As a poet, essayist, editor. a writing teacher, and an independent publisher, I am occasionally tempted to believe that my dedication to my own craft and care translates to editing and even copy-editing my own work. But decades of experience has shown me that every editor needs an editor. Writers need other writers.
Richard Loranger is a gentle and careful guide. Hiring Richard meant giving me the trust and confidence of a collaborator who was meticulous at the level of the word and the line, but also willing to place himself fully inside the meanings and intentions of the project. Richard’s comments were always clear, concise, and to the point, always benefiting what the book wanted to be.
Choosing a good editor for a creative writing project can be overwhelming and intimidating, but the rest of the work was neither of these things once I had Richard as a fellow traveler and friend of the finished product. Poets publishing a volume for the first time or wanting to tenderly vet a manuscript before submission for an award or external publication, you could not do better than hiring Richard Loranger to walk with you and read with you through the process.
Andrew William Smith – teacher, blogger, fanzine & chapbook publisher, and author of Broken Megaphones, Cardboard Amphibian, and Don’t Touch Your Face