Overview
As you’ll see from website (missylacock.com), I am uniquely qualified for any editorial project.
I earned my master’s degree in Writing: Book Publishing from Portland State University, one of only eight graduate publishing programs in the nation. I own my own editorial service and am skilled in all levels of editing, including developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading. I have more than a decade’s years of professional editing experience in all media and am based out of Missoula, Montana.
Today my true love is book publishing. My clients range from self-published authors to major publishing houses, such as Bloomsbury Publishing, the original publisher of the Harry Potter series. Bloomsbury’s Apartment is just one book I edited that received many awards: New York Times Editors Choice; longlisted for the 2020 Simpson/Joyce Carol Oates Literary Prize; longlisted for the 2020 Simpson/Joyce Carol Oates Literary Prize; one of’s “Best Books of 2020 So Far”; one of Elle’s “Best Books of 2020 So Far”; named A Most-Anticipated Book by the New York Times, Vogue, The Boston Globe, Salon, The Millions, Inside Hook, and Vol. 1 Brooklyn.
My goal is to make copyedited books error-free and follow the five Cs: clarity, coherency, consistency, correctness, and The Chicago Manual of Style. For developmental edited books, I’ll offer thoroughly evaluated manuscripts for “big-picture issues,” including plot, characters, dialogue, argument, audience, and more.
Publications have featured my writing more than 100 times, and I’ve been the recipient of an editor’s choice award and the James Welch Jr. Memorial Award for outstanding writing.
I look forward to discussing your editorial needs.
Services
Non-Fiction
Fiction
Languages
Awards
- 2012 UM James P. Welch Jr. Memorial Award
- 2013 Fiction Editor’s Choice Award for The Oval
Certifications
- MS in Writing: Book Publishing
- BA in English: Creative Writing
- AA in Liberal Arts
Work experience
Self-employed
• provide premium book editing services; clients range from self-published authors to major publishing houses, such as Bloomsbury Publishing, the original publisher of the Harry Potter series
• my goal is to make copyedited books error-free and follow the five Cs: clarity, coherency, consistency, correctness, and The Chicago Manual of Style
• for developmental edited books, I’ll offer thoroughly evaluated manuscripts for “big-picture issues,” including plot, characters, dialogue, argument, audience, and more
Trial Guides
• completed developmental edits, copyedits, and proofreading for manuscripts (technique books for trial attorneys in civil plaintiffs’ law), blogs, and marketing copy
• styled and prepared manuscripts for design
• wrote tip sheets, including sales hooks, book descriptions, comp titles, and marketing and publicity highlights
brass|MEDIA Inc.
• collaborated with design and editorial teams to create financial literature for young adults
• wrote, edited, fact checked, and proofread articles for a nationally syndicated magazine, white papers, and two blogs
• served as the manager for a blog with 800 contributors: managed pitches, submissions, editorial calendars, and payments;
edited and uploaded blog posts; wrote and scheduled tweets to promote blog content
• trained and supervised interns
• served as the interim Managing Editor for seven weeks; hired interns and trained the incoming managing editor
Ooligan Press
• participated in all publishing stages for books celebrating the Pacific Northwest, from evaluating book proposals to book marketing
• contributed to the Ooligan Press blog
• promoted to the Publisher’s Assistant June 2013
The Portland Review
• evaluated short fiction submissions for publication
• proofread entire issues of the literary journal
• contributed to the Portland Review blog
Montana Kaimin
• copyedited the newspaper for consistent AP style and error-free content
Portfolio
Missy has 1 review
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
Spener M.
Jul, 2019
