I have served as editor of 30+ books published by Et Alia Press as well as selected projects listed below.
My developmental suggestions, insights, and advice are shaped by:
More than 15 years in the publishing industry;
Nearly two decades working with freelance editing clients on their essays and manuscripts (nonfiction and children’s books);
A former career as an attorney;
Three years as managing editor of the academic journal Literature and Medicine (Johns Hopkins University Press);
Past teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (course in Literature and Medicine), University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service (Professional Writing Workshop Instructor and Tutor), and University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Composition Instructor).
Contact me regarding your editing project, and I’ll send you an estimate. For general guidelines, head to “Work with Me.”
“If you’re looking for top-notch editing and guidance on the publishing process, look no further than Et Alia. Working with Erin on my first children’s book has been such a delight. Her attention to detail, talent, care, and passion for what she does is quite evident and rare. She challenged me to hone in on my experience as an immigrant, giving the story deeper meaning and purpose. But that's not all. Erin guided me through every stage of the process, from manuscript to revising a query letter and feeling prepared to send them to publishers with confidence. She gently challenges you to take your writing to the next level and see it reach its fullest potential.”
—E. Ballay, author of Tiki Tholley Reads Her Reflection (Iowa)
“Working with Erin on my book could not have gone more smoothly. She patiently helped me translate my law enforcement jargon, acronyms, and writing style into a vernacular easily understood by a wide variety of readers. Erin helped me dig past my “just the facts” writing style to show the readers not just the details, but the stories behind the characters. I am convinced her expertise was instrumental to me receiving positive reviews. I recommend Erin’s services as an editor wholeheartedly, and I hope her schedule allows her to work with me on my next project!”
—Jerry Spurgers, retired FBI agent and author of Murder at Midnight: The FBI's battle with violence and drugs in a small Southern town
“Working with Erin has been a writer’s dream come true. What a gift to have a mentor who understands my work at the deepest level. Her feedback is always incisive, kind, and best of all, motivating. She helps me see the truth beneath what I’ve written and to discover the beating heart of my work. I come away from our sessions feeling inspired, energized and excited to get back to work. Pieces she’s helped me with have gone on to publication in well-respected journals and to place in literary contests. She provides helpful suggestions of where to send work as well. I’m so grateful to have her in my writing life!”
—Jennifer Robinson
Jennifer Robinson lives and writes on Treaty 1 territory (Winnipeg, Manitoba). Her work can be found in River Teeth, Prairie Fire, Grain Magazine, and elsewhere. She is a National Magazine Gold Medal winner and the winner of the 2024 PolterGEIST Nonfiction contest.
“I approached Erin when a trusted & admired writer friend recommended her editing services. ‘I always run my work past Erin before sending it out,’ she said. And I can see why. Erin is quick, has an exacting eye for detail, and a perceptive ear for the underlying themes and motifs of a piece of writing. I found her suggestions and corrections heightened the strengths in my writing, sharpened the impact, and honoured the intent and my voice. She gave just enough direction to make the piece stronger and was able to see what I was trying to do with the structure, offering suggestions that fit. I also know that, if needed, she would probably be able to take a piece down to the foundation and suggest a direction for rebuilding. I highly recommend her services.”
—Nancy Huggett
Nancy Huggett’s work has won the American Literary Review’s CNF award and has been published in Citron Review, EVENT, The Forge, Literary Mama, and Prairie Fire.
“I can’t give Erin enough credit—from developmental to final editing, she knew exactly what my story needed, and after about nine months of creative push and pull, she made a brilliant observation that gave my book the beginning I had been searching for, my opening equivalent of Cheryl Strayed’s hiking boot going over the ledge of the PCT in Wild. Erin is a dream editor, one I will always choose if I can.”
—Aimee Ross, Permanent Marker: A Memoir
The Data Protection Guidebook is intended to assist attorneys, compliance officials, information security personnel, and privacy officers in understanding the data protection laws applicable to their business and commercial operations, including state and federal laws, statutes, and regulations governing data breach response, information security, data disposal, and biometric data processing. In particular, it identifies and summarizes key definitions, requirements, and obligations that organizations and their service providers must implement and maintain to ensure legal and regulatory compliance.
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“I found Erin to be friendly, welcoming, and compassionate in her grasp of the subject matter (the first-person story of a graphic artist with autism), and incisive in her recommendations and suggestions. From the detailed (time-lines, questions about what exactly is meant by a sentence or a phrase – i.e., to make the manuscript perfectly clear), to the conceptual (how the book might be restructured to work more effectively), she was spot-on and Barb and I as well as our publisher were very pleased with the results.”
—Karl Williams. Hello Stranger, My Life on the Autism Spectrum by Barbara Moran as told to Karl Williams
“I was reluctant to give up my editorial rights. I could envision a developmental editor changing it completely to my distaste. Fortunately, my publisher assigned me to Erin, who assuaged my fears on the first proof. She compromised when I stood firm, suggested structural rearrangements that substantially benefited the book, raised issues of fact I hadn’t considered, and teased out errors I never could have found. Thank you, Erin, for a perfect effort.”
—John Thorngren, author of Salvation on Death Row: The Pamela Perillo Story
United States Protocol is a must-have reference for communicating with government and business officials, international organizations, and high-level military personnel, both in the United States and abroad.
Copy editor for Stanford University Press