Elena K. Abbott smiling in front of bookshelf with a geode, potted plant, and a book titled "Votes for Women" prominently displayed

Elena K. Abbott, Ph.D.

  • Professional editor & publishing consultant

  • Presentation & writing coach

  • Communications consultant

  • Author & Historian

​Elena believes in great stories and effective writing, and she is committed to filling the world with both. She partners with fiction and non-fiction authors bringing their books to life, thought leaders developing inspiring content, and international non-profits producing reports that will change the world.

​Elena earned her Ph.D. in history from Georgetown University in Washington, DC., and she is a proud member of the Northwest Independent Editors Guild.

Learn more about Elena's writing, scholarship, and other creative endeavors by visiting her at www.elenakabbott.com.

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Beacons of Liberty by Elena K. Abbott, orange cover depicting fugitive slaves defending themselves

BEACONS OF LIBERTY

International Free Soil and the Fight
for Racial Justice in Antebellum America 

(Cambridge University Press)

Order your copy today!

Open book on library table

Broad Expertise

Dedicated to impactful writing and clear communication, Elena specializes in helping clients put their best foot forward with every word they write.

Here are just a few ways that Ink Blotter can help:

  • Developmental guidance and line editing for your book

  • Book concept development and writing coaching

  • Consulting and content editing for your website

  • Brand message development

  • Presentation coaching for individuals and teams

  • Workshops on writing, publishing, productivity, and effective communication

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Open book on table next to a cup of coffee and a vase of flowers

A Personalized Approach

Elena works with you to ensure that your project goals are met and that you are proud and excited about your final product. 

Most importantly? She is all about helping you find joy and confidence in the process.

Everyone has different needs, preferences, and goals, and Elena firmly believes that these are all most effectively met by cultivating a comfortable, productive, and trusting partnership. Ink Blotter is here to be your critical, yet compassionate, companion.

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Experienced Guidance

In addition to supporting industry leaders and non-profit teams, Elena works closely with scholar-authors from diverse fields and backgrounds at research universities and liberal arts colleges around the world.

Here are just a few places her clients work:

  • University of Washington

  • University of California (Berkeley, Davis, San Diego, Irvine, Riverside, Merced)

  • Yale University

  • Columbia University

  • University of Colorado

  • Pennsylvania State University

  • University of Maryland

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Tulane University

  • Amherst College

  • Cambridge University

  • Northwestern University

  • Dartmouth College

And many more!

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She has worked with manuscripts under contract with or published by a range of scholarly presses, including:

  • Cambridge University Press

  • Princeton University Press

  • Stanford University Press 

  • Oxford University Press

  • UNC Press

  • University of Pennsylvania Press

  • MIT Press

  • Duke University Press

  • University of Georgia Press

  • University of Minnesota Press

  • University of California Press

From navigating the pressures of publishing to developing outstanding book projects, Elena is always excited to support new and exciting projects from early career and established scholars.

  • "I feel lucky that colleagues introduced me to Ink Blotter. Elena Abbott is a brilliant developmental editor. She is highly skilled at helping authors see the “big picture” through the “weeds.” During our remote meetings, I could feel my writing frustrations melt away as she shared her feedback. I left each meeting with a clear actionable plan and excited to move forward with my writing. Thank you, Elena, for helping me make such progress on my book manuscript!"

    Associate Professor at a University of California campus

  • "Elena has a unique gift. When she agreed to work with me on the final revisions of a book manuscript, she was taking on a tired, first-time author weary of the revision process. Yet, with sharp intellect and steady encouragement, she showed me how generative and stimulating revision can be. Elena guided me in improving my manuscript by embracing its strengths as well as revealing areas of hidden potential through effective critical interventions always framed as within reach. Moreover, her broad knowledge and close reading contributed to the development of the manuscript by anchoring structural changes to research content.

    -Associate Professor at a University of California campus

  • "Elena was exceedingly helpful as an editor in the final stages of my book publishing. Her work was incredibly timely, polished, and skillful. She worked with me through very frustrating technological circumstances and provided me with unmatched support, technical advice, and professional guidance. She was readily available to me to answer any questions or work through concerns. In short, Elena gave me the tools not only to complete an important project, but also guided me to feel more confident and proud of the book manuscript in the end."

    -Crystal Webster,

    Beyond the Boundaries of Childhood: African American Children in the Antebellum North 

    (University of North Carolina Press, 2021)