Cat Ninja
At Epic for Kids, I managed the Cat Ninja franchise, spanning 4 different series (Cat Ninja, Time Buddies, Kitten Ninja, and Master Hamster Super Science) with nearly 100 individual publications. Cat Ninja and his action-packed world had been reader favorites since well before my time at Epic, earning millions of paid reads and a devoted fan following, and my editorial expertise continued brand growth, name recognition, and top-quality storytelling that optimized our team’s resources.
Date: 2022-2024 || Role: Editor & Content Manager || Performed for: Epic for Kids
Business Goal: Continue gaining readers on most popular story franchise, maintaining consistency and maximizing reach while minimizing overhead costs
Results: In my time at Epic, I edited 30 new titles in the Cat Ninja universe across all 4 distinct series, garnering roughly 60 million reads in two years and editing all 10 top 10 titles of 2023; I also developed 28 new scripts for forthcoming production. I paid particular attention to style conventions, character voices, and unique but aligned plot arcs, and in doing so maintained a level of quality that readers came to expect. Additionally, by continuing to build the Writers’ Room and grow my in-house relationships, we were able to decrease our budget when times were tight, but maintain our readership through consistent on-brand storytelling.
Project Tasks and Scope:
Project ideation—I developed new publication ideas from the ground up alongside creators and colleagues, ensuring that stories stayed in keeping with our established brand voice and tone
Relationship management—I worked closely with writers (both in-house and freelance) and illustrators to expand upon the Cat Ninja world
Editorial guidance—I offered developmental edits, line notes, and big-picture ideas to creators as new installments in the Cat Ninja universe were established
Brand voice consistency—I ensured all publications in the Cat Ninja universe maintained the established series tone of voice, character arcs, and plot beats, and developed new stories to fit seamlessly within those established conventions without sacrificing creativity
Graphic design collaboration—I communicated frequently with our design team to lay out these highly visual stories, using art and illustration to elevate the content for our readers
Schedule management—I stayed on top of all production deadlines, collaborating cross-functionally with internal teams to maintain release schedule
Audio input—I often sat in on audio recordings for our publications’ “Read to Me” function, offering editorial input and guidance on read-alouds for tone, consistency, and style
