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​Lourdes Venard

Editor, instructor, author

“Her guidance was invaluable.”
- Client Al Pessin in Writer's Digest

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Available for preorder: The Collaborative Editor: How to Build Trust with Writers Through Queries and Other Communications by Christine Steele and Lourdes Venard (The University of Chicago Press).
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Our book explores the essential but often overlooked skill of collaborative editing, which prioritizes deep listening, thoughtful querying, and relationship-building to foster a supportive environment for writers. Whether you're a veteran editor or just starting out, we provide strategies for being a collaborative editor.

​"Lourdes Venard has the best traits of an editor—expertise, professionalism, and collaborative skills. She has expert copyediting knowledge, honed by years of experience, and a deep reading background to ensure your manuscript follows it genre requirements. Your needs and deadlines are her focus. Best of all, she is encouraging, but also makes suggestions for you to consider. One of her questions made all the difference in my book." 
​—Susan Van Kirk,
​mystery author
"I hire Lourdes to tell me the truth—what works, what doesn’t, what’s not clear. She is able to do this time and again without making me cry. I find the written critique to be invaluable, and consult it repeatedly while rereading the draft. She is a pleasure to work with, completing the job in the time frame quoted, responding to emails in a timely fashion, and providing quality editing services."
 —A.R. Kennedy,
​mystery and thriller author ​​
"Lourdes played the pivotal role in whipping my first novel into shape, taking a hard-headed approach to structure, plot, character development, and other key aspects, while also being extremely pleasant to work with, responsive, professional and encouraging at all times. She repeatedly went above and beyond to answer questions, review changes and provide extra help. The editing process can be a grind. With Lourdes, it was a joy!"
​—Al Pessin,
​author, Sandblast

About me

  • I have a journalism background, but have edited a wide variety of material, from fiction to nonfiction, and currently work for a nonpartisan education nonprofit.​
  • I am a co-lead instructor for the University of California, San Diego Extended Studies Copyediting Certificate program.
  • I also teach copyediting through the Editorial Freelancers Association, the largest group in the United States for freelance editors.
  • As a journalist, I was a copyeditor at Newsday, The Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Florida Today. I was part of copyediting teams for coverage that won two staff Pulitzer Prize awards.
  • I was on the advisory board for The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition.
  • I truly have no preference for Oxford comma or not. I've used both in my working life. My preference is for clarity.