THE START OF SOMETHING SPECIAL
Cultivating author-editor relationships that feel like a strategic partnership
Self-publishing a nonfiction book is one of the best ways to create an evergreen asset that builds your brand, drives business, opens new doors of opportunity, and allows you to deliver impact at scale. But that doesn’t mean writing a book is easy. Heck, most people who dream of writing a book don’t even consider themselves writers. Fortunately, if you believe you’ve got something insightful to say or have a story worth sharing, a book is just a few keystrokes away.
The next step? Partnering with a professional editor who understands the nuances of nonfiction writing and can come alongside you to refine your message and elevate your writing so you can deliver clear, concise, and compelling content that resonates with your ideal reader. Sage House Editorial exists to make sure your writing is the best it can be so you can feel confident when you say, “I’m a published author, a leader in my industry, and my book changes lives.”
Ellen Polk
Founder, Nonfiction Book Editor, & Creative Consultant
There’s always a moment when the editor thinks to themself, This is it. This is the heart of the book. These words are going to create an immense impact on someone’s life.
Those are the moments I live for.
By combining equal parts editorial expertise, analytics, writing craft, actionable feedback, strategic support, and unabashed hype-gal, I have the pleasure of supporting purpose-driven coaches, educators, service providers, and leaders through the drafting, copyediting, and proofreading phases of the self-publishing process.
As a former project manager and nonprofit administrator at a tech company turned founder and full-time business owner, I have the project management and entrepreneurial chops to help my clients manage projects from start to finish, fill the role of sounding board and accountability partner, repurpose content for maximum reach, and establish behind-the-scenes systems to create profitable ecosystems for their books.
Having partnered with dozens of authors every year since 2017, as well as independent publishers and self-publishing programs, I know what it takes to craft a compelling narrative that combines industry insights, outside sources, case studies, narrative storytelling, and a splash of personality in a way that connects, informs, and inspires.
Whether this is your first book or your fifth, every great author needs a strategic consultant and editor in their corner who gives it to ‘em straight, brings their own expertise to the table, and encourages them to share their story with the world.
Are you ready to amplify your impact?
The SparkNotes Version
UNDERGRADUATE //
Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University: English with a specialization in Public and Professional Communication
GRADUATE //
Graduate Certificate from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis: Public Health
CORPORATE //
4+ years as a project manager and operations specialist at a mid-sized tech and government services company
MEMBERSHIPS //
Editorial Freelancers Association, San Diego Professional Editor’s Network, Mic Check Society
MOST USED APPS //
Notes, Voice Memos, and Apple Podcast
READING MODALITY //
Floppy paperbacks
INDULGENT READING //
Sci-fi duologies or Bon Appetit magazine
PERSONALITY TESTS //
INTJ, Enneagram 1, and 3/5 Generator
RECENT BIZ INVESTMENT //
Noise-canceling headphones
Here’s the long and (not so) short of it
Combining left-brain analytical thinking with right-brain creativity has always been as easy as breathing for me. Unfortunately, there isn’t a cut-and-dry degree or career path called “for-those-who-love-reading-and-writing-and-also-data-and-strategy-and-public-speaking,” and many a counselor was quick to council a more STEM-focused path—if I could hack it.
Fortunately, Indiana University’s English department offered several specialized tracks, and lo and behold, I found my niche. The Public and Professional Communication concentration allowed me to spend several years writing and analyzing fiction and nonfiction, editing and refining my peers’ writing, learning the nuances of public speaking, building a rhetorical knowledge base, honing my critical thinking, understanding what drives a reader to action, the intricacies of technical writing and instructional design, and the power of marketing and publishing a book.
For a moment there, I thought I would continue on to law school. I even completed an abbreviated master’s program and earned a Graduate Certificate in Public Health. But in the end, I knew that what I really wanted to do was help brilliant and passionate people get their thoughts down on paper and refine their writing in a way that was actionable, reader-focused, and made them look really dang good. This core desire was fortified while working as a project manager and operational excellence specialist at a tech company and running an editing business as a “side gig.”
Eventually, the side gig became a full-time gig, and I traded my corporate access badge for the freedom to fully step into my role as a founder, nonfiction book editor, occasional ghostwriter, content creator, and creative consultant. Of the many hats I have the privilege of wearing, helping experts, educators, and entrepreneurs turn their big ideas into a full-fledged, publication-ready manuscript is the most rewarding.
OUR CORE BELIEFS
ABOVE ALL, DO NO HARM
INTEGRITY // SERVICE // EDUCATION // EMPATHY
Go beyond Grammarly and endless Google searches
SAGE HOUSE EDITORIAL MIGHT BE FOR YOU IF…
You’re ready to position yourself as a go-to resource in your industry.
You want to create an evergreen asset that provides value to your readers and drives business growth.
You have a desire to reach more people than you could ever hope to achieve in a 1:1 setting.
You’re invested in cultivating a community of readers.
You want to tell transformational stories that open doors, land you on stages, build meaningful relationships, and maximize your impact.
You’d prefer direct but gentle feedback instead of sugar-coated niceties.
You’re committed to investing in high-quality editing and strategic support so you can publish a high-value and high-quality book that doesn’t look or sound self-published.
You’re not afraid to ask for help and try something new.
You know the value of outsourcing and hiring an expert to expedite your success.
YOU’VE COMMITTED TO THE PROCESS OF WRITING AND PUBLISHING YOUR BOOK