Butterfly Editing
with Heather Pickert
If you suspect there may be more to the story you're telling there is.
Your memoir, novel, or poetry collection is in its cocoon phase: filled with all the right pieces, but not yet everything that it could be. As your editor, I'm here to crack open the chrysalis, so that your story can emerge as a gift to the world, as bright and vibrant as a butterfly.
My Story
I’ve been reading and writing voraciously for as long as I can remember. For a long time, I wanted to write my way through life. But when I took my first creative writing class in college, everything changed.
I still loved writing, but I discovered my favorite part of the class was workshopping what my peers’ wrote. I fell in love with the process of understanding the core of a piece, and then using my extensive knowledge of craft to elevate it— not to write it in my voice, but to reflect the author’s voice back to them, stronger, and more fully realized.
As the years went on, I continued to practice these skills. I joined forces with incredible authors in my community, and worked with an indie publishing company. My background in psychological studies helped me to get inside my authors' heads and understand their voices in a deeper way. Conversations we were having about structure, pacing, dialogue, themes, and metaphor were leading into conversations full of rich, emotional content that hadn’t made its way onto the page yet— not because the author hadn’t tried to access it, but because they had needed a guide to pull those feelings out and give them a soft, safe place to land.
And once these emotions landed, suddenly the author had access to them, and they began showing up on the page. They went from stuck energy, blocking the progress of the piece; to the EXACT thing that was missing in the first place. The conversations I was having with my authors about their writing alchemized the things they were holding back. That is, to say, our conversations turned lead into gold. I realized that the only true name for what I was doing was alchemical editing.
And now, I want to bring these alchemical techniques to you. If you’re an author looking for a partnership with an editor, not just a proofreader. If you're tired of spending energy outlining instead of creating. If you're struggling to put the finishing touches on a manuscript. If you're stuck halfway through a project, with an amazing idea that you just can't bring to fruition, I can do this for you. If you’ll let me hear the unfiltered ideas and harsh truths that others flinch from, and hold the energy of what you have to say, I promise that dam will burst. And when it does, I will guide you in filling your story with everything you’ve been holding back, everything that it desperately needs.
Let’s create the thing you’ve been dying to give the world, because the world needs it. We need your raw voice, your honest story. And you owe it to yourself to tell it.
Recent Editorial Projects
Nonfiction - Memoir
The Sun Still Rises:
My Secrets for Survival
by Gail Gray Dove
Fiction
Rainforest to Rainbow
by Barry & Darlene Greenawald
Nonfiction - Travel
Work & Live Anywhere
Peru Unplugged
by Tara Richter
Testimonials
"Working with Heather on the editing of my book Tarot for Artists was an absolute gift. She was such a treasure- devoted, thoughtful, and truly attuned to the profound spiritual work I've poured into these pages. What touched me the most was how deeply she understood the essence of my vision, and how gently yet precisely she helped me refine it. Our collaboration even went further than I expected- Heather generously offered to put together all the files needed to send to publishers. This was the exact support I needed at the moment, and her help was invaluable. Her energy is one of a kind, and I feel so grateful to have shared this journey with her."
Victoria Mateo, Author of Tarot for Artists
"Hi Heather, I wanted to take a moment to personally thank you for all the hard work, energy, and fresh perspectives you've brought to our team over the past few months. Your contributions have made a real difference. Beyond the tasks and projects, what truly stood out was your professionalism, adaptability, and positive attitude. You should be proud of what you’ve accomplished here. On behalf of the entire team, thank you again for your dedication and efforts.”
Tara Richter, President of Richter Publishing LLC
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