Lisa Howard

Lisa Howard – Editor

Every sentence matters! My passion is helping your words shine, whether you're at the beginning of your project or you need a final polish.

Overview

I'm a freelance editor, writer, and book coach who enjoys using all aspects of my language background—writing, editing, teaching, translating, presenting, and language-learning—to help authors express their ideas with clarity and style. As someone who's been on both sides of the page, I'm sensitive to the needs of authors as they hone their ability to communicate clearly and effectively with their target audiences, whether that involves creating accessible and thought-provoking nonfiction or crafting novels with characters and plots that will keep readers up all night.

Areas of expertise:

NONFICTION
• Food & cookbooks (from culinary arts to food politics and everything in between)
• Health & wellness
• Personal development
• Relationships
• Travel
• Culture & anthropology
• Sustainability & environment
• Book proposals
• Book coaching

FICTION
• Science fiction
• Fantasy
• Historical fiction
• Women's fiction
• Adventure (especially novels set abroad)
Services
Non-Fiction
Career Guides Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits Health & Wellbeing Home & Garden Self-Help & Self-Improvement Travel
Fiction
Fantasy Science Fiction
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2009 — Present

I'm a freelance editor and writer with degrees in Cultural Anthropology and German Language & Literature and a minor in Art History. During college, I studied at the Universität Oldenburg in Germany; later, I studied Spanish at Intercultura in Sámara (Costa Rica) and French at Lyon Bleu International in France. In addition to my foreign-language studies, I'm a certified ESL (English as a Second Language) instructor and have taught and translated in the US and abroad.

My editorial experiences include editing a variety of fiction and nonfiction projects as well as ghostwriting for individuals and and writing copy for marketing firms. Along with providing editorial assistance to individuals and publishers, I'm the author of two traditionally published books and dozens of magazine articles. I also regularly present health-centered programs at libraries and community centers and speak at writing conferences about the conjoined arts of writing and editing.

Portfolio

Despite what many people might think a gluten-free diet can be just as unhealthy as the standard American diet (also known as SAD). This is due to the fact that most store-bought gluten-free items—as well as many recipes in gluten-free cookbooks—include refine... read more
The voice behind the popular grief podcast Coming Back: Conversations on Life After Loss puts pen to paper in her first book to create a powerful permission slip for anyone facing the devastating heartbreak that comes with death, divorce, diagnosis, and so muc... read more
Young and Driven: Overdrive is a collection of Dr. Cortlan J. Wickliff, Esq.'s secrets to academic and professional success, including the lessons, exercises, and tools that have allowed him to consistently break academic and professional records. Young and Dr... read more
Quick, who comes to mind when I say “jerk”? Your ex? Your current partner? You? Letters to a J.E.R.K. - The No-Bullsh*t Guide to Relationships and Living a Life Meant™ is the straight-talk advice that women need to hear.In this book, you’ll learn how to look p... read more
Have you ever felt frightened or intimidated when out walking alone? Have you ever wondered what you should do if approached by an attacker? Have you ever worried about becoming yet another home invasion statistic? Personal safety has become an issue of import... read more
What is a "good" man, today? Find out with these short chapters of insightful, witty, and research backed takeaways that define the characteristics, actions, and priorities of what makes a good man in our current world clouded with extended adolescence and abs... read more
We make things complicated. You hate your job? Stop doing it. Know you need to exercise and eat right to lose weight? Start doing it. Scared to leave the country and explore? Do it anyway. I have found that much of life’s “hard” questions can be answered in th... read more
The Art of Silence is a masterpiece of contradictions. The title itself belies any advocacy of, any merit to, quiescence. The book is simultaneously a work of fiction and fact. The characters and the plot are products of both the author’s and readers’ imaginat... read more
From the East Side of Detroit Michigan to a 20 year Air Force veteran, Seth has genuinely flipped the script in explaining the art of strategic thinking in the Black Collar Mindset. In this, his debut book, Seth offers a powerful and inspirational plan to help... read more
Chronic pain affects millions of people every day and is an invisible companion in households and workplaces across the country. It affects our sleep, our interactions with families and loved ones, our work, our play, and how we feel about ourselves. It crushe... read more
This debut book inspired by real life follows Mia and J, two struggling tech co-founders, as they hit the road with J's disabled and aging dogs for a California road trip. Narrated by Mia, an avid outdoorsy-type, the story follows two very different women as t... read more
So we’re born here on earth right? We arrive with a complete lack of knowledge. There is no manual that we receive on how to operate life best or even what it’s all about. The knowledge we do receive and rarely question comes from those before us… whether that... read more
SELF-HELP/Personal GrowthEveryone needs a few key abilities to obtain success--seven, to be exact. The good news is that these abilities are available to us all. The 7 Key Abilities is a proven formula you can use to seriously succeed.It equips you with tools ... read more
Cooking and baking with cannabis used to be a guessing game. How much cannabis should you use? How strong will your edible be? What are the secrets to making great savory foods as well as sweets? And is there any way to make it taste less like cannabis and mor... read more
Passion is what drives us to do our best work. Without it, we lack the motivation to get things done, let alone persist and succeed. When passion is channeled through the right pursuit, however, passion breeds purpose…and inevitably, success for you and everyo... read more
Arts Honor is a handbook written for those of you in the arts to help nourish your gift of creativity and to help you stay true to your muse. The promise to continue being creative is an honorable one.
Real Estate industry is overflowing with competition. There are 5 million agents nationwide and most are marketing themselves in common ubiquitous means. Every real estate agent gets phone calls from all the Internet companies and marketing companies offering ... read more
Finally, an introduction to wine that takes the stiffness out of wine and puts the joie de vivre back in. You don't need to memorize reams of data to feel in control when shopping or deciding what to drink with dinner. All you need to learn are the handful of ... read more
Hormone imbalances impact men as well as women. Beginning at age 30, testosterone in men declines at a rate of 1%-3% per year. Accompanying this reduction are numerous health concerns ranging from weight gain and decreased sexual ability to an increased risk o... read more
Discover simple ways to be happier in your everyday life with these hacks that encourage positive thinking to improve your mood and outlook in any situation.Everyone wants to be happier, but often many people don’t know where to start. In Happiness Hacks, you’... read more
This quick, portable guide features more than 200 practical, effective ways to calm the mind, reduce stress, and erase tension in your body in less than five minutes.In 5-Minute Calm you’ll learn to relax your anxious mind and release tension in your body thro... read more
Feeling stuck? Anxious? Stressed out? You’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced world, we’ve gotten used to feeling tense and overwhelmed. We want to enjoy our lives more, but many of us unconsciously embrace unresolved mental blocks that lead to burn-out and fr... read more
Passage 99

Janie E.

When Pleasure Sister, Caitlin, breaks a fundamental passage in The Manual, she is forced to examine her beliefs and make a choice which will forever change her life’s direction. Passage 99 is a science fiction story exploring the themes of family values, love ... read more
DISCOVER places for:•Brilliant sunsets•Pivotal third dates•Ice-breaking first dates•“Making up after a fight” dates•Where to go if you don’t want the evening to endANDTHE MOST ELEGANT, SEDUCTIVE RESTAURANT WITH GREAT WHISKY, WINE, FOOD AND VALUE!Together with ... read more
Ari's new book is the culmination of a lifetime of learning and thirty four years in business, the last three of which have been spent intensively studying, reflecting on, and writing about the critical role of beliefs in the businesses and organizations of wh... read more
Are you stressed out because your child keeps getting sick and you don’t know what steps to take?Are you sick of not getting answers from your doctor and always needing to drug your child?Is your child unable to speak or make eye contact?Are they having troubl... read more
In 2051, commercial time travel became a global reality. Opportunities abounded for curious history buffs, futurists, and corrupt entrepreneurs. Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel is a spellbinding collection of 37 tales that explore time travel ... read more
What do I eat? How do I cook healthy food? How do I shop for healthy food? The Guide to Healthy Eating will show you which foods are healthy and which food you should avoid. Furthermore, this book will help you make the best food choices for you and your famil... read more
The Skinny on Fats was written to educate you about the importance of consuming good sources of dietary fats. This book will teach you why we need fats and why we can't live without them. We will also show you that the reliance on a high-carbohydrate, low-fat ... read more
Enlightened and insightful, Health Is in the Spirit by Claudia Burdick is essential reading for anyone that wants to take control of his, her, or their family’s health. It is a landmark indispensable guide that offers sound out-of-the-box thinking based on the... read more
Modernist Bread: The Art and Science is a revolutionary new understanding of one of the most important staples of the human diet. Created by the team that published the award-winning Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, this massive treasury of p... read more
In this powerful and informative guide, Holistic Food Therapist Kelly Genzlinger, CNC, CMTA explains how sugar and refined carbohydrate dependency is not your fault, but stems from impaired biochemistry. She insightfully provides a series of steps to naturally... read more
Coconut oil and other alternative oils are a hot topic these days in the cooking world, especially after the news of extra-virgin olive oil fraud broke out, as described in Extra Virginity. More and more people are becoming wary of the typical processed and re... read more

Lisa has 93 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Jessica C.

Jessica C.

Aug, 2023

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Lisa. She was not only extremely helpful, detail oriented, and professional, but she was also very patient with me when I took some extra time to make my own edits. Her edits exceeded my expectations! She was able to still maintain my voice and the essence of my story but made it more direct, fluid, and to the point. She also made great recommendations and sugg...
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Tiea W.

Tiea W.

Aug, 2023

My experience working with Lisa was truly amazing and beyond words. As a first-time author, I had natural jitters and nerves about what to expect and the release of my first book. Lisa made this process so much easier. Her editing style ensured that the tone and essence of my message remained intact while polishing it to bring out the best in a relatable and engaging way. Throughout the process...
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Marlene R.

Marlene R.

Jul, 2023

very good edits with grammer and very good person to work with.
Melinda O.

Melinda O.

Jul, 2023

Lisa is 100% worth her weight in gold! Her copy edits are transformative. She turned my manuscript from a work I was privately proud of into something I cannot wait to share. Her attention to detail is unmatched and her side comments are funny and uplifting. I plan to write another book just so I can work with her again!
Jonathan W.

Jonathan W.

Jul, 2023

Lisa was amazing to work with. She went above and beyond and made the journey as a first-time author as smooth as possible. I highly recommend her to anyone.

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