Lauren Hughes - Editor

A Big 5 vetted and tested editor who does not like speaking in the third person about herself.

After several years of working in New York City publishing, I left the city for a change of scenery and to pursue my own writing. I moved to London where I received a MA in Creative and Life Writing from Goldsmiths. It was there I also began working as a full-time freelance developmental editor.

For the past six years I've had the pleasure of partnering with writers who seek to elevate their work to the level required by traditional publishing. I now live in Atlanta, Georgia, where I am originally from (an important bit of personal trivia, I think, as I find that my Southern verve and congeniality makes me a gentle, but firm critic with a compassionate desk-side manner). I work with writers seeking publication in both the US and the UK and would be delighted to hear from you no matter which side of the pond you write from (all others welcome, too, though I am not the best editor for work that has been translated and may still benefit from a developmental editor fluent in the manuscript's native language).

In addition to my accomplishments in publishing, I am also an experienced copywriter and have written for and about luxury fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment brands ranging from MTV Networks to Keds shoes. I say this because I want you to know that 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. My own journey as a novelist means that 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.

My experience in New York publishing means that I'm equipped to handle just about anything you want to throw at me and at breakneck speeds, too. I've worked with phenomenally talented editors and writers (and I'm not the only one who thinks so - they've won incredible literary 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 all about the project you think would be a great fit for us to work on together!