Laura Chasen – Editor

I am a freelance book editor who spent six years as an editor at St. Martin’s Press, where I worked on a range of wonderful books -- from literary fiction to young adult to upmarket women’s fiction, current affairs, memoir, science, and parenting. My interests are varied, but I’m particularly drawn to immigrant stories, international and school settings, family sagas, and anything to do with the dance world. I’ve edited many acclaimed books in my career, including an Editor’s Buzz Panel pick at Book Expo of America, several New York Times Book Review “Editor’s Choice” books, and numerous “Best Books of the Year,” in outlets like the Miami Herald, Bustle, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, and Redbook among others. My independent clients have gone on to sign with acclaimed agencies like Sanford J. Greenburger and Janklow & Nesbit, as well as secure publishing contracts with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Algonquin Young Readers, Picador, HarperCollins, and Lake Union. I am a proud graduate of Barnard College (BA in English and dance) and Georgetown University (MA in English), and a mentor for WriteGirl with my years of industry knowledge, I bring energy, compassion, and an open mind to all of my projects. To me, the editing process is a unique mix of rigor, collaboration, and reward. I find developing a rapport with an author, and together, bringing a book to new levels, an incredibly rich and fruitful experience.

I hope you’ll consider working with me.