Cory Hott
Los Angeles, USA
About Me
Ghostwriter | Book Editor | Storytelling Strategist
👋 Hey there —
I’m Cory Hott, a ghostwriter, book editor, and storyteller who believes one thing deeply: storytelling belongs at the heart of every form of writing. Humans don’t just enjoy stories — we’re wired to respond to them. And when a book gets that right, it doesn’t just inform or inspire — it sells.
I’m the cofounder of Hott + Hadley Writing Consultancy, a boutique literary consultancy focused on book proposals, ghostwriting, and editing. I work primarily with memoir and prescriptive nonfiction authors, helping them turn lived experience and expertise into books publishers actually want — and readers actually finish.
🧭 What I Bring to Uptales
- Extensive publishing experience, having edited more than 200 books across memoir, nonfiction, and narrative-driven works.
- Deep proposal and positioning expertise, helping authors shape ideas that resonate with agents, publishers, and audiences.
- Ghostwriting and developmental insight that preserves voice while strengthening structure, clarity, and narrative momentum.
- Industry leadership experience as former Director of Book Strategy at Difference Press, guiding manuscripts from concept to publication.
- Editorial rigor shaped by my time as Managing Editor of South Magazine, where story quality and reader engagement were paramount.
✅ Focus Areas
- Memoir and prescriptive nonfiction development
- Book proposals that sell (concept, positioning, structure, market fit)
- Ghostwriting and voice-driven collaboration
- Developmental editing and manuscript shaping
- Storytelling frameworks for experts, founders, and thought leaders
🎤 My Guiding Philosophy
“If your book doesn’t tell a compelling story, it doesn’t matter how smart the ideas are — readers won’t stay.”
📌 Why Authors Choose Me
- I understand both story craft and the publishing business — and how to bridge them.
- I help authors clarify not just what they’re writing, but why it matters to readers.
- My approach balances narrative depth with commercial viability, so your book works creatively and in the market.