While I revamp this site, please check out some kind words from writers I've worked with.

Reach me at alusardi.editor@gmail.com

"Editing is a dying art. Those who still practice it with the thoughtfulness and skill of Alessandra are destined to inherit the Earth.

If you are a first-time author, you need an editor. If you are working on a book proposal, or a presentation, you need an editor. If you are an experienced writer and plan to self-publish, you need an editor. Editing is the secret to making a good book a very good book, or a very good book a great book, and no matter the speed-of-light world in which we live, there is no replacement for a strong editor.

I worked with Alessandra on Joe Bastianich’s book Restaurant Man which eventually became a New York Times bestseller.  I was the collaborator, and Joe, of course is a famous restaurateur and television personality. Alessandra was our sherpa and helped us stay on the path. Her guidance was essential.

Even great writers need editors. Writing my own books, I’ve been fortunate to work with some very talented ones, but I put Alessandra at the top of the list, and hope I have the opportunity to work with her again. The writer-editor relationship is something of an anomaly— people just don’t seem to have the time anymore for the old way of doing things. Everybody is in such a rush! You may think you can do it yourself, and maybe you can get close, but if you are serious about developing a manuscript, or book proposal, or pamphlet or press release or anything where language and communication is the coin of the realm, nothing can replace a strong editor."

—Mike Edison, collaborator on Restaurant Man, and author of I Have Fun Everywhere I Go and Dirty! Dirty! Dirty!

"First and foremost, Alessandra Lusardi understands what works and what doesn’t. This sounds like a simple thing, but it isn’t. It can’t be taught – not in a meaningful way. Every writer writes brilliantly in his head; getting the brilliance down on the page is the tricky part. That yawning gap between conception and execution is where Alessandra thrives as an editor. She is enthusiastic about the creative process. My first conversation with her after she read my book proposal – the first conversation I ever had with her – was exhilarating. She hadn’t just read the proposal, she’d really thought about it, considered the possibilities and pitfalls. A book is not a group effort like a movie. It is the author’s story, the author’s voice, the author’s vision. And Alessandra understands this. She is a passionate advocate for the author. She brings keen insights to every draft, quickly pinpointing what hasn’t yet made the journey from brain to page, whether it’s a dodgy structure, a wandering tone, or narrative blind alleys. She recognizes when the author has strayed from his own path; and she doesn’t just point this out, she has well-thought-out ideas for getting him back on track. She also recognizes when the author has nailed an idea or a chapter or a whole draft, and she makes that clear. I am grateful that I had Alessandra as my editor; she made my first solo book project a memorable and satisfying experience. She made me a better writer."

—Douglas Perry, author of The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired 'Chicago', and Eliot Ness: The Rise and Fall of an American Hero

"Alessandra Lusardi edited this book with a level of understanding, thoughtfulness and sensitivity that I have rarely encountered in any business. Her own distinguished Italian restaurant lineage helped to make writing this book an extreme pleasure. If someday the publishing thing doesn't work out, she could be a great Restaurant Woman."

—Joe Bastianich, Award-winning restaurateur, and author of the New York Times Bestseller Restaurant Man

"While writing The Man in the Rockefeller Suit, a book about a serial impostor (and now convicted murderer) who called himself Clark Rockefeller, I walked through a world of smoke, lies and mirrors. Once I had completed more than 150 interviews, most with individuals across the country who had been duped, I was lucky to have an editor who saw the con man, and the book, in clear light. Alessandra's sharp perspective and guidance was invaluable. As an editor, she helped move the book in my head onto the page, and pushed me to dig deeper, go further and strive for higher levels of work...I highly recommend her as a collaborator, editor and friend."

—Mark Seal, Contributing Editor to Vanity Fair and author of the New York Times Bestseller The Man in the Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Impostor

I've been lucky to publish a number of books in translation from French and Italian, and consider the work of editing a translation to be just as intensive and collaborative as working with an author who is creating from scratch. Here's what a couple of translators have to say about the process:

"A few years ago Alessandra acquired a wonderful book for Rizzoli, Sylvain Tesson's riveting account of his six months living alone in a cabin by Lake Baikal in Siberia. His adventures ran the gamut from life to death, from bliss to despair, in writing that conveyed with exquisite fidelity every mood and thought recorded by this philosophical and sensitive man. The Guardian reported that in my 'fluent translation, the author comes across as the brainiest, daftest, sternest, funniest, most companionable hermit you'll ever meet.' This book beat out five noble finalists (including The Broken Road, by the inestimable Patrick Leigh Fermor) to win the 2014 Dolman Best Travel Book Award. Alessandra bet on a fabulous author (she has a great eye), chose a suitable translator for a challenging book, and provided the perfect combination of editorial understanding, deference, gentle bullying, and stalwart intramural support to ensure a successful translation. I sit on two translation juries and know all too well what dispiriting junk can be published when no one in a publishing house can intelligently judge the quality of an English translation from the French. They needed Alessandra Lusardi!"

—Linda Coverdale

"I’ve had the good fortune to work with Alessandra Lusardi on 3 books so far. In each case my translations have been improved by her editing. Her proficiency in Italian and her intimate knowledge of the culture make Alessandra a reliable sounding board for translators. She is also extremely well organized, a good planner, and flexible when plans have to be changed. Another asset that she brings to her work is the determination to overcome difficulties that present themselves along the way. Finally, what makes Alessandra especially pleasant to work with is her willingness and ability to communicate: to let you know what she needs and expects from you as the editing and production process unfolds, and to respond in a timely and cooperative way to your needs and requests. In short, Alessandra helps to create and maintain the conditions that allow you to do your best work."

—Gregory Conti