In her free-lance business as a Writing Coach and Developmental Editor, Barbara Gates has worked with a number of authors on the conceptual and writing stages of their  books as well as in the writing of  their book proposals.  Books she has worked on include: The Art of Happiness  (1998) by The Dalai Lama with Dr. Howard Cutler, A Path With Heart (1993) by Jack Kornfield, Lovingkindness (1995) by Sharon Salzberg, The Zen of Eating (1998) by Ronna Kabatznick and Radical Acceptance (2003) by Tara Brach.

Here are a few comments of appreciation from the acknowledgements in various books: 

A Path With Heart: A Guide through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life
Barbara Gates, writer, editor, and friend in the dharma, has helped the manuscript greatly by bushwhacking through several of the early chapters, creating a clear and orderly garden out of the thickets of my dharma talks.  I offer her my thanks.
-Jack Kornfield

Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness
Some who have aided me with this book are as follows_Barbara Gates, who edited with enormous grace and skill, and taught me some essential elements of writing.
-Sharon Salzberg

The Zen of Eating:  Ancient Answers to Modern Weight Problems
Once the manuscript was in place, Barbara Gates applied her industrial-strength intelligence , inquiring mind, and beautiful heart  to help me deepen the key messages in the book.  As a developmental editor, she examined the structure of the book and encouraged me to  express my most authentic voice.
-Ronna Kabatznick

The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living
My sincere thanks extends to many . . .to Barbara Gates and Dr. Ronna  Kabatznick for their indispensable help in wading through voluminous material and focusing and organizing that material into a coherent  structure.
-Dr. Howard Cutler, author with the Dalai Lama

Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha 
Thanks to Barbara Gates for her clarity and enthusiasm in helping to prepare my proposal.
-Tara Brach