Your work is an investment. As a writer, I know this—and know, too, that you want an editor who will see your intentions and help you realize them with a high level of care and insight. My sense of curiosity and deep respect for the craft of storytelling informs my approach to working with other writers, both as an editor and a coach. I love to talk about fiction, to take it apart, to look at the seams of a piece and understand it from the inside out. The most exciting thing for me is helping you see your own work in the same way, so that you can find the intuitive path to its completion.
I especially love working with short stories and novellas. Longer project? Contact me to discuss! Literary fiction, queer narratives, and stories with dry humor are all in my wheelhouse. Please note: I do not offer services for query letters or agent contacts. I cannot guarantee publication (no one can, and if they do, you shouldn’t buy what they’re selling), but I do my darnedest to give you honest, evaluative, and joyful feedback.
Below are my current services:
1
Developmental Edit
For completed, early draft manuscripts when you need big picture feedback. This includes a detailed letter with revision suggestions, comments, and analysis, as well as margin notes. For drafts of novels, novel chapters, short stories and novellas.
2
Line Editing
This is a deep dive that includes a manuscript critique and line edits for clarity, readability, voice, consistency, repetition, and style. Best completed after a developmental edit. This is a future service: keep checking this space or my News page.
3
Coaching
For work in progress or help establishing a routine. A typical package includes two submissions of 5000 words over a period of 4 to 6 weeks, two zoom calls to discuss your work, margin notes, and a final letter on the submissions as a whole.
Testimonials
Elisabeth’s feedback has been a game changer for so many of my projects, at all stages. She has deep respect for meeting a draft at its particular stage of development and asking the questions I never would have asked myself. She is an editor with such a love, patience, and understanding of her craft earned through decades of experience. Her feedback always sends me back to projects with a sense of urgency, energy, and possibility.
Katie Runde, Author of the Shore
Lis is a thoughtful, intuitive editor to whom I often turn for help improving my short stories. I appreciate the way she honors my creative intentions while offering insights into how I might amp up tension, deepen characterization, and achieve greater clarity in my work. She provides clear, constructive feedback on everything from story structure to word choice in a positive, diplomatic manner. After working with her, I find myself re-energized and excited to dive back into my stories. She makes revision fun.
Lynnette curtis, Author of “Circle Park” and recipient of a 2022 grant from the Elizabeth GEorge foundation
I can’t tell you how much Lis has helped me with her edits and comments. She highlighted the proximity of three threads in my work and showed how they intertwine and where to pull those threads more tautly. She gave me such an astute read. Her comments are tremendously clear and thoughtful, and more important, they’ve energized me to work on this chapter some more! I’m so grateful for her reading.
Clare Needham, Author of the novella Bad Books