This website has been under construction and is now mostly done, but I’m still working on it.
My contact form is live if you want to reach me.

---

How Can I Help You?

Writing and Collaborating

Have a story, expertise, or idea but not the words to express it? Some of the best books start with someone who knows their subject better than anyone but needs a wordsmith to bring it to life. Whether you need a ghostwriter (writing as you under your name), a collaborator (writing along side you), or someone to polish your rough draft, I can help! I can work from interviews, notes, or an outline, writing in your voice so the final product sounds like you, only better.

Recipe and Cookbook Editing

A recipe is technical writing, in a way. It’s a precise set of instructions that has to work every time, in any kitchen, for any cook. But nobody wants to read a technical manual. The best recipes deliver instructions and the personality of the author in a way that makes someone want to cook that recipe. Or at least, want to buy the book!

I can help with all types of editing needs for cookbooks and food- and beverage-focused books as well as other types of books.
Developmental editing – I have completed a developmental editing specialization through the University of Washington. How does a developmental editor help a cookbook author? A developmental editor ensures your cookbook delivers on its promise, that recipes are balanced across chapters, headnotes help tell the story, and the book has a clear through line from title to table of contents to final page.
Line editing – Line editing is work at the sentence level to sharpen your voice, improve flow, and generally make everything clear and accurate.
Copyediting – Copyediting ensures your manuscript is consistent, clear, and correct from grammar and punctuation to style and formatting.
Proofreading – The the final pass before publication to ensure that nothing was missed.

Cookbook Indexing

I’m trained in indexing in general with a cookbook focus. A cookbook index helps a reader find what they’re looking for, whether that’s a topic or recipe by name, an ingredient, or a technique they want to learn. Most people think indexing is tedious and boring, but not me! Getting it right requires both big-picture thinking and attention to detail, which happens to be how I approach everything I do, and why I enjoy indexing so much. While I am mostly interested in food- and beverage- and general lifestyle-related indexing, if you have another type of project you need an index for don’t hesitate to ask! If it is a topic I can do a good job with, I’ll let you know.

Recipe Testing

A recipe that reads well on the page has to work in a real kitchen, and for people with all levels of cooking skills. I’ve recipe tested for several published cookbooks and I test recipes for America’s Test Kitchen (that means I get to see recipes they’re developing before they are announced to the public!). Since I’m also trained in recipe editing, I can spot and help you fix the unclear instructions, assumptions, and inconsistencies that you might miss. I charge a small fee for each tested recipe to help cover ingredients and time.

Cookbook Project Management

Managing a cookbook to publication is pretty similar to producing a magazine, except the stakes are higher and the timeline is longer. After years of managing editorial production for multiple magazines simultaneously, I bring that same systems-level and detail-oriented thinking to cookbook projects. I can help you coordinate your recipe development and testing, writing and editing, photographers and stylists, and designers to keep everything on track.

General Book Editing

I can and do work with authors across a wide range of genres including memoir, travel, lifestyle, crafts, business, self-improvement, and beyond. If you’re not sure whether your book is a fit, reach out. Chances are good that it is.

Magazine Writing & Editorial Management

My bread and butter over the past 20 years has been managing and editing print magazines. I’ve managed editorial production for multiple publications simultaneously, and I’m available to step into the role of writer, editor, or production manager, depending on what the publication needs.

---

What People Say About Working With Me

“One of the Best”

“As a writer, I recognize that I have a particular skill and editors have their own skills. My skill is to try to articulate an idea, and their skill is to make you seem like a better writer than you actually are. I’ve worked with a lot of editors, and when it comes to Vanessa I can honestly say that not only has she made me a better writer, but she considers the stones and arrows people can throw at it to tear your work apart. She has protected me and my work with her critiques, and made me think of other angles and perspectives to make whatever argument I’m trying to make as rock solid as it can be. One of the best I’ve ever worked with and I’m glad to know she has my back.”
 — AJ DiCosimo, writer for Spin Magazine and SpinMagazine.com

---