As a multiple New York Times bestselling ghostwriter, I work on nonfiction books in the areas of modern feminism and fresh female voices, memoir, smart/edgy humor, mental health, and modern self-help. My specialties include memoir-meets-manifesto, balancing hard stuff with humor, and weaving in takeaways alongside intimate, voice-driven narrative. I am passionate about working with authors who are bold champions of the causes they fight for and thrive when working with well-known figures who have strong voices and large existing audiences, collaborating closely to bring their voice to the page in an authentic way. I have an eye for the big picture and the little details, prioritize transparency and trust, and have close, long-standing relationships with all of my authors.
Before becoming a ghost and collaborator, I was a Senior Editor at HarperCollins, where I acquired and edited multiple New York Times bestsellers including Over the Top and Love That Story by Jonathan Van Ness, #IMOMSOHARD by Kristin Hensley & Jen Smedley, and BRAVE by Rose McGowan; the LA Times bestseller All of This by Rebecca Woolf; and the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller Barking Up the Wrong Tree by Eric Barker.
I received my B.A. in Writing, Literature & Publishing from Emerson College in Boston and currently reside in the Bay Area with my hot husband, hilarious son, anxious dog and elderly cat.
Services
I am currently booked out but will be available for the following nonfiction projects again starting in August 2024:
Ghostwriting & Collaboration
Developmental Editing
Proposal Development
Book Coaching
Previous Work
Testimonials
“Working with Hilary allows me to step into writing with ease and confidence knowing that the story I want to tell is as good as it can be. She is always collaborative and supportive, while helping to bring the best out of my work. My experience working with Hilary is one I cherish and hope to have more of.”
“Writing my memoir was healing—and at times, harrowing—but Hilary offered a never-wavering source of support and a healthy dose of honesty that pushed me to go deeper into the parts of my life that felt daunting to share with the world. She believed in my story from our very first conversation and often reminded me of my purpose in telling it. A trustworthy advocate and a real pro.”
“Hilary edited two of my bestsellers. It was a seamless experience and I couldn’t have done it without her. She has a laser eye and was born to give life to books. Look no further. You found your secret sauce.”
“Hilary was just the collaborator we were looking for! She believed in our message and ability, did all she could to support and amplify our voices, and gave the kind of encouragement and direction we needed to navigate this whole new path! We’d welcome any opportunity to collaborate with her again!”
“Working with Hilary was an absolute dream from start to finish. I found our working sessions collaborative and efficient. She is articulate, wise, and a dedicated partner. I can’t recommend her enough.”
“Hilary’s brilliance as an editor can only be matched by her unabashed advocacy for her authors’ best work. Her ability to hone in, not only at heart of the work, but it’s marrow, blood and guts, is what makes her so good at what she does. She TRULY sees her authors, and under her care, encourages us to write boldly, bravely and more precisely than we would have otherwise. Beyond that, Hilary, as a human person is a goddamn delight.”
“Hilary was my fairy bookmother! Through a lockdown quarantine, her pregnancy, and my homeschool nightmare, she managed to lovingly push me through every deadline. Her compassion for my story is what got us there.”
“Hilary is one of those editors who just gets it. She’s as smart as she is funny as she is kind, and she helped make the process of writing my first book smooth and way less intimidating. My sole criticism is that there is only one of her, which is a little selfish but I guess I forgive her.”
“Hilary is an exceptional editor with a laser-sharp eye and a vision for a book’s best possible self. She was incredibly supportive while editing my book, and helped bring my story to life through a positive and collaborative process. Hire her now.”
“Hilary was my book editor when she worked at HarperOne, and I can’t even begin to express how talented she is. She was always there with sage advice when I needed something—be it reassurance or concrete suggestions. Her keen insight, sheer brilliance, and ability to simultaneously see the big picture and the small details shaped and improved my book beyond measure. She is also a total and complete joy to work with. She is responsive, funny, honest, and able to both give positive and constructive feedback on ideas and a manuscript in ways that make it easy to hear. If I was looking for a freelance editor, I’d hire her in a flash and with no hesitation at all. She’s truly the best!”
“Hilary is everything you would want in an editor: She’s encouraging, supportive, and has fantastic ideas. I loved working with her and would do it again in a heartbeat.”
“Hilary Swanson is the kind of editor who hears my voice, sees my vision, and holds onto both for me throughout the tumultuous process of writing. She is a trusty north star, a cheerleader, and an exceptionally talented editor. ”
“Hilary is the most supportive, warm, quick-thinking, decisive editor — everything a writer needs! ”
“When I hired Hilary, my manuscript was almost finished. The stakes felt so high. I loved my book, but still felt like there was work to do. I had gotten great feedback from other readers, but much of it lacked specificity. I needed Hilary to read my book, identify what was working or not, and propose edits and new ideas. Oh, and offer an honest expert opinion about if the book was sellable. Hilary did all of this and more! In so many ways, she was the ideal reader: very, very attentive, careful and positive in her critiques and whip smart when it came to edits and changes. I felt like she really got my work and saw me as a writer, which is a priceless experience. I hope to write another book just so I can work with her again!”
“Hilary guided me through the complex world of book proposals and query letters, and she helped reformulate my ideas so that they were razor sharp and industry-ready. Her experience, fabulous communication style, and sunny energy make her a dream to work with. I went from querying agents to getting multiple representation offers in just one month and a book deal in only six months, which is a remarkable accomplishment that was only possible with Hilary’s expert support.”
“Hilary has been a vital part of my creative process. After selling my first book from a proposal, I spent months stumbling around in the dark trying to structure my life’s work into an interesting, digestible manuscript. I’m not one who admits defeat easily but I was in way over my head. Then the heavens opened and an angel named Hilary Swanson came into my life. She helped me make sense of the word salad I had on the page. She walked me step-by-step through restructuring my book and gave insightful feedback as we moved through the editing process. I truly could not have written my book without Hilary’s support and I highly recommend her to any author who wants to uplevel their work.”
