Lila Stromer

Lila Stromer – Editor

I specialize in editing nonfiction and academic books, and I'll work with you based on your specific writing style, voice, needs, and goals.

Overview

I have been an editor for more than 25 years, including as the managing editor of a journal, as a freelance editor, and as the owner of my own editorial services business. I have always been keenly aware of the varying and various needs of writers and projects. I have substantial experience working with both individual authors and publishers, having edited articles, books, and dissertations. Books that I have edited have been published by Chicago University Press, Cambridge University Press, Hart Publishing, Taylor & Francis Press, Paul H. Brookes Publishing, and others. Authors have also self-published via CreateSpace and Lulu Press.

I have edited across all the social science disciplines (sociology, anthropology, policial science, history, etc.) as well as business history and even some economics. Clients have included experienced writers, new writers, and ESL writers.

Creatively, I worked as a script reader for three Tony-award winning theaters (submitting reports on strengths and weaknesses of scripts) and as literary manager at a regional theater. I have also worked one-on-one with playwrights on dialogue, continuity, character development, and more.

My skills include:
• Moving seamlessly between different types of projects.
• Substantial experience editing all levels of writers (experienced, novice, ESL, etc.).
• Collaborating with clients to make sure individual needs and expectations are met.
• Experience with Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS), American Psychological Association (APA), Associated Press (AP), and myriad house guidelines.
• Editorial responsibilities can include but are not limited to: detailed line-by-line edit or simpler proofread; conformance with style manual/house style; polishing and rewriting for clarity; correcting wording (ESL authors); reorganizing paragraphs or sections for continuity and flow; deleting repeated information; comparing citations to references and vice versa; querying if copyrighted items have permissions approval; checking URLs; comparing tables/figures to text and vice versa; and more.

I hold a BA in English, with a Minor in Theater. I also hold a certificate of graduation from the New York Institute of Photography. One of my photos was published in American Theater magazine; before moving to New York City, I was the company photographer for ShawChicago.
Services
Non-Fiction
Health & Wellbeing History Law Political Science & Current Affairs Self-Help & Self-Improvement Sociology
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • Volunteer of the Year, Tree House Humane Society, for editorial and other work.
  • Certificate of Appreciation, Jackson Heights Beautification Group, for work as the managing editor of its quarterly community-based newspaper.
Certifications
  • Certificate of Graduation, New York Institute of Photography

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2011 — Present

I have been a freelancer editor for the past 12 years, and was the managing editor of an academic journal for 6 years before that.

Current and past clients include journals, book authors with contracts and those looking to self-publish, and article authors. Subjects include, among others, social sciences, marketing/advertising, history, nonfiction. Books that I have edited have been published by Chicago University Press, Cambridge University Press, Hart Publishing, and more, as well as have been self-published.

Portfolio

With a premise that the African American mind continues to deal with the impact of slavery on many levels, this proactive discussion analyzes the effect of such mental strain on black culture and proposes a model for creating more African American leaders and ... read more
Dr. Slaff writes about her personal and professional involvement in autism. She discusses her identical twin brothers’ and daughter’s life-threatening behaviors—one requiring surgery—and how her brothers’ different residential placements have made them so diff... read more
This little book is not intended to be an exhaustive account on the work and history of Black America. It is suggestive and explanatory. It's objective is to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that the answer for the community... read more
The 38 selections in the volume include complete texts of all of Veblen’s major articles and book reviews from 1882 to 1914, plus key chapters from his books The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899), The Theory of Business Enterprise (1904) and The Instinct of W... read more
Social scientists have identified a need to move beyond the analysis of correlation among variables to the study of causal mechanisms that link them. Nicholas Weller and Jeb Barnes propose that a solution lies in 'pathway analysis', the use of case studies to ... read more
Believing that charity inadvertently legitimates social inequality and fosters dependence, many international development organizations have increasingly sought to replace material aid with efforts to build self-reliance and local institutions. But in some cul... read more
The Unwieldy American State offers a political and legal history of the administrative state from the 1940s through the early 1960s. After Progressive Era reforms and New Deal policies shifted a substantial amount of power to administrators, the federal govern... read more
This book is about the creation and development of ethnic identity among the Kamba. Comprising approximately one-eighth of Kenya's population, the British considered the Kamba East Africa's premier "martial race" by the mid-twentieth century: a people with an ... read more
Since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, virtually all companies have antidiscrimination policies in place. Although these policies represent some progress, women and minorities remain underrepresented within the workplace as a whole and even more so when yo... read more
Now available in paperback! This important new book provides a framework promoting and protecting human rights and combating corruption. The book makes three major points regarding the relationship between corruption and human rights law. First, corruption per... read more
Drones are the iconic military technology of many of today's most pressing conflicts, a lens through which U.S. foreign policy is understood, and a means for discussing key issues regarding the laws of war and the changing nature of global politics. Drones hav... read more

Lila has 5 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Karen F.

Karen F.

Feb, 2023

I really appreciated Lila's ability to take what I wrote and help craft it into something very readable while also maintaining my voice and argument.
Jennifer M.

Jennifer M.

May, 2022

Lila is a consummate professional and the best person for this project. I'm beyond pleased with her work.
Michael M.

Michael M.

Mar, 2022

Working with Lila was fantastic. Her attention to detail and deep knowledge of grammar and style were invaluable and really improved my work. She was proactive in communicating scheduling changes, and consistently delivered ahead of schedule. Lila also offered helpful insights from a more macro perspective that were excellent developmental assistance. I don't know that I'll ever write another b...
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Jennifer P.

Jennifer P.

Sep, 2019

I loved working with Lila. She really helped me turn a complex topic into more easily digestible terms in order to ensure my overall message was not misunderstood.
Casey H.

Casey H.

May, 2019

You could not find a more competent and thorough editor. Lila was faced with multiple issues while working with my book; historical events unknown to most everyone, German and Dutch languages and the appropriate translations, serious musical terminology and situations, etc. At every turn, rather than guessing, she would ask me to explain thoroughly in order to make the best possible edits. I am...
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