About Me

Lee G. Hornbrook

Developmental Book Editor | Writing Coach | Book Doctor/Ghostwriter | Speaker

What I do

I help writers craft engaging memoir, literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and short stories. I work with writers seeking traditional publication as well as motivated indie authors who wish to self-publish

As a freelance editor, I’m available to help you with a great variety of nonfiction writing projects as well, including book-length work, website text and design, press releases, white papers, scientific fact sheets, grant proposals, and academic writing of all kinds.

Your story. Your words. With a little help. Contact me for more information about how I can help you with your writing project.

Memberships:

Developmental Editing Curriculum

I have recently undertaken a course of study in book-length fiction editing with Club Ed Freelancers. Starting in March 2022, I have taken the following courses:

  • Naked Editing
  • Development Editing – Foundations – 1 though 6
    • 1. Foundations of Storytelling
    • 2. Principles of Developmental Editing
    • 3. Writing Effective Editorial Queries
    • 4. Writing the Revision Letter
    • 5. Manuscript Evaluation
    • 6. Evaluating Your Effectiveness as an Editor
  • Editing for Plot and Story Structure
  • Editing for Character Development
  • Editing for World-Building and Setting
  • Explorations: Editing Memoir
  • Editorial Toolkit: Book Doctoring and Ghostwriting
  • Explorations: Editing Literary Fiction
  • Copyediting/Line editing for Fiction

Background

After a 34-year career in higher education, I have pivoted to full-time freelance editing and writing. Below are the major highlights of my teaching, writing, and editing career.

  • Writer, My Own Private Waste Land, a memoir
  • Writer, substack newsletter: “My Own Private Waste Land: T. S. Eliot, Mental Illness, and the Making of a Memoir.”
  • Editor of The Writing Prof, a publication on Medium.com
  • 24-year career as a college classroom teacher of writing at eight traditional major universities, community colleges, and online universities
  • Public Information Officer – web designer and team lead for all public facing communications, including science and grant writing, for the National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, a long-term NIH-funded electron microscopy grant and organized research unit (Center for Research in Biological Systems) at UC San Diego
  • http://www.4kids.org – project director of website and internationally syndicated newspaper feature that appeared weekly in 140 newspapers, distributed by Universal Press Syndicate, a division of Andrews McMeel Publishing
  • PhD-level coursework in History of the English Language, Discourse Analysis and the Experimental Novel
  • Masters-level coursework in Linguistics with emphasis on Discourse Analysis and Pragmatics
  • MA, English (1990), University of New Mexico
  • BA, English, creative writing emphasis, cum laude with distinction in English (1985), San Diego State University
  • Editor-in-Chief, Conceptions Southwest, literary/art magazine at the University of New Mexico, featuring fiction, poetry, art, architecture, and music
  • English Editor (fiction and poetry), Conceptions Southwest, University of New Mexico
  • Fiction Editor, Pacific Review, San Diego State University
  • Staff reader, Cottonwood Review, Blue Mesa Review, Pacific Review, Northridge Review

When I’m not reading, writing, and throwing around other people’s words, I keep busy marveling at today’s computer games (fantastic story telling), watching shows and movies during this storytelling renaissance, learning guitar (into my 3rd year), walking my dachshund Herman at the park along Lake Washington, and getting as much time on the water either sailing or kayaking.

Thank you for your interest in The Writing Prof Editorial Services. I look forward to helping you write the book of your dreams. For additional information or to discuss how I can help you with your writing project, please feel free to contact me.