Lauren Hughes

Lauren Hughes – Editor

Editor with Big 5 and international experience working with writers from Atlanta, Georgia.

Overview

Since 2014, and after stints in both New York and London, I’ve had the pleasure of partnering with writers who seek to elevate their work to the level required by traditional publishing as a full-time freelancer. I now live in Atlanta, Georgia and work with writers seeking publication in the US and the UK. Writers I have worked with have gone on to be represented by major agencies in both the US and UK, as well as publish via the Big 5 with multi-book, six-figure deals.


As a writer I know how tough it is to craft the perfect sentence full of wit, feeling, and meaning. I love working with clients to help them achieve just the right pitch and tone in their own projects. I also know what it feels like to send your work out into the world to be read and critiqued by others. I pride myself on my active listening and thorough communication. In our work together I endeavor, above all, to hear what you aim to achieve through your writing and translate it into actionable editorial steps informed by my understanding of the marketplace.


I've worked with phenomenally talented editors and writers (and I'm not the only one who thinks so - they've won incredible awards and recognitions ranging from NYT Notable Books to Pulitzer Prizes), so I've learned from the best of the best when it comes to crafting the perfect story. I'm most interested in literary fiction and upmarket women's fiction. I love bold (and often 'unlikeable') female protagonists, character-driven plots, and families-with-secrets novels.


I decided to begin freelancing full-time because I wanted to focus more on doing what I'm best at and love the most - telling good stories and helping writers, one-to-one, develop and strengthen their own unique voices. I'd love to do the same with you and look forward to hearing about your project!

Services
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction
Languages
English (UK) English (US)
Certifications
  • B.A. in Communication Studies, University of Georgia
  • M.A. in Creative and Life Writing, Goldsmiths, University of London

Work experience

Self-employed

Jun, 2014 — Present

Editor working primarily with novelists seeking traditional publication who wish to further develop and strengthen their work for maximum possible success in the marketplace. Services include editorial assessment, full developmental edit, query package review, and coaching. Writers I have worked with have gone on to receive offers of representation from major agencies in the both the US and UK, as well as publish via the Big 5.

Scribner

Aug, 2013 — May, 2014 (9 months)

Assistant to several award-winning editors at Scribner (an imprint of Simon and Schuster), working primarily on literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, and upmarket fiction titles such as MOBILE LIBRARY by Betty Trask Prize winner David Whitehouse, ALL WE HAD by acclaimed sculptor Annie Weatherwax, THE HILLTOP by Bernstein Prize winner Assaf Gavron, BODY COUNTS by Lambda Literary Award finalist Sean Strub, and the NYT Notable Book DEMON CAMP by Jennifer Percy. Titles worked on in an ancillary capacity include NYT Bestseller and recipient of the Books for a Better Life Award CARRY ON, WARRIOR by Glennon Doyle, NYT Bestseller and Pulitzer Prize recipient ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr, NYT Bestseller NORA WEBSTER by Colm Toibin, and NYT Bestseller THE FIRST BAD MAN by Miranda July.

Weinstein Books

Feb, 2013 — Aug, 2013 (6 months)

Sole support editorial staff to Editorial Director at Weinstein Books (a joint venture between The Weinstein Company and Perseus Books Group), working primarily on platform-driven fiction and non-fiction titles such as THE BLONDE by NYT Bestselling Author Anna Godbersen, KATE: THE FUTURE QUEEN by the Mail on Sunday's Royal Correspondent Katie Nicholl, and OBSESSED by NYT Bestselling Author and msnbc Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski.

Portfolio

The Circus Train

Parikh, Amita

Sean Strub, founder of the groundbreaking POZ magazine, producer of the hit play “The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me,” and the first openly HIV-positive candidate for US Congress, charts his remarkable life—a story of politics and AIDS and a powerful testament t... read more
A “chilling” (O, The Oprah Magazine), “darkly brilliant” (Bookforum) account of “the effects of war on the psyches of the soldiers who fight” (Esquire).In 2005 a Chinook helicopter carrying sixteen Special Ops soldiers crashed during a rescue mission in Afghan... read more
Hailed as “The Great Israeli Novel” (Time Out Tel Aviv) and winner of the prestigious Bernstein Prize, The Hilltop is a monumental and daring work about life in a West Bank settlement from one of Israel’s most acclaimed young novelists.On a rocky, beautiful hi... read more
Mobile Library: A Novel

David Whitehouse

From the award-winning novelist David Whitehouse, hailed by The New York Times as “a writer to watch,” a tragicomic adventure about a troubled adolescent boy who escapes his small town in a stolen library-on-wheels.“An archivist of his mother,” Bobby Nusku spe... read more
All We Had: A Novel

Annie Weatherwax

The stunning debut novel from sculptor and painter Annie Weatherwax, a wry and sharply observed portrait of a gritty mother and daughter, living on the edge of poverty, who find an unlikely home amid the quirky residents of small town America.For thirteen-year... read more

Lauren has 74 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Peter C.

Peter C.

Dec, 2024

Lauren recently provided an editorial assessment for a manuscript. Overall, the assessment was detailed and accurate. At the start of the collaboration, Lauren communicated clearly the scope of the work and timelines to make sure we were on the same page and checked in along the way. The assessment was completed and delivered on time. It clearly detailed the strengths and weaknesses of the manu...
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Sam S.

Sam S.

Dec, 2024

Lauren was a great resource. She gave me everything I needed to feel like I was at my best for a round of querying. I'll hire her again for my next project.
Christina S.

Christina S.

Nov, 2024

It’s been great working with Lauren! She helped me put together a query package for US agents, and even though the project may have been more modest than what she usually takes on, she invested herself fully and generously. She knows the business well, thinks strategically about the querying process, and went above and beyond to ensure I had the best possible chance of success in my querying jo...
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Sara Maria H.

Sara Maria H.

Nov, 2024

Very helpful commentary and feedback, a pleasure to work with. Hoping to continue the collaboration!
Nick M.

Nick M.

Nov, 2024

Working with Lauren has been an incredible experience from start to finish. Her vision and attention to detail brought my manuscript to life in ways I hadn’t imagined. Lauren’s deep understanding of narrative structure, combined with her instinct for character development, transformed my story into a compelling, immersive experience. Being from Georgia, she had a unique perspective that perfe...
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