My work as an editor includes consultations on manuscripts of fiction and nonfiction—short stories, novels, essays, and memoirs. I've worked with individuals at various stages of their professional careers, from emerging to established, and on works-in-progress from early drafts to late revisions. My experience also includes editorial work for publishing entities, most recently for an independent press, and as editorial staff at an online literary review. As an editor, my focus is on clarity, precision of language, and organization. I'm happy to provide guidance on manuscripts that require content development, or in the case of works that are more fully developed, attention at the level of line. No matter what the stage of progress, I feel a draft is best served by a close reading of the author's intent through a lens of craft. In my experience, doing so will always yield a productive result. That, and a sense of humor, will take a writer a long way.
For queries, contact me at the email address below.
Some recent testimonials.
Henry James' notes on the galley of The Americans, photo taken at Lamb House, James' home in Sussex.
“Head and heart: it takes both to craft timeless art. Lauren has both in spades. Her editorial work will benefit a work in progress at any stage, particularly when it comes to development. She has an uncanny ability to see into a manuscript, intuit an author’s intention, and help the manuscript on its way to realizing its potential.”
“I just received Lauren’s extraordinary notes on my manuscript in pdf format yesterday. *65 pages* of lucid, meticulous summary, analysis and explanation—a Master’s course in narrative. I’m stunned with delight.”
“I’ve attended numerous prestigious writing workshops across the country where feedback on my work was abundant. However, no one has read my work as closely or has been as thorough in their editorial comments as Lauren. She is the quintessential editor, enthusiastic about your work and uncannily insightful about both macro and micro issues of craft. Not only did my writing project improve, I also learned cool secrets about the entire revision process.”
To learn more, contact Lauren at lauren@there.net