Emme Lund has an MFA from Mills College and has taught courses through Mills College, Tin House, and Writers Workshops. She was the Fiction Editor for 580 Split and a founding editor of HOLD: a journal. Her debut novel, The Boy with a Bird in His Chest was published by Atria Books (Simon & Schuster) in 2022 and was long listed for the First Novel Prize from the Center for Fiction and was a finalist for an Oregon Book award and a PNBA. The novel was also included on best of 2022 lists from Buzzfeed Books and the Mercury and was included on lists in Washington Post, People, Oprah Daily, Shondaland, Cosmopolitan, The Advocate, and Goodreads. Her non-fiction work has appeared in Time, Electric Literature, Autostraddle, Romper, The Rumpus, and Lit Hub. She has limited slots available for manuscript editing (developmental or line edits available), full or partial sensitivity reads, and sensitivity consultations. Use the contact form for inquiries/requests.

Manuscript Editing Services

Every good writer needs a second pair of eyes on their work. The goal is for you to leave the experience with a richer and deeper understanding of your manuscript and the changes needed to ready your manuscript for the next phase, be it agent queries or submission to editors or publishers. Manuscript editing slots are currently available for writers looking for notes on their manuscript, ranging from unfinished developmental notes down to the line edits. Please allow for a two-week turnaround time for full manuscript reads with edits.

Writers receive

• Full manuscript read
• Editorial letter
• 30-minute Zoom call for questions and clarification
• For those seeking developmental/line edits, you’ll receive a marked up manuscript with notes made in document (Microsoft Word or Google Docs)

Please use the contact form to inquire about availability and rates.

Sensitivity Reads

These services are available for all genres and age ranges with a focus on characters with marginalized identities.

Please allow for at least two weeks for a full sensitivity read, but the deadline is negotiable under certain circumstances. (Use contact form for more information.)

Please note that a sensitivity read is intended to be a perspective gathered from someone in the community about which you are writing. It is not intended to be a full endorsement of the manuscript nor is it meant to speak for the entire community. A sensitivity read does not protect you from criticism nor does it guarantee that your work will not be read as problematic. Sensitivity reads are a dialogue, which means that all edits are suggestions. Ultimately, the work is yours to own.

Areas of expertise:

• Queer Identities: Bi/Pansexual, Gay, Lesbian, Polyamorous Relationships, & BDSM Dynamics
• Trans Identities: Trans Woman/Transfemme, Trans Man/Transmasc, Non Binary, Genderqueer, Gender Fluid, Agender, Medically and Non-Medically transitioning characters
• Other Identities: Individuals facing alcoholism, Drug Use & Addiction, Working/Lower Class

Full Manuscript Read

Please allow for a two week turnaround time for full manuscript sensitivity reads. This service comes with an editorial letter detailing big-picture issues, in-line comments, and a round of follow-up questions. This is the best option for authors with a full draft of a manuscript for a novel, novella, or memoir/biography.

Partial Read

Most partial reads can be completed in under two weeks, but it depends on the length of the project. Please include the deadline in your initial inquiry through the contact form. Partial reads are good for an author who is only concerned with one character’s portrayal or a small selection of scenes without the context of the full manuscript.

Sensitivity Consultation

A sensitivity consultation includes an editorial letter and a one hour meeting (over Zoom or Skype). Consultations are ideal for authors who are in the developmental stages of a manuscript. They ensure that character maps, plot lines, and concepts are not harmful to marginalized communities.

Please use the Contact Page to inquire about rates and availability.