Meet the Clear Sight Books Team
When you’re considering engaging a critique partner, an editor, or a publishing company, it’s a big commitment. We want you to know who you’re working with, so here we are—a small team of real people.
A Note on Pronunciation
“Karin” is pronounced “CAR-in,” as in “Put the CAR in the garage.” “Wiberg” is pronounced WHY-berg.
Speaking
If you’re interested in a speaker for your conference or organization, visit my Speaking page. I’m available via Zoom almost anywhere and in person depending on location.
Bios
If you need a third-person bio, here are three options at varying lengths.
Karin Wiberg, editor & publisher
If you’re the kind of person who appreciates a broad strategic background and needs a trusted partner for your book project, we might be a good fit.
I didn’t take the traditional writerly educational path. Rather, I earned a BA in chemistry, an MBA, and a business coaching certificate. I spent over a decade in the corporate world, writing mountains of documents and taking creative writing classes outside of work, before moving into strategic business consulting.
Occasionally I wrote for clients—articles, blog posts, white papers—but I never gave writing my full focus. Then I had a colleague who kept talking about writing her book—and never finishing it. Finally I said, “Let’s go write your book.” So we did. And when we finished it, I said, “Oh! That’s what I’m supposed to do!”
Books are long-haul projects. I happen to like long-haul projects. I like to think hard. I like to bring language to life—and life to language. Working on books combines my strategic, analytical, and creative skills. I find making books fun.
And the feeling of holding a completed project in your hands—a physical, tangible, beautiful project—well, it’s satisfying to say the least. We created THIS. (And, yes, it’s almost always a “we.”)
Over the past several years, I’ve written books, rewritten books, revised books, edited books, coached people writing books, and published books. Along the way I’ve developed a solid go-to team for editing and design. (Meet some of them below.)
On the side, I’ve helped run writing conferences; I’ve spoken at conferences; I’ve managed a literary magazine; I’ve judged book contests and essay contests; I’ve served on grant panels for the North Carolina Arts Council, the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, and United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, and I’ve snuck in a little writing of my own.
Meet the Clear Site Books Team.
We’re a talented group of creative individuals. Get to know us and what we can do for you!
Rita Lewis
Editor
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a detective when I grew up. And a scientist. And a teacher. As a writer and editor, I get to be ALL those things. I investigate to my heart’s content and serve others by clarifying what they need to know.
I started out as a musician. But after six years of studying classical music, teaching, and freelancing as a music notation editor, I felt something was missing. I’d always been an insatiable reader, so I switched from music to words and became a copyeditor for a large nonprofit in Washington, DC. After a year, they asked me to write about international education for their flagship magazine.
After that, I wrote about personal finance, home improvement, small business, branding, contract manufacturing, philanthropy, and traditional music. I joined a team developing grant proposals for K–16 education and learned to present a convincing case for support. I honed my editing and interview skills to help others present their best selves and strongest message. Bios and profiles are a specialty.
I’m a generalist at heart and I love synthesizing complex subject matter. I always start with questions: What are you trying to say? Who are you trying to reach? What do you want them to do? And my all-time favorite—Why?
Jennifer Hart
Editor & Marketing Guru
Powerful content is so much more than great writing. It’s driven by data and informed by brand identity and voice. As a writer who views language as just one of the tools in the toolbox, I believe that reaching readers and getting them to engage starts with research, insight, and intention—sometimes before the first word is ever written.
Many of my favorite projects begin with someone else’s draft. Collaborating with authors and our team, I help develop messaging that’s clear, on-brand, optimized for search and grammatically impeccable. This comes in handy on book cover text, author biographies, and marketing and promotional content.
I also write search-optimized web content, email and advertising copy, blog posts and marketing collateral for clients in tech, science, medicine, retail, law and higher education, among others. And I’m a contributing writer to consumer and trade magazines.
A certified copy editor, I’m equally adept at applying AP, Chicago Manual of Style, APA and internal (house) styles. Are you ready to write?
Patricia Saxton
Book Designer
I’ve spent a lifetime crafting all things art and writing. I turned that creativity into a successful design business, and I’ve been helping clients show off their remarkable side for quite a while.
At any given time my creative juices are flowing with branding and identity, logo design, web design, book covers, event themes, promotional campaigns, writing and editing.
I’m also an award-winning fine artist and the author/illustrator of the popular children’s books, Book of Dragons, A Book of Fairies, The Book of Mermaids, and the inspirational design series turned-postcard-book, 52 Weeks of Peace.
Get to know us better…
If you’re still exploring the idea of a book, subscribe to our monthly newsletter. It will give you monthly inspiration to keep moving forward, and you’ll get to learn how we think.
And if you’re ready to talk, get in touch—we’d love to help you achieve the satisfaction of holding your very own finished book in your hands. Wait till you see what it can do for you…