Acquisition and developmental editing are my specialties. A literature lover at heart with a particular affinity for the gothic, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literary Studies with a Minor in Creative Writing from Washington State University. I earned a Master of Science degree in Book Publishing from Portland State University with an emphasis on editing, writing, and research.
During my time as the Acquisitions Editor for Ooligan Press, I evaluated, analyzed, pitched, acquired, and edited several titles across genres including historical nonfiction, memoir, thrillers, literary fiction, fantasy, and comics. I am drawn to editing nonfiction and literary fiction, though I do also enjoy developing adult genre fiction as well.
While I am open to accepting freelance editorial work, my goal is to find a publishing house to call home: one where I can utilize my strengths and skills to acquire and develop manuscripts, helping turn them into powerful frontlist and evergreen backlist titles.
Titles
Here’s a look at some of the titles I’ve worked on. To view samples of my work, please see my portfolio.
Nonfiction (essay/historical/memoir)
Where We Call Home: Lands, Seas, and Skies of the Pacific Northwest by Josephine Woolington
Published November 15, 2022 by Ooligan Press
I performed a light copyedit on this title. While on the project team for this book, I contributed to the title generation, hook, back cover copy and more.
Tribal Histories of the Willamette Valley by David G Lewis
Publication date November 23, 2023 by Ooligan Press
I was the lead developmental editor on this title, writing the editorial letter and delivering a marked up manuscript to the author.
A Family, Maybe: Two Dads, Two Babies, and the Court Cases That Brought Us Together by Lane Igoudin
Publication date February 13, 2024 by Ooligan Press
I was the acquiring editor on this title and performed the developmental edit, writing the editorial letter and delivering a marked up manuscript to the author.
YA Fantasy
Court of Venom by Kristin Burchell
Published April 5, 2022 by Ooligan Press
I performed a print proofread on this title.
The Keepers of Aris by Autumn Green
Publication date May 9, 2023 by Ooligan Press
I was part of a team of acquisitions editors working on this book. This included evaluating the manuscript’s potential, contributing to the pitch, developmental edit, editorial letter, and title generation.
Thriller/Suspense
Extreme Vetting: A Thriller by Roxana Arama
Published February 7, 2023 by Ooligan Press
I evaluated this manuscript to determine its potential for publication and performed a print proofread.
Thorn City by Pamela Statz
Publication date May 2024 by Ooligan Press
I was on a team of acquisitions editors working on this title, evaluating the manuscript, contributing to the pitch. Upon acquisition, I was the lead developmental editor, writing and delivering the editorial letter and marked up manuscript to the author.
Comics
The Pacific Northwest Disaster Preparedness Guide by Henry L. Miller, illustrated by Jeff Parker
Publication date November 12, 2024 by Ooligan Press
I was the acquiring editor of this title and performed the developmental edit. I also led fundraising efforts and contributed to the grant application process to cover the illustration costs.
Portfolio
Developmental Editing
The following editorial letters were delivered to their respective authors along with the annotated manuscripts as part of my work as the Managing Acquisitions Editor for Ooligan Press.
Editorial Letters and Author Testimonials
I was the developmental editor on this graphic novel-style nonfiction guidebook.
“Alena’s skills as an editor are second to none. As someone who has worked with countless editors across a dozen publications as a journalist, I know how critical that role is for the success of a project and can only hope that all my future editors are as talented and fun to work with as Alena. She is thoughtful regarding the writing process, effectively communicates her feedback, and she sticks to deadlines. If it were not for her encouragement, drive, and commitment to the project I brought to her I am certain my book would never have been completed. I strongly recommend Alena to any writer who wants to improve their project and get it out into the world.”
Henry Latourette Miller, author of The Pacific Northwest Disaster Guide
I was the lead developmental editor on this historical nonfiction title, writing all but the section on image placement of this letter.
“As a first-time book author, this process was new to me, but Ms. Rivas laid out the plan and worked with me to follow the procedures and timeline to complete the project diligently. . .[She] is an effective communicator, and a good taskmaster for a very distracted author. . .[Her] reviews then did help me strengthen the manuscript for the audience who would be reading the book in the future. . .I feel I could work with her again on a similar subject to complete a book.”
David Lewis, author of Tribal Histories of the Willamette Valley
I was the lead developmental editor on this memoir, leading a team of editors in evaluating the manuscript. I wrote this editorial letter nearly in its entirety. My co-manager Kelly led a team of fact-checkers and wrote that section of this letter.
“I am deeply impressed with Alena’s work on my book, A Family, Maybe. She read the manuscript several times, diligently ensuring the continuity of the story arc, consistency of the tone and details, and the overall effectiveness of the story structure. Alena’s detailed comments and responses to my revisions improved the manuscript tremendously. She was also effective and courteous in coordinating the workflow among the acquisition team members and kept the team and me, the book’s author, on tight deadlines. I’ll be delighted to recommend Alena for other editing projects.”
Lane Igoudin, author of A Family, Maybe
I was the lead developmental editor on this thriller/suspense title, though my co-manager Kelly and I wrote this letter together. My focus was on elements of the plot including pacing and credibility as well as character development.
“I’m so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Alena Rivas. Alena gently pointed out plot points that were a little too convenient, sections to tighten to improve the pacing, and suggestions to build suspense. She listened patiently as I argued to save chapters that I loved and gave me space to realize her edits would ultimately make my story more compelling. Her empathy for my characters helped me strengthen their personalities, motivations, and relationships with one another. I highly recommend Alena and hope to have an opportunity to work with her in the future.”
Pamela Statz, author of Thorn City (formerly Highbrow, Lowlife)
For this YA fantasy title, I worked as part of a team on the editorial letter. My focus was on the development of two characters: Jay and Dylan. I also addressed unanswered questions that remained after reading the full manuscript.
This letter is for a currently unpublished work of literary fiction.
Annotated Manuscripts
See my editorial and communication style by viewing these manuscript notes.
Acquisitions
Beyond reading and evaluating manuscripts, acquisitions work involves market research & positioning and persuasive written and oral communication in the form of pitches, submission lists and letters, reader reports, query letters, proposals and more. As the Acquisitions Manager at Ooligan Press, I’ve also written several blog posts to help guide and inspire authors.
Acquisition & Editorial Credits
Pitches
I have led teams conducting market research and analysis to determine the viability of the following titles. As Acquisitions Manager of Ooligan Press, I delivered several pitch presentations to the press and successfully acquired them.
This sample marketing plan contains a tipsheet, paid ad campaign, paid social media ad campaign, a onesheet, press release, proposed author tour, media contact list, and email marketing campaign.
Submission List, Submission Letter, and Reader Report
This sub list and letter are written from the point of view of the agent to an editor on behalf of a client. Included is the logic behind the submission strategy. A reader report is an evaluation provided to an agent or individual interested in representing the author and the title or looking to acquire subsidiary rights like film, tv, and merchandising.
The Identification of Representation Gaps in Diverse US Children’s Picture Books was published on PDX Scholar in June 2023. Download it from PDX Scholar here.
Shall we connect? In your message, please describe your project and which editorial service(s) you seek or the questions you may have. I offer developmental editing, line editing, and book doctoring services, and follow the rate guide set by the Editorial Freelancers Association. Publishers, recruiters, and prospective employers may request access to protected areas of my portfolio.
