Lauren Wise

Lauren Wise – Editor

Award-winning editor & former She Writes Press associate publisher. 20+ years on clear, collaborative edits for memoir & fiction.

Overview

I have worked in almost every facet of the book publishing industry, but my knowledge and passion really shine as an editor and publishing consultant. I have worked as an associate publisher at She Writes Press (distribution via Simon & Schuster) for 10 years, helmed my own company, and have knowledge on book publicity, different publishing models, types of editing, and more. I've spoken at conferences on writing, editing and publishing include IBPA PubU, PubWest, Women Writing the West, and more. I love helping shepherd stories out into the world!

The way I work with authors is very collaborative. It's important to me that authors fully understand why edits are made and a transparent view of the world of editing and book publishing. I can work via email, phone or zoom, and want to make an author feel comfortable that we are together bringing their manuscript to its most beautiful and professional, no matter the genre.

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits Inspirational Travel
Fiction
Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Young Adult
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • 2022 Phoenix Business Journal 40 Under 40
  • 2019 Benjamin Franklin Indie Publisher of the Year - She Writes Press
Certifications
  • Chicago Manual of Style Editing Certification

Work experience

She Writes Press and SparkPress

Mar, 2015 — Present
Oversee 30-40 authors (ranging from children’s and YA to fiction and memoir) each season through all stages of the publishing process, including cover design, proofreading, metadata, interior design, back cover copy, distribution, etc. ♦ Imprints are recognized as two of highest awarded indie publishers with 1700+ finalist and gold medal titles.

Self-employed

Feb, 2010 — Present
♦ Worked as an editor on 100+ books, several of which have won publishing awards. ♦ Created four 50+ step-by-step publishing guides as saleable publishing consultation products for sale on the website. ♦ Received dozens of referrals and multiple repeat authors over 10 years.

Portfolio

The Pink Dress: A Memoir of a Reluctant Beauty Queen

Botkin, Jane Little

She Writes Press

Editorial Assessment Query Letter Review Book Coaching
Copy Editing
Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs

Ricanati MD, Beth

She Writes Press

Copy Editing
Proofreading
The Parrot's Perch: A Memoir

Keilt, Karen

She Writes Press

Query Letter Review
Copy Editing
The Sound Between The Notes: A Novel

Probst, Barbara Linn

She Writes Press

Editorial Assessment
The Charismatics

Carlson, Ashley R.

Utopia Publishing

Copy Editing Editorial Assessment
Editorial Assessment
Copy Editing
Copy Editing Editorial Assessment Proofreading Query Letter Review
The Grandest Garden: A Novel

Carroll, Gina L.

SparkPress

Proofreading
Saving Vincent: A Novel of Jo van Gogh

Fernandez, Joan

She Writes Press

Editorial Assessment
Copy Editing
SLED: The Serendipitous Life of Edward Diethrich

Edward B. Diethrich

Orange Frazer Pr

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Tasa's Song: A Novel

Kass, Linda

She Writes Press

Copy Editing
Proofreading
Editorial Assessment
Proofreading
Proofreading
He Gets That from Me: A Novel

Friedland, Jacqueline

SparkPress

Editorial Assessment
Editorial Assessment Proofreading
Big Wild Love: The Unstoppable Power of Letting Go

Sherer Murray, Jill

She Writes Press

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing Proofreading
Editorial Assessment
Editorial Assessment
Purple Lotus: A Novel

Rao, Veena

She Writes Press

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
The River Remembers: A Novel

Ulleseit, Linda

She Writes Press

Editorial Assessment
Copy Editing
Bessie: A Novel

Kass, Linda

She Writes Press

Query Letter Review
Copy Editing
Proofreading
Faith, Family, Friends, and Fried Chicken

Perguson, Sherry-Marie

AbbottPress

Developmental Editing
Proofreading
Wendy Darling: Volume 1: Stars

Oakes, Colleen

SparkPress

Copy Editing
So Close

McLaughlin, Emma

SparkPress

Proofreading
Copy Editing
The Seller of Secrets: A Memoir

Morgan, Kathleen Rose

She Writes Press

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
The Stark Beauty of Last Things: A Novel

Keating, Céline

She Writes Press

Editorial Assessment
Editorial Assessment
Copy Editing
Proofreading
Query Letter Review
The Girl Who Ruined Christmas

Callaghan, Cindy

SparkPress

Query Letter Review
The Garden of Second Chances: A Novel

Alvarado Frazier, Mona

SparkPress

Copy Editing
From Innocence to Mafia

Pedrin, Alex

A Book's Mind

Developmental Editing
Editorial Assessment
Attribution: A Novel

Moore, Linda

She Writes Press

Editorial Assessment

Lauren has 14 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Kathleen M.

Kathleen M.

Feb, 2026

When Lauren says she will go above and beyond she delivers! I worked with her on my debut novel and I went into the process not knowing what to expect. I was so impressed with the personal feedback I received throughout the whole process. We collaborated seamlessly, modifying dates to accommodate...
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Lauren W.
Thank you!
Kathryn B.

Kathryn B.

Jan, 2026

As a new author, I came into this process with a strong sense of where I wanted my story to go. Laura honored that vision. She truly listened, respected my voice, and never tried to override it, but she also knew exactly how to guide the narrative so that everything clicked into place. Her insigh...
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Lauren W.
Thank you so much, Kathryn! I appreciate this review!
Ryan B.

Ryan B.

Jan, 2026

My work was returned promptly with great notes, thoughtful guidance, and to the correct parameters we talked about. I was very happy.
Lauren W.
Thanks, Ryan!
Yohan B.

Yohan B.

Jan, 2026

Lauren was an exceptional editor to work with. She approached my memoir with care, clarity, and deep respect for the story. Her feedback was thoughtful, insightful, and always focused on strengthening the emotional impact and structure while preserving my voice. The collaboration was smooth, prof...
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Lauren W.
Thank you! It was a pleasure working with you as well! Thanks for being so open to feedback and collaboration.
David S.

David S.

Nov, 2025

While Lauren did have some suggestions regarding my work they were fairly generic, something I could have gotten from YouTube videos. I feel she did not read the entire thing until i called her on it, because she only analyzed characters from the beginning of my work. She then gave me a second pa...
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Most recent contributions

Do you feel the EFA's resources justify the membership fee? Why or why not?

If you treat membership in the Editorial Freelancers Association as a business expense—complete with ROI tracking—the annual fee is easy to justify. For roughly the cost of one well‑paid billable hour (about $200), you unlock three high‑value assets: 1. A vetted job board. EFA clients tend to un...
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How do you make sure that a freelancing opportunity is legit?

Freelance editors live by two mantras: trust your instincts and put protections in writing. My first safeguard is a clear contract that spells out scope, deliverables, timeline, and total fee—signed by both parties before I lift a red pen. To cement commitment, I require fifty percent of the invo...
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What do you include in your offers to clients?

Every great manuscript carries a story behind the story—your lived experience, your creative spark, your goals for publication. My editorial partnership is designed to honor that depth while giving you concrete results, starting before a single invoice is sent. First, you’ll receive a compliment...
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