Services include manuscript consultation, career materials like resumes and cover letters, publishing guidance like querying agents and developing synopses, coaching and tutoring, and more. I work with published and emerging writers at all stages of manuscript development, from shaping an early draft to preparing a manuscript for submission to agents, editors, or journals.
As a writer myself, I know that it can be stressful to hand over your work for critique, so I provide notes that are as invigorating as they are critical. I work with my clients to determine the scope of the editorial project, ranging from simple line-edits to intensive developmental editing. For larger projects, I offer editorial letters, telephone consultations, and detailed manuscript mark-ups.
EDITING
I am a national award-winning editor with more than two decades of editorial experience working with clients at all levels, including New York Times bestselling authors. My passion is storytelling in all forms, from resumes and college essays to dissertations, novels, poetry collections, and nonfiction works. I offer comprehensive manuscript critiques, line editing, and coaching to help elevate your writing.
WRITING
I am the author of the novel Bind Me Tighter Still (Red Hen Press, 2025) and the story collection Animal Wife, which won Red Hen Press’s Fiction Award judged by Ann Hood.
TEACHING
In addition to leading workshops at Thought Fox, I teach at the University of Connecticut and have taught at Bread Loaf Writers Workshop, Yale Young Writers Workshop, Story Studio Chicago, Pioneer Valley Writers Workshop, and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, among others.
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MARKETING FOR authors & ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
Brand marketing communicates our identity and values to our audience, elevating our efforts from simply selling stuff to connecting on an emotional level with our audience and engaging meaningfully with our community. I have 20 years of experience directing marketing and communications at nonprofit arts organizations and helping writers launch their work into the world.
BOOK LAUNCHES & EVENTS
Launch your book with a splash! Whether at Thought Fox Den or a venue of your choice, I offer personalized book launch events, both in person and virtual. Beyond the launch, I’m here to assist with PR, branding, promotion, and audience development, ensuring your work gets the attention it deserves.
CASE STUDY:
ANIMAL WIFE LAUNCH
Details coming soon!
ARTS ORGANIZATION
My passion is brand storytelling; creating the narrative that will carry audiences through an experience, whether online, in person, or on the page. I develop innovative capabilities in data visualization, video storytelling, event experiences, and customer interactions that will bring your brand to life in new and memorable ways.
CASE STUDY:
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS
When I joined the International Festival of Arts & Ideas in 2019, the organization had not had a marketing director in 10 years. I built the department from the ground up and in my first year executed a full rebranding of the Festival through breakthrough, elevated creative.
This was a unique, exciting challenge, and my efforts resulted in a dynamic brand that told the story of the Festival’s mission and expanded its audience nationally and internationally. For three years, I consistently exceeded the Festival’s attendance and sales goals, despite the limitations imposed by the COVID pandemic.
In 2020, the COVID pandemic shut down in-person programming just before the Festival was set to begin. We decided to transition to a fully virtual Festival and pulled together 150 events—4 weeks’ worth of programming—in under a month. In concert with the pivot to in-person programming, I scrapped the comprehensive marketing strategy I had developed for the in-person Festival and constructed a completely new integrated strategy in just two weeks.
My staff of 3 repurposed the website to serve as a virtual stage, executed deadline-driven research into new virtual event-hosting platforms to present 150+ events, reallocated our advertising to paid social and digital-first expenditures, and retooled every other aspect of our marketing plan to shift away from traditional strategies to wholly new and cutting-edge creative that put us at the forefront of performing arts organizations that made the leap to virtual programming. We drew 122K attendees from 30+ countries and realized an economic impact in New Haven of $45K despite the lack of ticketed events. As the Hartford Courant said, “In an arts season marked by cancellations, postponements and uncertainty, [the International Festival of Arts & Ideas has] distinguished themselves by announcing their shows will go on.”
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IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Hear from our clients who kindly shared their opinions.
★★★★★
“It’s no exaggeration to say that Lara has read everything I’ve written in the last ten years. My essays, short stories, and academic papers have been both strengthened and enlivened by her expert hand. Lara brings especially unique talents to professional writing, creating cover letters that garner compliments and—more importantly—score jobs.”
Oline Eaton
Author of Finding Jackie: A Life Reinvented
★★★★★
“Lara Ehrlich is the first person I turn to when I need help with a piece of writing. I trust her judgement completely. Her kind and constructive feedback has made my writing far stronger. She has a sharp eye for identifying what works and what does not, and how to make it better.”
Austin Gilkeson
Contributor to The New York Review of Books, Tin House, Foreign Policy, and Vulture
★★★★★
“Having read Lara’s work and seen her edit my own projects into tip-top shape, I know she is an expert at what she does. Lara’s editorial guidance inspires me to continually strive to improve upon my own craft. Without her support, encouragement, and knowledge over the years, I surely would not be signed to a fabulous NYC literary agency and on my way to publication. She has been, and will remain, invaluable to my writing career. Without a doubt she would be invaluable to any writer.”
Abigail Baker
Author of The Reaper’s Kiss series
★★★★★
“Lara’s expertise and editing style gave me the confidence and knowledge I needed to revamp my cover letter and resume. Her educational and collaborative approach not only strengthened my work but also taught me how to word my letter beautifully in order to grasp a reader’s attention. Without her guidance, I would not have landed my dream job.”
Chelsea Deakin
Fashion & Lifestyle
★★★★★
“Lara’s skill as a writer makes her a first-class editor. She instinctively knows how to get prose off the ground and make it fly. I recommend her editorial services to anyone interested in giving his or her work a sharp, honest edge.”
William Gebby
Playwright
★★★★★
“Lara was instrumental in bringing three of my manuscripts to life. She recognized thematic elements in each book that I had not even realized and she teased out how to bring them to the fore without compromising my style or voice. Further, she is a detail-oriented line editor and caught all of my silly mistakes. Her critiques are measured, confident, and full of optimism–she offers suggestions with an eye on success. Without her editing prowess, I would never have finished The Francesca Trilogy, much less been so proud of the results.”
Christina Dennison
Author of The Francesca Trilogy
★★★★★
“Lara leads with compassion, invites vulnerability and embraces our true intention as writers. She continually checks in throughout the process, offering clarity about the pathway forward. She understands objectives and is always ready to share insightful moments, words and phrases that enhance your voice. Her vast knowledge of language expands the scope of training she provides. Most notably, Lara graciously offers up her strengths in helping you tell a clear and meaningful story.”
Bobby DellaCamera
Actor
★★★★★
“I was so very self conscious of allowing someone to read my manuscript. I made a choice to step out of my comfort zone and went to a writers workshop at Thought Fox. Lara was patient and caring, and she knew how we were feeling. I provided Lara with my WIP. The clear effort, time, excellence, and care she put into the review truly staggered me. The professionalism of her feedback has given me confidence to continue my craft and the certainty that in due time there will be a book on my shelf with my name on the spine. Lara is an inspiration and I’m forever grateful.”
Kristian R. Theodore
Author of The Vein of Altria