An Author’s Reflection on Atmosphere Press’s Editorial Process
Finding the right book editor can make all the difference in your publishing journey. The editing stage isn’t just about fixing grammar or rearranging chapters — it’s about discovering deeper layers in your story, strengthening your characters, and growing as a writer.
At Atmosphere Press, we believe the best editorial experience is built on trust, curiosity, and collaboration. Recently, one of our authors shared a detailed reflection on working with Jack Kaulfus, one of our editors, and their experience showcases what thoughtful, supportive editing can truly accomplish.
Below, we’ve highlighted key lessons writers can take from their editorial journey, followed by the author’s full reflection.
What a Great Book Editor Looks Like
A strong book editor helps you:
❖ Understand what already works in your manuscript
❖ Strengthen character arcs and deepen emotional resonance
❖ Ask the right questions before offering critique
❖ Feel supported, not judged, during revisions
❖ Brainstorm creative solutions instead of dictating changes
❖ Build confidence in your storytelling
Great editing isn’t about control — it’s about partnership!
Key Takeaways for Writers
How to get the most out of working with a book editor:
➜ Share your vision early. The clearer your goals, the more productive the collaboration.
➜ Be open to feedback. Constructive notes are invitations to elevate the work.
➜ Engage in dialogue. Editing isn’t one-sided — your voice matters throughout the process.
➜ Look for collaboration, not correction. The right editor expands your perspective, not restricts it.
➜ Trust the process. Sometimes tiny changes spark big breakthroughs.
Questions a great book editor will ask you:
What inspired this story?
Who is your intended audience?
What emotional or narrative impact are you aiming for?
This isn’t small talk — these questions are foundational to meaningful revision.
A Collaborative Editing Philosophy
At its best, editing isn’t about pointing out flaws, but about helping writers uncover the strongest version of their story. A thoughtful book editor works with the author’s vision, not against it, and treats the manuscript as a creative partnership, not a checklist.
That’s the editorial spirit we strive for here at Atmosphere Press! Our goal is to champion authors and their ideas while offering clarity, perspective, and honest encouragement along the way.
A few guiding principles we follow when supporting writers through the developmental stage:
❖ Understand the author’s vision first. Great editing begins with curiosity and listening.
❖ Spotlight what’s working. Celebrating strengths builds creative momentum and confidence.
❖ Ask thoughtful, guiding questions. Authors often find the best solutions within their own instincts.
❖ Offer feedback as collaboration. Notes become a conversation, not a directive.
❖ Honor the writer’s voice. Editing should elevate an author’s style, not reshape it in someone else’s image.
❖ Create a safe, supportive space to explore changes. When trust is built, creativity expands.
When authors feel heard and supported, revisions stop being daunting and instead become energizing — a chance to deepen characters, sharpen emotion, and amplify what makes the story special.
The author reflection below is a wonderful example of how that kind of partnership can unfold in real time.
A Look Inside the Editorial Process
Meet the Editor
The reflection below comes from an author who worked with Jack Kaulfus, one of our developmental editors here at Atmosphere Press.
Jack partners closely with writers in the final drafting stages, helping them strengthen narrative structure, deepen character arcs, refine voice, and bring the heart of their vision clearly to the page.
Jack is also a writer themself — the author of Tomorrow or Forever and a Lambda Literary Fellow — with work featured in American Short Fiction, Barrelhouse, Heavy Feather Review, and more. With an MFA in Creative Writing and years of experience supporting emerging voices, Jack approaches editing with curiosity, respect, and a genuine investment in each author’s growth.
When not championing manuscripts, Jack can usually be found exploring the mountains around Albuquerque, browsing used bookstores, or sipping coffee with a notebook in hand — always thinking about storytelling in one form or another.
Author Testimonial
Right out of the gate, I had a great experience with Jack. He was wonderful, honest, and insightful.
My favorite part was hearing the feedback from Jack and then the brainstorming that we did to make improvements to the story. I don’t know if there is a specific process improvement that I can call out, but I will share some of the things that Jack did that made the experience such a good one.
1. At the beginning of our first meeting, Jack asked a lot of questions regarding my intentions with the book. How had I come up with the idea, who was my audience, etc. He didn’t go right into “this is what can be improved.” He first tried to understand. As a result of those questions, I absolutely knew that he had taken the time to really read through my book. His questions established trust.
2. Jack started the feedback with what had worked for him. He pointed out specific chapters that he had really enjoyed, characters that he liked—especially his favorite, which turned out not to be the main character, but we’ll get to that soon—and while providing the feedback, he would pause and ask me for my impressions and give me time to explain anything to shed light on his thoughts.
3. Jack then provided feedback on areas that he felt could be improved. I think there is some risk to telling someone that their main character is too perfect and was kind of eh, flat at times…hee, hee, hee (my words, not his, but I took it to heart). But Jack did, and he explained to me why he thought that. He told me that it still worked the way it was written, but that he would have liked to have seen more of this or that. For example, more on the relationship that the main character had with another, maybe show more about this other aspect of the character’s life, maybe don’t make him so darn perfect.
This is where a lot of the brainstorming came in, and as Jack would finish his feedback, I would share with him the thoughts that had popped into my mind, and then we’d have a back-and-forth until we agreed on the approach. We didn’t get into specifics, but it was more like, “Yeah, I can see that.” I really appreciated the honesty and knew that Jack’s desire was to make the story better; that’s what I was looking for, and he delivered it in a very collaborative and trusting environment. So right there, having the Zoom call and being able to have that interaction: that’s key to the process.
4. When we met the second time, Jack had an interesting opening. He acknowledged the changes that I had made, but even before we got into the details, he mentioned that he was a little surprised at the extent of my changes. He asked what had prompted some of them, since they were more than what we had brainstormed. I explained to him that initially I hadn’t meant to make so many changes, but that once I revised in one area, I had to pull on a thread, and it resulted in another change, and then it was a little bit of a domino effect. In my experience, when that happens, you either have good energy or not, and in this case, it was good energy because I started to see more of what Jack had seen, and my changes were there with the intention to add depth to the characters. My changes also resulted in me deleting some things. But basically, Jack’s feedback inspired ideas to add more depth to the characters. It was so much fun creating and rewriting some of those chapters.
5. Once I explained, we went into more detail on the changes and my thinking behind them. There was one change where I absolutely knew that Jack got my changes, and it was unprompted. He mentioned a scene where he said when he read it, it was like yes, that was really good. In that scene, I changed one word…one word. And it made all the difference. I remember when I made it, I felt it. Again, the trust was there, the desire to make the story was there, and I felt it.
So, there you have it. In summary, Jack did the following: 1) Sought to understand my story and established trust, 2) Provided feedback on what worked, 3) Provided feedback on what could be improved, and 4) Collaborated throughout with the clear feeling that it was about making my story better.
– Cisco Gonzalez, author of Bunny Slippers
A Book Editor = A Creative Partner
For many writers, handing your manuscript over to a book editor can feel daunting — but when the relationship is built on respect, curiosity, and shared purpose, editing becomes one of the most energizing and fulfilling stages of the publishing process!
This author’s experience with Atmosphere Press editor Jack Kaulfus is a reminder that the best book editors don’t simply correct a manuscript — they nurture it. They help writers discover what their story wants to become and support them in getting there.
If you’re looking for a book editor who collaborates, listens, and elevates your work with intention, passion, and care, we’d love to be part of your publishing journey!
Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.
Atmosphere Press is a selective hybrid publisher founded in 2015 on the principles of Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, Kindness, and Making Your Book Awesome. Our books have won dozens of awards and sold tens of thousands of copies. If you’re interested in learning more, or seeking publication for your own work, please explore the links below.