Beth Brinsfield

Editor




Beth Brinsfield is a freelance editor experienced in fiction and creative nonfiction. She helps her clients to generate material, deepen their understanding of the craft, and revise and polish manuscripts.

Before editing, Beth taught expository writing and fiction workshops at Drake University, the University of Montana, the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe Community College, and College of Santa Fe.

She has also taught reading and writing at Lighthouse Young Writers, Boulder Valley Schools, Navajo Preparatory School, Des Moines Public Schools, and Des Moines Public Library as well as in summer programs at the Putney School, Phillips Exeter Academy, and Punahou School.
In addition, Beth has received grants from the Witter Bynner Foundation for Poetry and New Mexico Arts to teach poetry at reservation schools for three years.

She has written marketing copy for Columbia University Press, grant proposals for the Santa Fe Indian School, and various articles for newspapers and reference publications.

Beth attended Bowdoin College and has an MFA from the University of Montana.

Her creative writing has appeared in The Kenyon Review, Passages North, The Masters Review, Necessary Fiction, Pithead Chapel, Diagram, Flash Fiction, Tupelo Quarterly, Mom Egg Review, Failbetter, and CutBank.

“As an emerging writer, working with Beth was my first experience with a professional editor. Not only did I learn new things about structure, pacing, and character, but through her terrific notes I found myself inspired and excited to uncover new layers, which opened and deepened my work. Beth also stoked my confidence to trust when the revision process felt complete. After ending up a finalist in several top non-fiction contests, I was thrilled to win first prize in fiction for a short story. I could not be more grateful.“ Katie B.

“Beth gave me helpful comments about my novel in progress. Her analysis allowed me to envision the characters, the arc of the story, and plot resolution in a clearer light."
Henry

"Beth was a terrific editor. She was quick to find where and how I could improve my writing on a variety of levels and did so in a warm but professional manner. Because of her, my prose greatly improved." M.O.

“Beth became a true partner to me. She dug into my memoir with amazing focus on both the big picture and each word. She was an expert in detailed line editing and helped me write more clearly and purposefully. I felt Beth understood my writing was important to me, and she took a professional, committed, and approachable manner towards editing my memoir. I am very happy where we ended up!” Mindy Tsai