Laurel Cohn

Laurel is a developmental editor passionate about communication and the power of words to engage, inspire and challenge. Since the late 1980s she has been helping writers of all types prepare their work for publication. With a well-honed ability to analyse and critique texts, she gets a buzz out of helping writers understand how they can lift their work to the next level of development. Her approach to giving feedback is informed by an understanding of the sometimes tricky emotional terrain of the development process, and the importance of honest, clear and practical guidance.

Laurel spent five years with one of Australia’s top literary agents and four years as Consultant Editor at the NSW  Writers’ Centre before turning freelance. She works with writers, publishers, businesses and community organisations, and is a regular workshop presenter for Writing NSW, Writers Victoria, Queensland Writers Centre, Writers SA, Society of Women Writers and Byron Writers Festival. Laurel has a PhD in literary and cultural studies.

Aside from assessment services and mentoring for writers of fiction and non-fiction, Laurel and her small team of editors offers structural editing, copyediting and proofreading.