Lara Allen

Lara Allen – Editor

A consummate professional with over 20 years experience in the publishing industry in a variety of genres and roles.

Overview

I am an experienced editor with an insightful eye. I've worked across a variety of genres, having specialized in romance, pop culture non-fiction, urban fantasy and women's fiction, many of whom have gone on to be bestselling writers. My experience includes large publishing houses like HarperCollins and St. Martin's, and well-known literary agencies. I'm particularly skilled at working with an author to shape and hone their manuscript without losing an author's voice. I have been praised for my insight into plot issues and resolutions, and for recognizing an author's individual point of view and unique style of approaching their work. A lot of editorial work involves understanding how any given author thinks and approaches their work. It's more than just grammatical errors, or a formulaic approach to sentence structure. Those things are important, but must be balanced with the author's voice. That's what drives the work in the end.
Services
Non-Fiction
Entertainment
Fiction
Historical Fiction Humor & Comedy Paranormal Romance Romance Women's Fiction Young Adult
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

The Lotts Agency

May, 2011 — Present

Assess and evaluate works across a variety of commercial genres for potential representation. I also edit our clients' works when necessary, draft and review publishing contracts (both here and abroad), and market our clients' works as necessary.

Various

May, 2007 — Mar, 2012 (almost 5 years)

Copyedited and proofread manuscripts for various small publishers and self-published authors across a variety of genres.

Provided marketing research and contractual consulting when needed.

Trident Media Group

Mar, 2007 — Feb, 2010 (almost 3 years)

Responsible for negotiating deals with foreign publishers for a long list of bestselling authors in the romance and pop culture genres.

HarperCollins Publishers

May, 1999 — Mar, 2007 (almost 8 years)

Began assisting the Director of Foreign Rights with the sales and negotiation of books in the romance, science fiction, women's fiction, and mystery genres. After several years, I was promoted to directly negotiating and selling titles in the romance, pop culture, women's fiction, and science fiction genres.

Portfolio

How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale [Hardcover]

Jenna Jameson (Author) Neil Strauss (Author)

Please note: This item is in PAPERBACK format! In the underbelly of Las Vegas, a cesspool of warring biker gangs and seedy strip clubs, a gawky, brace-faced, girl emerges as the biggest star in the history of adult movies: Jenna Jameson. But behind the glamour... read more
Heather Wells Rocks!Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two -- and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that t... read more
Carry On

Rainbow Rowell

A #1 New York Times-bestseller Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen.That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right.Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, an... read more
Landline: A Novel

Rainbow Rowell

#1 New York Times bestselling author! A New York Times Best Seller! Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Fiction of 2014! An Indie Next Pick!IF YOU GOT A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE,WOULD YOU MAKE THE SAME CALL?As far as time machines go, a magic telephone is pret... read more
Everyone knows that Colin Bridgerton is the most charming man in London . . .Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for . . . well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks sh... read more
Crosstalk

Connie Willis

Science fiction icon Connie Willis brilliantly mixes a speculative plot, the wit of Nora Ephron, and the comedic flair of P. G. Wodehouse in Crosstalk—a genre-bending novel that pushes social media, smartphone technology, and twenty-four-hour availability to h... read more
The moving, gripping, and tell–all autobiography of Traci Elizabeth Lords, a former child porn queen, electronica maven, and cult movie and TV star.At 14, Nora Kuzma ran away from home and ended up on the dirty streets of Hollywood. She fell in with a fast cro... read more
Former pop star Heather Wells has settled nicely into her new life as assistant dorm director at New York College—a career that does not require her to drape her size 12 body in embarrassingly skimpy outfits. She can even cope (sort of) with her rocker ex-boyf... read more
Wild and restless, Kyle Donovan has freed himself from the constraints of his family's high-powered gem-trading empire to rove the world as a treasure hunter. Now the president of Donovan International has given Kyle an assignment with explosive ramifications.... read more
The Night Tourist

Katherine Marsh

Jack Perdu, a shy, ninth grade classics prodigy lives with father on the Yale Univerity campus. Smart and introverted, Jack spends most of his time alone, his nose buried in a book. But when Jack suffers a near fatal accident, his life is forever changed. His ... read more
In the winter of 2002, Stupid White Men took America -- and the world -- by storm. Tired and skeptical of George W. Bush's high approval ating, frightened by the implications of the Enron scandal -- and generally just looking for a voice of honest dissent in t... read more
No existe tradiciÓn mÁs mexicana que la de los corridos, las herÓicas baladas que celebran a los de abajo -- a los fugitivos y pistoleros. Al igual que las baladas de Robin Hood o de Jesse James, los corridos han sido para los pobres una manera de enaltecer a ... read more
She exploded into his life just as he was throwing in the towel…Electrical engineer Charlie Shepherd is done with Middlesex, Connecticut. After years of lingering in small town obscurity, he’s landed his dream job at Hoover Dam. But his plans are blown up by f... read more
Out of print.
Out of print.
Be a fly on the wall in a church confessional! These incredible, real, online admissions of people’s darkest secrets are disturbing, whimsical and hilarious. Sure to spark interesting conversations, this is the perfect therapeutic gift to share with friends an... read more
Rename your lover, or your pet, your car or the stupid person at work in the nom de plume of a pornstar! Here are the coolest names in the entire X-rated business, along with tons of fun porn and sex trivia. Read it for a laugh or get ideas for creating your o... read more
Everyone needs something to blurt out during uncomfortable silences and ice-breaker moments. This fascinating handbook of hilarious, arcane and bizarre tidbits will make its bearer a hit in party conversations and trivia contests.
Made for Sin

Stacia Kane

Karen Marie Moning raves that Stacia Kane “delivers dark, sexy urban fantasy at its finest.” Now Kane introduces her most addictive antihero yet: a Las Vegas PI who makes his own luck—and embodies everything that’s oh-so-right with Sin City. A lot of bad hands... read more
A classic romance, suspense thriller, rip-roaring adventure, and macabre comedy all at once, Dearly, Departed redefines the concept of undying love. CAN A PROPER YOUNG VICTORIAN LADY FIND TRUE LOVE IN THE ARMS OF A DASHING ZOMBIE? The year is 2195. The place i... read more
Erick Setiawan's richly atmospheric debut is a beautiful, engrossing fable of three generations of women in two families; their destructive jealousies, their loves and losses, their sacrifices and deeply rooted deceptions, and their triumphs.Of Bees and Mist i... read more

Lara has 8 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Patrice F.

Patrice F.

Jun, 2022

Lara is highly professional, experienced, and courteous. She dived really deep into the project and made very helpful suggestions to tighten the overall storyline. Communication was top notch. Thank you Lara for all your insight!
Lisa P.

Lisa P.

Apr, 2022

Lara was very helpful throughout our collaboration. She gave me sound advice along the way and polished my manuscript brilliantly. I feel confident sending it to agents now.
marina S.

marina S.

Feb, 2022

Lara was incredibly helpful and thorough with her edits. She was professional and communicated well throughout the process. I also appreciated her price point. Highly recommend!
SCOTT Z.

SCOTT Z.

Jan, 2022

Lara was great to work with and did an outstanding job editing my novel manuscript. Even though I have been a professional television writer, this was my first novel and I had a bit of a learning curve. Lara's work was clear and concise and I would highly recommend her to anyone.
Lisa P.

Lisa P.

Dec, 2021

Lara has been fantastic. I feel like my novel is much stronger now. She has been available to chat and given much needed advice. I look forward to working with her again.

Sign up to read more reviews

Create a free Reedsy account to connect with Lara and thousands of other publishing professionals on Reedsy.

Professionals similar to Lara

Get a range of offers by requesting quotes from multiple professionals.

Shannon Thompson

Shannon T.

Book coach and editor with 10+ years of experience. My clients include award-winning authors and publishers. Fantasy, romance, thrillers.

Kansas City, MO, USA

100% reply rate

View profile
Kirsten Murray

Kirsten M.

I'm an experienced freelance editor, project manager and writer who specialises in editorial for comics and graphic novels.

Edinburgh, UK

100% reply rate

View profile
Julie Scheina

Julie S.

I am a former senior editor at Little, Brown with over 17 years of experience editing acclaimed and bestselling children's and YA fiction.

Washington D.C., DC, USA

100% reply rate

View profile