, and she offered thoughtful suggestions for revision that will certainly improve this manuscript. It has been lovely to work with her, and I certainly hope that we can work together again on future projects. I highly recommend her services!”

    Meagan Levinson, Princeton University Press

  • A Chinese American woman with black hair in an updo in a black and gold jacket smiling at the camera

    “Crystal was so detail-oriented, professional, and easy to work with. I’m so grateful to have met her and used her service bundle for line editing, copyediting, and sensitivity reading all in one—a rarity in itself. She edited thoroughly, noticing errors that I never noticed, and kept great communication throughout the process. Overall she made me feel so supported and, honestly, soothed throughout the whole process because I knew the project was in great hands.”

    Geena Chen, Asian Hustle Network

  • A woman with light skin and shoulder-length blond hair wearing a black floral blouse

    “Crystal is a talented, kind, professional editor. Her thoughtful, clear feedback on my literary love story allowed me to create a more authentic experience for my readers. Her editorial insights also helped me craft better, more specific language to talk about mental health issues, and deepen the story itself. I would work with her again in a heartbeat!”

    Elizabeth Schulte Martin, fiction author

  • The letters "RMH" in white script on a dark blue background with gray speckles

    “Working with Crystal was a great experience! She provided valuable insight into how I can improve my manuscript with a better use of conscious language. Her explanations for why certain words or elements needed to be corrected—in addition to giving examples of how to correct said elements—was eye-opening. I really learned a lot and am so thankful for her help and expertise.”

    Ryan M. Howard, horror author

  • A light-skinned man with a brown beard and mustache wearing a newsboy cap smiles at the camera

    “Crystal provided clear and useful editorial advice that helped me see where I could strengthen my prose and make it more accurately reflect the diverse people in my epic fantasy narrative. She was especially helpful in helping me craft language that authentically depicted individuals who were older, blind, or diagnosed with dementia. I highly recommend her services for any writer seeking a trusted guide in the pursuit of sensitive writing.”

    Jason Denzel, fantasy author

  • A light-skinned man with short brain hair and goatee smiles at the camera

    “Crystal is simply a fantastic editor. I’ve worked with her on several books and I’m nothing but impressed with her work. She pushes me to consider new angles, helps me identify flaws, and strengthens my stories.”

    Ken Lozito, sci-fi author

  • The letters "TY" in white script on a dark blue background with gray speckles

    “Crystal made my words more natural and inclusive. I sincerely appreciate her creativity in editing! Modern AI technology helps non-native authors like me to write in English. That’s why human editing is becoming more and more critical than ever. I was lucky to find her as the first editor for my English fiction.”

    Takuji Yamamoto, fantasy author

  • A logo with the words "Story Garden" in black capital letters surrounded by green trees and pink leaves

    “They say when given the choice between Quick, Good, or Inexpensive you are usually only allowed to choose two. Having Crystal do our copy edit felt like we truly got all three.”

    Jordan Riley Swan, fiction author

  • A Latina woman with short brown hair wearing a bright blue top and dark blue cardigan who's smiling at the camera

    “Crystal has a natural flair for spotting not only grammatical errors, but also language that is wordy, awkward, or weak. She is able to rein in wordiness, fix spelling errors, and make solid style decisions while also preserving the author’s voice—a skill that helps a good editor stand out from the rest!”

    Lourdes Venard, Editorial Freelancers Association instructor

  • The letters "SL" in white script on a dark blue background with gray speckles

    “Crystal has a natural ability to clarify, simplify, and streamline. She not only understands all the rules and tricks of the English language, but she keeps updated on the latest trends and cultural happenings to add relevance. Her red pen is professional, clear, and kind. She turns good into great!”

    Sandra Lancaster, business client

  • A light-skinned man with a shaved head wears a black jacket with zipper while smiling at the camera

    “Crystal made me feel like my manuscript was in safe hands. She was warm, professional, and extremely competent. She will be my first choice when I look for an editor in the future.”

    James Goodman, sci-fi author

  • A light-skinned woman with short reddish blond hair smiles at the camera

    “Crystal came through for me when I needed a last-minute authenticity read on my historical romance novel. With her write-up and line comments, I got thorough feedback that helped me publish more confidently.”

    Katherine Grant, romance author

  • The letters "SP" in white script on a dark blue background with gray speckles

    “Crystal is a meticulous reader, provides clear, helpful comments, and suggests changes that stay true to your writing voice. It was a pleasure to discuss my project with her.”

    Steven Pan, fantasy author

  • A light-skinned man with short red hair, beard, and mustache wearing a long-sleeved blue button-up shirt looks at the camera

    “Crystal was a dream to work with. She was tremendously professional, encouraging, and thorough. Her feedback and suggestions on my representation of different identities and backgrounds was also immensely valuable. I feel she has truly helped me to bring out the best in my story and my writing.”

    Ryan Sivek, speculative fiction author

  • A man with light skin and short black hair wearing a dark blue shirt

    “Crystal went above and beyond to transform my project into the best version of itself. She is a knowledgable editor with a great eye for inconsistencies. Her suggestions rang true to the voice of the story. And the style sheet she produced was an invaluable resource for me. Five stars!”

    Nicholas Ponticello, fiction author