Website LinkedIn Blogsararoahen@gmail.comPrimary services: copyediting, developmental editing, line editing, manuscript evaluation, manuscript preparation, coaching, writing, blogging, web content, project management, oral historyAreas of expertise: nonfiction, memoir, life story writing, autobiography, living wills, self-publishing, cooking, cookbooks, wine, cocktails, beverages, food, culture, American South, Central Coast of California, history, philosophy, Great Books, poetry, spirituality, trauma, mental health, parenting, travel, study abroadAs a writer myself, I approach my editing projects with a true sensitivity for the writerI aim to elevate and hone their work while helping to maintain their unique voice and style.I work with projects of all sizes, from articles to full-length books; with projects of various needs, from a light edit to an extensive overhaul; and with content that ranges from trauma-heavy memoir, to spiritual self-help, to regional history, to community cookbooks. Im as comfortable with correcting grammar as I am with digging deeper and helping authors with overall structure, tone, and research.Qualifications: I wrote a food-and-culture-focused memoir, Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table. For the past several years, I have taught life story and memoir writing to adults through my local community college, Cuesta College. During that time, I have developed a specialty of helping first-time authors prepare their manuscripts both for shopping around to publishers and for self-publication.I also offer coaching services for life story and memoir writers, tailoring the working relationship to each writers individual needs. Visit my Memories on the Page blog for insights, tips, prompts, and author interviews, and to get a taste of my philosophy and style.When Im not writing and editing, Im avoiding housework by puttering in my kitchen. A passionate and curious home cook with a background in restaurant kitchens, I love working on cookbooks, wine and beverage material, and food memoirs. I was co-editor for and helped manage the production of The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook. During my years living in the American South, I also gathered and edited more than one hundred oral history interviews for the Southern Foodways Alliance, a nonprofit organization based at the University of Mississippis Center for the Study of Southern Culture.Im a proud graduate of St. Johns College, a Great Books school with campuses in Annapolis, Maryland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The critical thinking skills and curiosity fostered during my four years there continue to inform how I live and work. Prior to college, I spent one year in The Netherlands with AFS Intercultural Programs. Ik spreek nog een beetje Nederlands.Several years ago, I put a polish on my editing skills by earning my Copy Editing Certificate through UCSD. I work with the Chicago Manual of Style and AP Stylebook; Im able and willing to follow project-specific style, and to help authors create their own.You can find some of my former clients and read testimonials on my website. Heres one:Sara provided developmental editing for my memoir, and then copy editing. She was encouraging, thorough and inspirational. Her attention to detail is unique and appreciated. I couldnt have published without her!Sharon Sheltzer, author of Woman Overboard: A Splash of Insight Into Sleep Deprivation and PsychosisContact me to discuss how we might work together!San Luis Obispo, CAEmail: sararoahen@gmail.comhttps://www.sararoahen.com/
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