Verto Literary
Verto: To turn around / To change / To transform
An editorial consulting studio that works with authors, agents, and publishers to bring important stories to life.
“Verto came in at a crucial point in the process, helping us sift through volumes of material to see the story we wanted to tell. Gareth’s organization, vigor, and talent with structure and ideas gave us important direction on a very complicated project that was unfolding in real time.”
— New York Times journalists Cecilia Kang & Sheera Frenkel, authors of the New York Times bestselling An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination
Proven Success
Under the guidance of Pulitzer Prize winner Gareth Cook, our team has helped authors overcome daunting problems and achieve success—rave reviews, New York Times bestsellers—with top publishers like Random House, Crown, Liveright, Portfolio, Riverhead, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster. We work with top agencies, like CAA (Creative Artists Agency), WME (William Morris Endeavor), Aevitas Creative Management, Cheney Literary Associates, the Frances Goldin Literary Agency and UTA (United Talent Agency). More importantly, people love working with us.
“I have worked with many editors over a 35-year career in journalism and book writing and have only encountered a few with Kate’s abilities. They include a remarkable talent for structural editing, a deep understanding of how story works, and above all, the capacity to communicate her insights to a writer. She is a delight to work with.”
— S. C. Gwynne, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of New York Times bestsellers Empire of the Summer Moon and Rebel Yell
What we do
If you’re going in circles—if the narrative isn’t propulsive, if the argument won’t click, if something’s not working but you can’t say what—you’ve come to the right place.
Our developmental editing uncovers the structural logic your book project needs: the engine that drives readers forward, the arguments and narrative that build with each chapter, the organization that lets your best material thrive. We clarify ideas. We sharpen writing. We identify what’s missing. We help you transform your sprawling manuscript into something focused, compelling, and alive.
“Kate, Gareth, Chaz, and Eli broke an otherwise daunting process into manageable steps—whether it was sending me out to hunt for new characters or giving smaller writing assignments—that gave me a continual feeling of progress (and helped me stay sane). I grew into a much stronger writer from this collaboration: they were incredible teachers as well as editors.”
— Maya Shankar, creator of the award winning podcast A Slight Change of Plans and author of the forthcoming The Other Side of Change
Why Verto?
We are collaborative
Our goal is never to prescribe our own set of preferences, but to guide you towards the best version of the book you envision. When you work with Verto, you aren’t just paired with one editor—you’ll work with a team of editors, all of whom want to see your book succeed.
We are focused
When we take on a literary project, we treat it with the respect and attention it deserves. We limit the number of projects we take on, so that your manuscript is always our priority.
We are nimble
Our team of editors is fast, communicative, and responsive. We help authors meet tight deadlines and keep them writing at a steady but manageable pace.
We are flexible
We adapt to your writing style, your goals, your circumstances, and the needs of your manuscript.
We are in your corner
We know how difficult it can be to write a full book project, and how many obstacles—expected and unexpected—the process can present. We meet you where you are, to help you overcome those obstacles and bring your manuscript to where you want it to be.