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Testimonials
“Laura Cogan is a writer’s dream of a developmental editor - brilliant, astute, and sensitive. Her insights helped me to deepen my narrative, strengthen my characters, and enrich my prose. I am recommending her to every working writer I know.”
Jennifer Rosner
Novelist and memoirist
“I’ve been privileged to work with a lot of great editors and would like to broadcast across the earth that Laura Cogan has been a great secret weapon in my publishing experience. She edited my fiction, essays, and memoir at ZYZZYVA magazine with a light hand and without pedantry and I have since then been running my Substack essays (are you a subscriber yet? you should be a subscriber) past her keen eye. She's a friend to literature in general and to my work in particular.”
Glen David Gold
Novelist and memoirist
“Working with Laura has been an absolute joy. Her edits and comments on my work have always been insightful and helpful. I leave conversations with her eager and excited to dive back into my stories, brimming with possibilities of where to next take my pieces. My writing has definitely improved under her careful and kind eye. I feel that I have also become a stronger writer through working with her.”
Hannah Saal
Emerging writer
“Laura Cogan is a fantastic editor. Whether it is an essay, a review, or an interview, I always know I am in good hands. She makes smart suggestions, reads with a careful eye, and has a real gift for precision and clarity. She makes my writing better.”
Dean Rader
Poet, art writer, scholar, and critic
“After a difficult time in life, I assembled a regular writing practice with creative non-fiction, poetry, essays, and photos. I soon found myself with a collection of 75 short pieces, loosely connected with vague narrative themes. I needed a professional editor to either validate the project, with feedback, or kindly let me know that I should turn my attention to gardening, baking and other quiet, solitary pursuits. I reached out with an email message. We had a zoom meeting (with a wonderful, encouraging conversation). I sent her the work, and she sent a concise proposal for our work. And, as promised she delivered notes before our agreed upon deadline. To my utter astonishment, in her notes she commented that the work was “brave and moving.” I was so excited that I purchased a large, triple shot, nine-dollar soy latte and took my dog for a long walk. I thought about making a t-shirt with these words across the chest but thought better of it. Her notes included these categories: 1.) General comments and remarks, 2.) On Revision and Cutting Material, 3). Regarding an Organizational Structure, 4) Grounding the reader in time and place, 5) thinking about which vignettes to expand, 6) a summary/recap. to guide revision. These notes were direct, insightful, and exactly what we agreed to. We had a follow up conversation with an opportunity to drill down on a few areas. She also sent a list of relevant texts to read, and journals to consider for possible publication. I think Laura’s experience, skill set, and general brilliance would be helpful for any writer, whether the need is early in the writing process or just prior to publication.”
Scott Christian
Emerging writer
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