About Louise Sianni, copy editor

Education and Experience: 

  • Copy editing certificate, UC San Diego
  • Professional memberships in the Editorial Freelancers Association and ACES: The Society for Editing
  • Bachelor’s degree, Johns Hopkins University–Peabody Institute of Music
  • 6 graduate courses in English and education, U. of Delaware
  • Ongoing professional development through editing societies
  • 3 years in a Gannett newspaper’s ad department
  • 2.5 years editing a variety of formats
  • 5 years as a licensed public school music teacher
  • Decades in the performing arts

My path to editing was not linear. I took writing electives at JHU and UD, and after college, an aced grammar test landed me a job checking ad copy and obituaries at a daily newspaper. But my degree was in music, so I spent my twenties and thirties teaching violin in public schools, touring the country as a Philadelphia band’s violist, and working in historic fine dining in between. 

I long suspected I had a knack for editing, so in my early forties I entered a copy editing program, graduating with a 97% average. The training taught me not just what to edit, but how to give feedback and respect an author’s voice. It also confirmed that I was meant to do this.

Since then, I’ve copy edited a variety of fiction and nonfiction. My feedback style is patient and supportive, a holdover from my violin teaching days. My secret weapons are a natural ear for language, a sharp eye for inconsistencies, and a hunger to keep learning. 

I live in Delaware with my bass player husband. We love to attend concerts—classical, jazz, soul, prog rock—and share a large, eclectic album collection. My other interests include the beach, the outdoors, birds, poker, art, comedy, midcentury-modern design, guinea pigs, tennis, and food and wine. I have volunteered at Tri-State Bird Rescue since 2017. My first name is Hallie, by the way, but I prefer my middle name. Thanks for stopping by; I look forward to working with you!

My husband and me performing in a Jethro Tull tribute show. Photo by N. Andrew, 2020. Top photo by C. Malinowski, 2019