Blair Parke

Blair Parke – Editor

Seasoned editor turning heartbreak and struggle into inspirational stories to encourage others. Author of Empty Hands Made Full.

Overview

Since childhood, there wasn't a time where you didn't find a book in my hand or at least five books stuffed into my suitcase while traveling. I have always loved books, which transitioned well into my career as a magazine writer and, later, the senior editor at Salem Author Services, the Christian self-publishing company for Salem Communications and copy editor at Charisma Media.


My editing knowledge reached a new level when I wrote my first book, "Empty Hands Made Full," a Christian-focused book to encourage couples dealing with infertility using my journey (and others I interviewed) and stories of the Bible dealing with infertility. Writing my own book, with the struggles and triumphs that come with it, gave me new insight on how to help my authors best in achieving their writing dreams.


When I am working with someone on their book, I want the person to feel as comfortable as possible and know that their story is worth sharing. Communication is key between author and editor and authors will get my full attention with editing their book. My suggestions are only to enhance their book and are, in no way, to make them feel their writing is inferior.


Testimonials:

Clarence L. Haynes, Jr - The Pursuit of Victory

"Working with Blair was a pure delight. She was able to take the words I had written and add those special touches that brought the message I was trying to deliver in the book to life. I also loved her fairness as an editor in recognizing and acknowledging when something I wrote was good and needed no editing. She was able to help reshape words without losing my voice in the process. In my opinion, she is highly recommended, and I will definitely use her again for my future projects."


Michelle Schacht - Five-star Reedsy Editor

“Blair is one of the more thoughtful and caring editors that I know. She truly has the best interests of her authors at heart and works hard to make sure their manuscripts are the best they can be. Plus, her writing skills and technical knowledge are top-notch. I will forever choose to work with Blair.”


Nick Savage - author of The Fairlane Series and The Nation Series

"Even as a seasoned author, Blair has done wonders for everything from grammatical errors to overall narrative tone to catching the little things authors otherwise miss. I am delighted to have found her and look forward to seeing what she does with at least my next six books. Highly recommend, highly qualified."


Amy Hobbs - author of The Bucket List Journey

"Blair exceeded my editing expectations in every way. As a first-time author, she gave me a sense of peace with the editing process, and the courage to share my story and see my book through to completion. From the start, she was extremely professional, personable, and timely."

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Christian Non-Fiction Health & Wellbeing Inspirational
Fiction
Romance
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • None
Certifications
  • None

Work experience

Charisma Media

Aug, 2021 — Mar, 2022 (7 months)

Edited news and magazine stories to be published for online websites with Charisma Media, Charisma News and Charisma Magazine.
Edited hard copy of the print form of Charisma Magazine before it would go to production.

Salem Author Services/Xulon Press

May, 2013 — Aug, 2021 (over 8 years)

Led a team of in-house editors and freelance editors in reviewing, editing, and writing for up-and-coming authors writing Christian fiction and non-fiction (Xulon Press imprint), non-Christian fiction and non-fiction (Mill City Press), and political content (Liberty Hill Publishing).
Reviewed unedited manuscripts and edited manuscripts as well, from basic editing of punctuation, grammar, and spelling to line editing with sentence revision to developmental editing with paragraph sectioning and improving story flow and transitions.
Wrote back covers for authors as well as social media keywords to help with their books being noticed online.
Assisted in developing the style guide for Salem Author Services and becoming well-versed in Bible translations limitations and key terminology for Christian content.
Talked with authors by phone for coaching calls regarding questions they had about suggestions or corrections made and ways they could improve upon those changes without losing their voice in the manuscript.

4 Horseman Publications

Mar, 2022 — Present

Edit unpublished manuscripts to prepare them for publication.
Interact with authors via Zoom, email, and phone to answer questions and uncover areas to improve the impact of their books on readers.

High Bridge Books and Media

Nov, 2021 — Present

Edit unpublished, Christian manuscripts to prepare them for production.
Leave editorial comments for the authors on ways to improve upon their content to make their books compelling to readers.

The Ghost Publishing

Aug, 2021 — Present

Edited unpublished manuscripts, from minor changes to major developmental changes in the manuscript, all to help authors make the most of their books.

Salem Web Network

Mar, 2018 — Present

Wrote several Christian-focused topics that were published for Salem Web Network's affiliated websites, Bible Study Tools and.
Researched and wrote topics based on the Christian faith, stories of the Bible, and even handling every-day topics, such as grieving a loved one or enduring infertility, through the guiding force of the Bible.

Southwest Orlando Bulletin

Mar, 2015 — Present

From interviewing notable Orlando names such as Harris Rosen of Rosen Hotels and Pam Landwirth of Give Kids the World to writing local business profiles for several popular Orlando businesses, I have had the privilege of speaking to and writing about the individuals that help make Central Florida a great place to live. Speaking to and writing about someone's business, community involvement, or extraordinary path in life has made every article written an opportunity to learn, grow, and appreciate the uniqueness in all of us.

Portfolio

Blair has 61 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Danielle N.

Danielle N.

Aug, 2024

It was a pleasure working with Blair on my book. As a first-time author, there were still a few things I wasn't familiar with that Blair pointed out as she was proofreading my book. I appreciated her attention to detail (correcting small typos and adding missing words in places I'd read multiple times) and her availability to answer questions even after the project was delivered. Blair was a gr...
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Blair P.
Thank you, Danielle, and it was a pleasure working with you as well. Congratulations on the publishing of your book!
Jeff F.

Jeff F.

Aug, 2024

Excellent edit with attention to concerns of author.
Erica K.

Erica K.

Aug, 2024

Blair was a dream to work with. As a first-time author, I was nervous about finding the right editor for my project. I am so glad I chose to work with Blair! She understood my vision and quickly got to know my writing style, which allowed her to offer me incredible wisdom and guidance regarding my manuscript and the overall goal of my project. Her communication and turnaround time are impressi...
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Blair P.
Thank you, Erica. I appreciate your feedback and glad to be part of helping your unique book reaching so many people.
Ronnie G.

Ronnie G.

Jul, 2024

Blair has been an absolute great help in giving me corrections and advice for my manuscript. I would highly recommend her. She was the first and only person that I have used to do editing. Don’t be afraid to reach out to her. She was very flexible with me, even when I had some personal(electrical repair) issues that caused me to have to miss a meeting. Thanks Blair.
Blair P.
Thank you, Ronnie, for this review and I enjoyed working with you and your great book about Ruth.
Angie H.

Angie H.

Jul, 2024

I had the pleasure of working closely with Blair while editing my book, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. her insightful feedback and keen eye for detail truly transformed my manuscript. Blair provided constructive critiques that were both encouraging and incredibly helpful, guiding me to improve my work in ways I hadn't anticipated. Her professionalism, punctuality, and dedication to ...
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Blair P.
Thank you for this meaningful review, Angie. I am touched beyond words by your words and thank you for your support and willingness to work hard for your book. You have a beautiful product to share...
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