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 66 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Bryan M.

Bryan M.

Oct, 2024

I was very fortunate to have hired Lauren to provide an editorial assessment of my novel draft. Working closely with someone who truly understood what I was trying to accomplish with the subject matter and form was an incredible experience. I was fully aligned with her feedback, which not only breathed new life into the project but also provided a clear roadmap for the next phase of editing. Th...
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Hannah Y.

Hannah Y.

Sep, 2024

Lauren is an amazing editor, with a strong understanding of story, and I’m lucky to have found her. She totally ‘got’ my novel. I know I needed to sharpen and shorten it, I just didn’t know exactly where or how. Her suggestions were astute and practical, without being prescriptive and I know they’ll shape my story into the best version of itself. I sent her my manuscript, plus my own ideas for ...
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David C.

David C.

Aug, 2024

Working with Lauren has been an absolute privilege and a transformative experience for my writing. Her knowledge and expertise are unparalleled, guiding my manuscript with a precision and insight that only someone with her depth of experience can provide. Lauren has an uncanny ability to see both the big picture and the smallest details, ensuring that every element of my book came together seam...
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Ervin D.

Ervin D.

Aug, 2024

From the outset, Lauren engaged my brief in a professional yet personal manner. I requested a developmental edit, and her report was detailed, highlighting the good, the bad, and a little of the ugly. Lauren was also incredibly sensitive to the fact that feedback of this nature can be overwhelming. That said, she is direct, but not prescriptive. She is detailed, yet doesn't forget the overall n...
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Gwynne B.

Gwynne B.

Jun, 2024

Lauren is incredibly talented and whip smart, and I can’t thank her enough for helping me transform my manuscript. Her detailed report, which took days to digest, exceeded my expectations. I was blown away by her ability to deconstruct the elements of the story and by her suggestions for re-structuring the work in line with the genre. My only regret is that I didn’t reach out earlier. I feel pr...
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