Hanna Richards

Hanna Richards – Editor

Copyeditor and proofreader who teaches grammar for the University of Washington. My clients include Penguin Random House and HarperCollins.

Overview

I’m a copyeditor and proofreader who works with both self-publishing authors and traditional publishing houses. My clients include Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Coffee House Press, W. W. Norton, and more. The authors whose books I've worked on include Nobel Prize–winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, Pulitzer Prize–winner Sebastian Smee, New York Times bestselling authors Clare Pooley and Roxane Gay, and comedian Paul Scheer.


I'm also an instructor for the University of Washington's Certificate in Editing program, where I teach the ins and outs of grammar to up-and-coming editors. We cover topics such as sentence geography, subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, parallelism, parts of speech, punctuation, and other common writing pitfalls.


As an editor, I strive to enhance your manuscript by eliminating errors, not your voice.


What I look for when copyediting:

- Obvious gaps in logic and larger inconsistencies (e.g., page 16 says that a character has only one sister but on page 114 that character suddenly has two)

- Confusing or awkward phrasing

- Consistency in spelling, hyphenation, numerals, fonts, italics, and capitalization

- Errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax


What I look for when proofreading:

- Consistency in layout and main design components (running heads, footers, chapter headings, folios, etc.)

- Consistency in spelling, hyphenation, numerals, fonts, italics, and capitalization

- In-text design errors (bad line breaks, stacks, widows, orphans, etc.)

- Text errors (missing text, words, or punctuation, correct use of homophones, etc.)

- Glaring, non-subjective grammatical errors


Please reach out for more information about my rates or to receive a free editing or proofreading sample.

Services
Fiction
Fantasy Humor & Comedy Literary Fiction Mystery & Crime Science Fiction Young Adult
Non-Fiction
Health & Wellbeing Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • Certificate in Editing, University of Washington

Work experience

Self-employed

Dec, 2019 — Present

My clients include Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Coffee House Press, W. W. Norton, and more.

University of Washington

Dec, 2019 — Present

I teach grammar for the university's Certificate in Editing program.

Portfolio

Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism

Sebastian Smee

W. W. Norton & Company

The Pulitzer Prize–winning art critic’s gripping account of the “Terrible Year” in Paris and its monumental impact on the rise of Impressionism. From the summer of 1870 to the spring of 1871, famously dubbed the “Terrible Year” by Victor Hugo, Paris and its pe... read more
Theft

Abdulrazak Gurnah

Penguin

In his first new novel since winning the 2021 Nobel Prize, a master storyteller captures a time of dizzying global change. At the turn of the twenty-first century, three young people come of age in Tanzania. Karim returns to his sleepy hometown after universit... read more
The Portable Feminist Reader

Roxane Gay

Penguin

A dynamic and strikingly relevant look at a feminist canon as expansive rather than definitiveA Penguin ClassicFor Roxane Gay, a feminist canon is subjective and always evolving. A feminist canon represents a long history of feminist scholarship, embraces skep... read more
How to Age Disgracefully

Clare Pooley

Penguin

A senior citizens’ center and a daycare collide with hilarious results in the new ensemble comedy from New York Times-bestselling author Clare PooleyWhen Lydia takes a job running the Senior Citizens’ Social Club three afternoons a week, she assumes she’ll be ... read more
Joyful Recollections of Trauma

Paul Scheer

HarperCollins

"It's a hilarious essay collection about trauma. Yes, really."—People MagazineFrom award-winning actor and comedian Paul Scheer, a candid and hilarious memoir-in-essays on coming to terms with childhood trauma and finding the joy in embracing your authentic se... read more
Unsex Me Here

Mattia, Aurora

Nightboat Books

Pan

Michael Clune

Penguin

A strange and brilliant teenager's first panic attacks lead him down the rabbit hole in this wild, highly anticipated debut novel from one of our most distinctive literary minds“I steal language and ideas from Michael Clune.” ―Ben Lerner, Pulitzer Prize-nomina... read more
The Stalker

Paula Bomer

Soho Press

A young man combines boundless self-confidence and profound stupidity as he attempts to con his way through New York City in the early ’90s. You might call him an Untalented Mr. Ripley, a Dumb American Psycho—but even as his lies and delusions become increasin... read more
Misophonia

Dana Vowinckel

HarperCollins

Part coming-of-age tale, part family saga, an extraordinary debut novel set between Berlin, Chicago, and Jerusalem “about being Jewish and German, and all the awkwardness that entails” (The Guardian). It’s the hottest of summers in Chicago, and fifteen-year-ol... read more
Meet Me at the Crossroads

Megan Giddings

HarperCollins

From the award-winning, critically-acclaimed author of Lakewood and The Women Could Fly, a dazzling novel about two brilliant sisters and what happens to their undeniable bond when a mysterious and possibly perilous new world beckons.On an ordinary summer morn... read more
The Dilemmas of Working Women

Fumio Yamamoto

Virago

After the North Pole

Erling Kagge

HarperCollins

The Norwegian explorer, philosopher and acclaimed writer chronicles his historic 58-day journey to the North Pole on skis in this thought-provoking memoir that is also a profound meditation about nature and our place within it. The North Pole looms large in ou... read more
The Granddaughter

Bernhard Schlink

HarperCollins

From the author of the international bestseller The Reader comes this striking and provocative exploration of the legacy of German reunification and the rise of modern populism, witnessed in the story of a grandfather who attempt to connect with his radicalize... read more
Held Together

Rebecca N. Thompson

HarperCollins

"Thompson’s moving collection of narrative voices proves that there are as many different pregnancy and birth stories as there are mothers—a personal, compelling reminder of why women’s reproductive health care matters, and why one size does not fit all.”—Jodi... read more
Ordinary Time

Annie B. Jones

HarperCollins

In her first book, the popular From the Front Porch podcast host and independent bookstore owner challenges the idea that loud lives are the ones that matter most, reminding us that we don't have to leave the lives we have in order to have the lives of which w... read more
Chloe

Connie Briscoe

HarperCollins

New York Times bestselling author Connie Briscoe updates Daphne Du Maurier’s classic Rebecca in this chilling tale of domestic suspense centered on a spirited woman named Angel who marries a Black billionaire, only to discover that he remains haunted by his fi... read more
The Moral Circle: Who Matters, What Matters, and Why (A Norton Short)

Jeff Sebo

W. W. Norton & Company

A philosopher calls for a revolution in ethics, suggesting we expand our “moral circle” to include insects, microbes, and even AI systems. Today, human exceptionalism is the norm. Despite occasional nods to animal welfare, we prioritize humankind, often neglec... read more
Jesus for Everyone

Amy-Jill Levine

HarperCollins

Why Jesus’s historic and cultural influence makes him fascinating, provocative, and relevant for everyone, not only Christians.Two thousand years after his birth and death, Jesus of Nazareth continues to be of vital interest. Yet much of the scholarship around... read more
Counting Backwards

Binnie Kirshenbaum

Soho Press

A middle-aged couple struggles with the husband’s descent into early-onset Lewy Body dementia in this profound and deeply moving novel shot through with Kirshenbaum’s lacerating humor. It begins with hallucinations. From their living room window, Leo sees a ma... read more
My Good Man

Eric Gansworth

Chronicle Books

A literary tour-de-force sure to turn the coming-of-age genre on its head from Printz honor author, Eric GansworthBrian, a 20-something reporter on the Niagara Cascade’s City Desk, is navigating life as the only Indigenous writer in the newsroom, being lumped ... read more
The Bedlam Cadaver

Robert J. Lloyd

Melville House

In late 17th Century London rich young women are being kidnapped, then murdered. Harry Hunt, formerly of the Royal Society but now a rich gentleman, is falsely accused. To clear his name, he must rely on his abandoned scientific expertise and battle the full f... read more
A Place at the Nayarit

Natalia Molina

Univ of California Press

"Extraordinarily relevant and meaningful."—Elee Wood, New York TimesLatinx Files 2022 Best Books, Los Angeles Times L.A. Taco’s 2022 Best Books 2022 Porchlight Business Book Awards Longlist2023 PROSE Award North American & US History Finalist, Association of A... read more
The Goth House Experiment

SJ Sindu

Soho Press

An uncanny and electric story collection from SJ Sindu, Lambda Literary finalist and Publishing Triangle Edmund White Debut Fiction Award–winning author of Blue-Skinned GodsIn “Dark Academia and the Lesbian Masterdoc,” a millennial English professor finds vira... read more
King Bro!

Jenny Jägerfeld

Marcus normally lives in Stockholm, Sweden, where everyone knows him and what he's about, how he now wants to be called Marcus instead of Michelle. But this summer he goes with his mom to Malmö, where no one knows his story and he can truly be himself. There, ... read more
Ansuz

Malene Sølvsten

Fantasy, crime, and Norse gods come together when it emerges that a series of bestial murders is connected with an ancient prophecy about the end of the world. Anna can see events from the past, and one night she glimpses an old and horrible murder: a red-hair... read more
Kepler62 #2: The Countdown

Bjørn Sortland, Timo Parvela

Children from all over the world are trying to complete the video game KEPLER62. Marie, the fourteen‐year‐old daughter of a wealthy arms manufacturer in Norway, uses unorthodox methods to win. But what is her prize? Marie is flown to Area 51 in Nevada, where s... read more
Kepler62 #1: The Invitation

Bjørn Sortland

Overpopulation has caused Earth's natural resources to diminish, and people are struggling to survive. Thirteen-year-old Ari is looking after his little brother, Joni, who has fallen ill with a mysterious virus. The boys manage to get hold of a copy of Kepler6... read more
América del Norte

Nicolás Medina Mora

Soho Press

Moving between New York City, Mexico City, and Iowa City, a young member of the Mexican elite sees his life splinter in a centuries-spanning debut that blends the Latin American traditions of Roberto Bolaño and Fernanda Melchor with the autofiction of US write... read more
Ride or Die

Gail-Agnes Musikavanhu

Soho Press

Gail-Agnes Musikavanhu's adrenaline-packed joyride of a debut is an ode to Gen Z and chaotic teens—perfect for fans of Grace D. Li, Ebony Ladelle, and Baby Driver.Best friends Loli Crawford and Ryan Pope have earned their nickname, the “Bonnie and Clyde of Woo... read more
Murder at la Villette

Cara Black

Soho Press

Parisian private investigator Aimée Leduc has been framed for the murder of her daughter’s father—now she’s on the lam, and must find the real killer to clear her name in this thrilling 21st installment of Cara Black’s New York Times bestselling mystery series... read more
The Comfort of Ghosts

Jacqueline Winspear

Soho Press

A milestone in historical mystery fiction as Maisie Dobbs takes her final bow!The Comfort of Ghosts completes Jacqueline Winspear’s ground-breaking and internationally bestselling series.“An outstanding historical series.”—The New York Times“Winspear is a bril... read more
Proud Sorrows

James R. Benn

Soho Press

In the eighteenth installment in this fan-favorite WWII mystery series, US Army Captain Billy Boyle investigates a murder in a charming English village, where personal vendettas tangle with wartime espionage.Norfolk, England, November 1944: After a series of d... read more
Our Own Little Paradise

Marianne Kaurin

Simon and Schuster

Could summer in your neighborhood turn out to be better than an exotic holiday overseas? Ina and her new neighbor Vilmer are about to find out…na has no plans for the summer. Suddenly, she finds herself lying in front of the entire class, telling them she is g... read more
Memento Monstrum

Jochen Til

Simon and Schuster

A biting memoir with an over the top package!This is your warning! This book contains Count Dracula’s memoirs. And as you would expect, there are plenty of hideous creatures in it—giant yetis, insidious werewolves, slimy fish monsters—maybe you shouldn’t read ... read more
The Year My Life Turned Upside Down

Stephanie Lapointe

Simon and Schuster

Franny is a feisty 14-year-old with a gift for turning her thoughts and feelings into drawings. She lives in Montreal with her father, a sewing machine repair man by day and inventor by night. When he’s invited to pursue his research in Japan, Franny is sent t... read more
The Flapper Queens

Trina Robbins

Fantagraphics Books

Fantagraphics celebrates The Flapper Queens, a gorgeous collection of full-color comic strips. In addition to featuring the more well-known cartoonists of the era, such as Ethel Hays, Nell Brinkley, and Virginia Huget, Eisner award-winning Trina Robbins introd... read more
Nymph

Leila Marzocchi

Fantagraphics Books

In this fairy tale of a graphic novel, a mysterious, tiny being upsets the balance of the woods. A lone, defenseless pupa has rained down from the sky. An assembly of talking birds and trees agree to protect "Dolly" as it begins to evolve ― but into what? As t... read more
The Complete Crepax

Guido Crepax

Fantagraphics Books

In this Italian erotic comics collection, which spans 1977–1989, the character Valentina, a music, art, and fashion-loving Milanese photographer, ages in "real time." First, she saves Effi, a German heiress, from kidnappers, and they become lovers. Valentina a... read more
The Eternaut 1969

Hector German Oesterheld

Fantagraphics Books

This is a psychedelically drawn, boldly political retelling of the 1950s graphic novel The Eternaut, whose imagery is still used as a symbol of resistance in Latin America to this day. The 1950s version of The Eternaut, a seminal Argentine work, is drawn in F.... read more

Hanna has 37 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Michael L.

Michael L.

Aug, 2024

Hanna is invaluable!
Michael L.

Michael L.

Jun, 2024

Hanna is an expert at proofreading. She knows why she is making her edits and she can justify her changes with citations. Hire her if you want quality and professionalism.
Bianca G.

Bianca G.

Apr, 2024

Hanna is a literary genius, will be working with her again in the future.
Deborah D.

Deborah D.

Mar, 2024

It's always a pleasure working with Hanna.
Joseph C.

Joseph C.

Jan, 2024

Working with Hanna was one of the best experiences ever! She is responsive and incredibly helpful. She knows how to decode the style and tone of a manuscript and suggest edits that fit within that style. in many instances she made my voice stronger. All of her suggesting were warranted and only served to improve my work. I would recommend her any day of the week!

Sign up to read more reviews

Create a free Reedsy account to connect with Hanna and thousands of other publishing professionals on Reedsy.

Professionals similar to Hanna

Get a range of offers by requesting quotes from multiple professionals.

Amy Durant

Amy D.

I am an experienced editor who has worked for over ten years in publishing. Particular interests: literary, historical, and crime fiction.

Eastbourne, UK

100% reply rate

View profile
Brendan Durkin

Brendan D.

Development editor specialising in genre fiction, particularly fantasy and science fiction. Let's make your project publication ready.

Farnham, UK

100% reply rate

View profile
Christopher Pitts

Christopher P.

Twenty years of experience as an editor (University of California Press, Columbia University Press) and writer (Lonely Planet, Nat Geo).

Boulder, CO, USA

100% reply rate

View profile