Date: May 21, 2026
Time: 4-5 p.m. ET
Speaker: Brunella Costagliola

Description:

As editors, we’re often encouraged to be generalist, but in today’s publishing landscape, specialization isn’t limiting; it’s strategic. This session explores how developing expertise in a niche — such as the speaker’s focus on editing military manuscripts — creates opportunities for authenticity, representation, and leadership within the editing industry.

This session explores how finding and developing a niche can become the foundation of a sustainable and thriving editing business. Drawing on the speaker’s experience with editing military manuscripts, we’ll look at how niche expertise builds credibility, fosters authentic representation, and naturally attracts the right clients. Participants will discover how deep subject knowledge and cultural fluency create trust, which not only enhances the editorial process but also drives referrals, strengthens brand identity, and justifies higher professional rates.

Beyond the practical, we’ll discuss how niche editors contribute to the industry’s evolution by filling critical gaps — serving communities and stories that might otherwise be misunderstood or overlooked. Attendees will walk away with a clear framework for identifying their own potential niche, developing authority within it, and positioning themselves as both ethical practitioners and business strategists within the modern editing landscape.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain how focusing on a niche can enhance editorial quality and support sustainable business growth, positioning editors as trusted experts in their field.

2. Identify and assess potential niches in the editing market, matching subject knowledge with authentic representation and client needs.

3. Create strategies to market and monetize niche expertise, using specialization to attract ideal clients, build a recognizable brand, and drive long-term success.
   
   

Cost: Free for ACES members/$30 for nonmembers



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About the speaker:

Brunella Costagliola is a bestselling ghostwriter and editor, award-winning author, journalist, translator, and cultural accuracy reader. With over 15 years in the publishing industry, she has worked with prestigious publishers and literary agencies, including HarperCollins and WME. She is the founder and owner of The Military Editor® Agency, LLC, the #1 ghostwriting and editing agency serving the military community, recognized by Forbes NEXT1000. Many of the books she has ghostwritten or edited have become bestsellers, award-winners, and critically acclaimed.

Brunella was a featured speaker at the Military Influencer Conference 2025, titled “From Idea to Impact: How Military Authors Can Turn Their Stories Into Published Works That Inspire, Educate, and Leave a Legacy.”

An alumna of Leiden University, Brunella holds two master’s degrees in American History and American Literature, and has earned a Certificate in Editing from the University of Chicago. She is a children’s author, with her series A Stroke of Magic earning accolades from Kirkus Reviews.

Brunella is the associate producer of the award-winning documentary “Potentially Dangerous: When it Was a Crime to Be Italian,” executive produced by John Turturro, which won the 2021 Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award.

A military spouse, mother of two, and proud dual citizen of the USA and Italy, Brunella lives in Florida with her family and three dogs. She speaks five languages and is passionate about storytelling, cultural representation, and helping authors bring their stories to life.