All business.

All business.

Not doing business.

Not doing business.

The best escape opportunities are often sitting right in your lap.

The best escape opportunities are often sitting right in your lap.

Credentials:

  • University of Chicago Graham School: Certificate, Editing 

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Public Health: Master’s of Healthcare Administration

  • Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies: Bachelor’s of Science, International Health

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Styles

  • Chicago/Turabian

  • APA

  • MLA

DIedre (“Deedrah”) Hammons

I offer proofreading, copyediting, and developmental editing for small or large texts.

I almost exclusively edit nonfiction. I have special interests in memoir, autobiography, travel, religious history/theology/spirituality/mysticism, health care, and self-help, but am open to any editorial project that sounds interesting. I love the work of marginalized authors and working with ESL authors. My edited works can be found in large publishing houses and small indie presses.

When I’m not editing, I am usually hanging out with my loving and tolerant husband, Mark, and our playful cat, Simba. Or, I’m reading, listening to music, or plotting my next out-of-town adventure.

Who do you work with?

My clients are published with traditional publishing houses and are independently published. I’ve edited the works of spiritual directors, monks, motivational speakers, professors, and community organizers, a few of whom are New York Times or Amazon bestselling writers in their genres.

What books have you worked on?

Some of my 2020 edits have included:

  • An accessible commentary on the Bhagavad Gita

  • A down-to-earth explanation of key teachings from The Yoga Sutras and the Srimad Bhagavatam

  • An anthology featuring ten Western Buddhist-convert leaders

  • A self-help book for Christians who are battling depression

  • A riveting memoir about a man’s struggles and triumphs with Parkinson’s disease

  • A beautiful, soulful autoethnography about a woman’s forty-five-year search for God and purpose

  • A book of poetry about living with a mental illness

Contact me for my book list!

How do we work together? How much will this cost me?

Take a look here. In short, I will review your manuscript, provide you a sample, and provide a customized proposal that meets your needs and budget.

Your friends and family will tell you that your text is great—and most likely, it is.

But I’ll tell what you need to hear, diagnose what’s not working, and offer thoughtful suggestions about what we need to do to make it even better. My suggestions are sourced from professional publishing style rules, literary theory and technique, experience, and being a nerdy, unapologetic introvert that loves to read.

What do I like to read?

I’m glad you asked. Below is a short list of my favorite books. If you’ve read or heard of a few of these, chances are, we are a good match. 

Theology & Philosophy

Poetry

Mind/Body/Spirit

Health care

Travel & Memoir

The Craft of Writing