Elisa Stanford was an acquisitions and developmental editor with Harold Shaw Publishers and WaterBrook Press (a division of Random House) before joining Edit Resource in 2005. Elisa has a bachelor’s degree in history from Illinois Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in spiritual formation from Wheaton Graduate School. She is the author or co-author of several books and has worked with authors such as Madeleine L’Engle, Luci Shaw, Dee Brestin, Kay Warren, Leslie Leyland Fields, Sara Hagerty, and Charlie Peacock. Elisa specializes in collaborative writing, developmental and substantive editing for spiritual nonfiction, and copywriting. She and her husband, Eric, have two teenage daughters and live in Colorado.
“Elisa Stanford is a genius. She somehow finds a way to crawl into your writing and help you find the gold. She is able to capture an author’s voice, hone what’s already there, and help to think through a structure that flows. I couldn’t more highly recommend her work, and on top of that she is pure delight to work with.”
—Sara Hagerty, author of Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet and Unseen
“I highly recommend Elisa Stanford. Over the past ten years, I have hired her for editing projects, as well as book doctoring and collaborative writing, and she has never disappointed. Her attention to detail, understanding of the industry, and ability to come alongside authors to make the best book possible is unsurpassed.”
—Sandra L. Vander Zicht, former associate publisher & executive editor, Zondervan Books
“I’ve worked with Elisa for over twenty years. She consistently writes thoughtful marketing copy that simply delivers the message of the product. Plus, she’s always willing to deliver on a quick deadline. Elisa’s ability to write effective copy helps our books stand out in the marketplace.”
—Ginia Hairston Croker, vice president and director of marketing, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
“Elisa could sell Twinkies at Whole Foods.”
—David Kopp, former senior editor at Convergent Books