Danielle Jernigan
I am a forever doula, writer, editor, and founder of BirthWork Press. Sometimes I call myself an amateur anthropologist who has a strong passions for how we use language, birth work culture, and survivors of childhood abuse.
My Writing & Editorial Creds
Danielle Jernigan writes about birth work culture, Love, self-regard, and the quiet interior work required to move from healing into restoration. She has served as a book review editor for Literary Mama and spent 20 years in scientific research editing and co-authoring manuscripts and textbooks. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times Parenting Newsletter (Jess Grose), MadameNoire, YourTango, and Nourishing Word. Her most recent essay A Sister's Salve is forthcoming in the anthology No Contact: Writers on Estrangement edited by Jenny Bartoy and published by Catapult Books (April 28, 2026).
Editorial Services for Birth Workers
I offer limited editorial services to birth workers and maternal health professionals. I coach non-fiction book proposals and provide personal essay pitching and guidance.Book Proposal DevelopmentI work privately with a small number of birth workers each year to develop professional book proposals and publishing strategies.*Proposal development
*Concept refinement
*Strategic publishing decisions
*Query and submission strategy
*Agent targeting (if this isINVESTMENT: From $1800
*Requires a 6 month commitment.
Pitch Your EssaySometimes the goal isn't a book, its one well-placed essay on a topic you are passionate about. If this is the case this service is for you. This service includes a thorough read of a work-in-progress or complete manuscript with an emphasis on large-scale edits, a feedback letter (1-2 pages), and thirty-minute follow-up meeting (by phone, email, or video chat) to discuss the manuscript further.INVESTMENT: Starting at $150 depending on essay word count.
About My New Leap: BirthWork Press
Founded in 2025, after years of saying no, I decided I wanted to dedicate my time to supporting birth workers in a holistic way so they can write amazing books and essays and preserve the culture. But also center them as the intellectuals and experts they are so their ecosystems can be built with ease. BirthWork Press is in gestation with two books forthcoming .
Join the BirthWork Press Community
If you want to know what I am doing, reading, writing, all behind the scene details, including news about BirthWork Press, join my publication Birthing Author-ity. It started as a bi-monthly letter and is building into a hybrid professional and literary magazine for birth workers.Or...You can also just email me and invite me to tea. I live in the Midwest so it can be virtual tea.