Laura Vernaci

Laura Vernaci – Editor

Specializing in copy editing and proofreading for books and calendars in children's, poetry, humor, and humanities genres #fine-toothcomb

Overview

Most people get annoyed by details, but I live for them. It may be strange to admit but proofreading and copy editing bring me pure joy. I have more than 15 years’ experience working on a variety of content, such as book and calendar manuscripts, website copy, and digital corporate communications, as well as print publications like magazines, brochures, newspapers, etc. In addition to being detail obsessed, I am organized, reliable, and agile.

This is where you come in. I love collaborating with authors during the copy editing or proofreading stages to ensure your work is clean, clear, and complete. I follow style guides to apply corrections and use queries to make additional suggestions or ask questions. I also fact-check, spell-check, and cross-check all copy. I am thorough and thoughtful, and I enjoy helping authors see their works come to fruition.

What types of work, you ask? I enjoy the nitty-gritty of calendars, and I respect the creativity of children's books. (Promoting literacy is very important to me, and I volunteer regularly at local organizations with this mission.) I also adore humor, poetry, and the humanities, but really, I love all books! Please reach out so we can partner together to make your dreams a reality.

Testimonials:
“I’m looking through the document you sent back to me, and everything looks great! Thank you for tackling this project and delivering such a detailed and thorough draft of the manuscript. It’s been a joy working with you on this project, and I’ll submit your invoice today to be processed.”

“Laura was great. Clear communication, notes, and feedback on my project. She will be my go-to for my next project!”

“Great job catching all of those spelling and grammatical errors!”

Services
Non-Fiction
Art Calendars Comics Non-Fiction
Fiction
Humor & Comedy Middle Grade Poetry
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Ascend Media

Mar, 2023 — Present

• Write, edit, and maintain content for print and digital media
• Produce publications, email campaigns, and special projects, which includes content curation, writing, layout, editing, proofreading, and overall project management
• Manage editorial projects and freelancers

Self-employed

Sep, 2020 — Present

Current and previous projects include: compiling, copy editing, and proofreading publishing manuscripts; writing, editing, and research projects for Fortune 500 healthcare technology company; web copywriting and editing.

Andrews McMeel Universal

Aug, 2018 — Aug, 2020 (about 2 years)

• Curated, wrote, and edited content for internal and external communications
• Oversaw communications platforms, including strategy and enhancements
• Drafted and proofed materials for c-level executives
• Collaborated with creative team on brand, image, and video assets

Ascend Media

Oct, 2016 — Oct, 2018 (about 2 years)

• Produced publications and email campaigns for various industries, which included content curation, writing, layout, editing, proofreading, and overall project management
• Wrote, edited, and maintained content for print and digital media
• Managed editorial projects and freelancers

Cerner Corporation

Jul, 2010 — Dec, 2015 (over 5 years)

• Wrote, designed, edited, and maintained content for brand assets, guidelines, and messaging
• Created and managed deliverables that supported business proposals, presentations, and tools for sales organization
• Developed strategic project plans, championed marketing initiatives, and drove brand efforts through ongoing analysis, consultation, and education
• Curated and administered content for corporate website and intranet
• Collaborated with stakeholders to rebrand and rename acquired assets
• Completed budgets, contracts, agreements, and purchasing orders

KCMETROPOLIS

Sep, 2009 — Jul, 2018 (almost 9 years)

• Attended dance performances and wrote objective, comprehensive reviews
• Edited, proofread, and published reviews online
• Cultivated relationships with arts leaders and organizations

Truman State University

Aug, 2006 — May, 2008 (over 1 year)

• Conceived, wrote, edited and proofread features and news articles for print and online publication
• Managed direct reports and worked cross-functionally with other staff to design and produce weekly award-winning newspaper
• Generated story ideas for individual articles and planned out features section, including coordination of all photos and graphics
• Conducted and transcribed all interviews

Portfolio

Out by the Old Place: A Collection of Poems

Piatt-Bruner, Mary

Independently published

Show Strides: School Horses & Show Ponies (Volume 1)

Dyball, Rennie

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Time Will Tell

Peppernell, Courtney

A SIMPLE SEAGRASS

KLUMP, CAMILLE

Independently published

Lonely Planet: Spanish Phrasebook 2025 Day-to-Day Calendar

Lonely Planet

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Lonely Planet: French Phrasebook 2025 Day-to-Day Calendar

Lonely Planet

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Lonely Planet: Italian Phrasebook 2025 Day-to-Day Calendar

Lonely Planet

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Show Strides Vol. 4: Testing Friendships (Volume 4)

Dyball, Rennie

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Show Strides: Moving Up and Moving On (Volume 3)

Dyball, Rennie

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Laura has 8 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Hope G.

Hope G.

Sep, 2024

Pinned
Laura is an exceptional proofreader. I am so grateful for the inconsistencies and grammatical errors she caught. Not to mention, her demeanor is very kind and her responsiveness to questions timely and specific. It was such a pleasure working with Laura, and I look forward to working with her again!
Laura V.
Thank you, Hope! I enjoyed working with you as well, and I wish you the best in the rest of your publishing endeavor.
Julian M.

Julian M.

Jun, 2024

Pinned
I am a first-time writer and was very nervous about having someone edit my book. I was nervous that the edits would make it feel like the book was written by someone else. However, Laura's edits made it a more improved version of my own writing. I was also able to correspond with her about the edits and get some additional thoughts and feedback. It really has been a great pleasure working with ...
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Laura V.
Thank you, Julian! I wish you luck in the submission process, and I hope to see the published poetry collection at my local bookstore one day soon.
Vincent E.

Vincent E.

May, 2022

Pinned
Laura helped turn a long-running project into a finely tuned, ready-to-publish children’s book. Her line edits and comments were always spot on, and she shared a genuine excitement for the book and her role in the process. I look forward to working with Laura again on my next book!
Laura V.
Thank you, Vincent, I hope to work with you again in the future. Good luck!
Camille K.

Camille K.

Sep, 2023

Delivered what was promised and on time. Laura took the time to fact check my children's educational manuscript.
Laura V.
Thanks, Camille, it was great working with you. Best of luck on your educational manuscript and all future projects!
Mary P.

Mary P.

Apr, 2023

I can't say enough great things about my work experience with Laura. Professional, responsive, timely, and clear communications, just to name a few. Laura's editing has taken my book to a whole new level. She is wonderful to work with!
Laura V.
Thank you so much, Mary, for being open, honest, and receptive throughout our collaboration. I am so happy with how your first book is turning out and I can't wait to hear about the outcome. Good l...
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