I help authors:
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communicate the purpose and relevance of their ideas
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present convincing arguments about their research
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build compelling narrative arcs that engage publishers and readers
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improve clarity, consistency, and coherence in their prose
If you’re looking for support with a book manuscript or proposal, feel free to reach out at lizdewolf [at] gmail [dot] com.
Projects
All projects below shared with permission.
Book manuscript development:
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Authentic by Jodi-Ann Burey, forthcoming from Flatiron Books, 2024
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Design Rules, Volume 2: How Technology Shapes Organizations by Carliss Baldwin, forthcoming from MIT Press, 2023
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Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and the Globalization of Food Banks in the World’s Cities by Daniel Warshawksy, forthcoming from University of Iowa Press, 2023
Substantive editing of essays, book reviews, and interviews for the Los Angeles Review of Books:
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Lean In Sexuality and the Labor of Self-Discovery // Sarah Stoller
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What Makes “A People’s History”? // Hannah Zeavin
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“I Hate Everything Equally”: Mu Pan’s Ironic Art // Karen Fang
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When Art Is Life, but All Life Is Work: A Conversation with Leigh Claire La Berge // Wen Zhuang
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Know What You’re Making, and Why: A Conversation with Aziza Barnes // Daniel Lisi
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The Styles and Dilemmas of Advocacy: A Conversation with Paul Lichterman // Andrew Malmuth
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Caught Between Terror and Joy: On Melissa Valentine’s “The Names of All the Flowers” // Katie Shireen Assef
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What We Talk About When We Talk About Magical Realism // Fernando Sdrigotti
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Homemaking: On Olivia Sudjic’s “Asylum Road” // Ariel Saramandi
Testimonials
“After finishing a long book manuscript, I sought Liz’s help ensuring my argument was clear and coherent before submitting to my publisher. Liz suggested a reframing of my argument and a restructuring of the overall narrative—along with detailed suggestions for how to implement these revisions—that really highlighted my book’s unique contribution and made it more engaging to read. Because I am so familiar with the specifics of my own research, I never would have arrived at these bigger picture solutions on my own.” — Carliss Baldwin, William L. White Professor of Business Administration, Emerita, Harvard Business School
“I came to Liz seeking developmental editing for a few chapters of my book manuscript. Liz’s feedback helped me more clearly show the connection between my findings and my arguments and clarify the concepts that make my research stand out. I highly recommend working with Liz as an editor for your book.” — Assistant Professor of Sociology
“Liz DeWolf is a patient, collaborative, and highly skilled writer and editor. She provided invaluable feedback on my book manuscript’s organization, central themes, and case studies in a matter of weeks. Her editorial advice was constructive, detailed, and communicated in a clear and thoughtful manner. Most importantly, she provided me with a clear roadmap to complete my book project and envision the finished manuscript. I would highly recommend Liz to anyone who is looking for brilliant editorial skills and an extremely supportive approach towards writing.” — Daniel N Warshawsky, PhD, Associate Professor of Geography, Wright State University
“Over the past two years it has been my sincerest pleasure to work with Liz DeWolf, who has shown herself to be not only a keen-eyed, surgically precise line editor but also a thoughtful developmental editor. Like all great editors, DeWolf always approaches a text on its own terms. She sees it as her mission to help writers fully realize their visions, not to force them to conform to hers. Surely that explains her ability to forge such respectful, even affectionate relationships with the authors she edits. I haven’t heard a single complaint from any of LARB’s authors about DeWolf’s edits; indeed, what I have heard is a chorus of praise.” — Boris Dralyuk, Editor-in-Chief of the Los Angeles Review of Books
“Working with Liz as an editor was a dream. She provided careful, thoughtful feedback on every line of my writing. She has a sharp eye not only for language and style, but also for drawing out the nuance and flavor of an argument. My work was far more succinct and readable with her help!” — Sarah Stoller, writer and historian
“Liz worked closely with my organization to produce a 75-page technical report for a client. Liz has been an incredible thought partner and editor throughout the process, offering both line edits and substantive feedback on tone and framing. She’s provided incredibly smart and helpful notes that made the final product something to be proud of. I plan to work with her again for future editing needs and wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone working on similar projects.” — Jennifer Ferone, Associate Research Director, City University of New York Institute for State & Local Governance
Bio
Elizabeth DeWolf is an editor and writer living in Los Angeles. She edits nonfiction books about the social sciences and humanities, and she is a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Review of Books, where she writes author interviews and edits reviews and essays. Her previous work has involved researching and writing about sociology, urban design, housing, public policy, and the criminal legal system. She grew up in Massachusetts, studied sociology and painting at Trinity College in Connecticut, and got her masters in city design and social science from the London School of Economics and Political Science.