Lanette Sweeney – Editor

I am a caring, compassionate developmental editor and a proficient, punctilious proofreader. One of my great joys is working with receptive authors to help make their books as good as they can be.

I enjoy working with writers at every stage of their book's development. However, you will get the most from our collaboration if you are an avid reader of what you are writing and have already worked in community with other writers to build your craft. (i.e., If you don't read a lot of poetry and/or work in a writing group, you probably aren't ready to have your poetry collection edited, let alone published.)

I'm a published author and have been a professional writer, reporter, news and features editor, copy editor, ghost writer, grants writer, proofreader, writing teacher, and fact-checker since the 1980s. I can help shape your writing to be more compelling, suspenseful, lyrical or linear, whatever help you need to make it more readable. I do patient line-editing for grammar, punctuation, and polishing. And I will happily proofread your book one last time before you send it to the publisher.

Whatever you want to communicate, I can help you do it better and ensure you find your authentic voice and get it out into the world.

My professional background as a writer for daily newspapers, as an editor for magazines, as a proofreader for textbooks, as a teacher of English and writing-intensive Women's Studies courses, and as a not-for-profit executive writing proposals, press releases, and grants, has given me excellent experience to help make your writing stronger.

I am from a blue-collar background but earned a master's in English Literature in my 40s; this makes me down to earth while conscious of code switching. I can help you develop your story-telling skills, organize your how-to book, or proof your poetry collection. I am delighted to have received all five-star reviews from every Reedsy writer who hired me.

Six years ago my only son died of an overdose at the age of 26. Since the year after his death I've been a full-time writer and editor producing short stories, screenplays and novels, and in 2021 my book of poetry about my son's death by overdose, What I Should Have Said: A Poetry Memoir about Losing a Child to Addiction, was published by Finishing Line Press.

Surviving my son's death has made me more self-aware and sensitive and has softened my approach to everything I do. I know my loss has made me a more caring and concerned editor and a more direct writer. I look forward to using these skills to help you produce a book of which you can be proud.

My minimum fee to work on your poetry collection is $1,000, and I charge $2000 to $4000 to developmentally edit then copy edit your fiction or nonfiction book. Everyone who's hired me has been super happy with the results, and I know you will be, too. I can help with your query letter, too.