Welcome to the garret.
I’m Kristen Tate. I work with authors who are ready to find their readers. I provide the editing, practical help, and encouragement you need to get from rough draft to finished book.
What is your path?
Just getting started
Book a fast feedback or consulting appointment
Learn from our library of free resources for writers
Read about the different kinds of editing
Planning to self-publish
See our targeted services, from content editing to formatting
Request a sample edit
Read about the Blue Garret processes and principles
Pursuing traditional publishing
Book a fast feedback session to see if you are on the right track
Schedule a query letter or submission package edit
Novel Study
Buy the book
A new writing craft book offering in-depth analysis of popular novels to show you new tools and techniques you can use to improve your own writing.
Join the club
Join authors and editors to analyze a novel picked from the bestseller charts each month. Includes access to my story spreadsheets and craft notes!
Blue Garret library
Featured selections from our shelves. Go to the library for more deep-dive novel analysis, editing and writing tips, and book reviews.
Newsletter
Read it first:
Week 1, 2024 – The wheel goes round again
Week 20 – The seesaw of ambition and deadlines
Week 38, 2024 – The psychology of publishing
Buy the book! A collection of a year’s worth of book reviews, alongside reflections about the writing and reading life.
What people are saying
See more past projects and testimonials on our portfolio page.
“I’m so grateful for Kristen’s coaching and advice, and, most of all, her encouragement for me to push myself and write the book I wanted to write.”
“Kristen has more patience than anyone I know… Somehow, she finds the story and helps it breathe.”
“For all the feedback, all the laughs, and all the stars bestowed, thank you, Kristen! You are a rock-star editor, and I couldn’t have taken this girthy book baby to the next level without you.”
“Kristen was more than an editor—she was a guide, patiently answering all my questions, not just about editing, but about the process of publishing.”
Listen to Kristen’s interview with Joanna Penn to learn about the editing process and how to find an editor who is a good fit for you.
Kristen Tate, owner and lead editor at the Blue Garret, has a PhD in English from Columbia University and a Professional Editing Certificate from University of California at Berkeley.