Kristen Stieffel was raised by parents who were Trekkies before anyone coined the word Trekkie, so naturally she specializes in speculative fiction: fantasy, science fiction, and all of the related genres like cyberpunk, steampunk, and all the other -punks.
Kristen is the author of Alara’s Call, an inspirational fantasy novel about a clergywoman turned prophet, and Tales of the Phoenix, a collection of steampunk novellas about an airship crew on Mars. See Kristen’s books.
As an editor, Kristen provides a full range of editorial services. She has edited more than 80 books for more than 60 clients in her 12-plus years as a freelance editor. Most of these were in the fantasy and science fiction genres, but she also edits other genres of fiction as well as nonfiction. Kristen is familiar with The Chicago Manual of Style, the AP Stylebook, and The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style. Learn more about editing services.
As an instructor, Kristen has taught at writing conferences across the US, as well as libraries and writing groups. Her online course, Edit You Novel Like A Pro, teaches writers to self-edit across ten elements of fiction. See Kristen’s instruction services.
Kristen is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and the Christian Editor Connection and has taught at editors conferences hosted by both of these organizations. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, she served several years on the board of the Central Florida chapter. She also serves on the planning committee for Realm Makers, the only conference for Christians who write speculative fiction.
Prior to becoming a freelance editor, Kristen worked for twenty years at Orlando Business Journal, a weekly newspaper for executives and small business owners. Her roles included administration, graphic design, and copy editing. During her ten years in the newsroom, she wrote more than a thousand articles, columns, and opinion pieces. One of Kristen’s favorite tasks was writing and recording a daily stock market report for a local radio station.
An elder in the Presbyterian Church USA, Kristen has served as clerk of session for her congregation and teaches adult Bible studies. Despite living in Florida, Kristen is an avid knitter. In the state that pioneered air conditioning, most sweaters are worn indoors.
Professional Affiliations
- Christian Editor Connection, 2013
- The Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network, 2012
- American Christian Fiction Writers, 2011
- Editorial Freelancers Association, 2010
Continuing Education
- Substantive Editing for Nonfiction and Memoir, PEN, 2013
- Creating E-books, PEN, 2012
- Editing Fiction, PEN, 2012
- Developmental Editing, EFA, 2012
- Copyediting, EFA, 2011