about.
Cecelia A. Cancellaro, Founder
NEWS! Cecelia is excited to announce that she has accepted a position at Cambridge University Press (Senior Editor for US and Latin American History). As of December 3, 2019, she will not be taking on any new Word clients. Her existing clients can still reach her via her Word email address or through the contact page on this website.
Word builds on Cecelia’s passion to bring intellectually and politically important writing to as wide a readership as possible. She specializes in work that promotes diversity and equality, highlights underrepresented voices and stories, and advances social change.
Prior to founding Word, Cecelia spent her entire professional career in and around the world of book publishing. She was an acquisitions editor at Routledge Press for twelve years and at Schocken Books in the Knopf Publishing Group of Random House for three. In 2000, she co-founded Idea Architects, a creative book development company, with Doug Abrams, to help writers conceive, shape, write, and publish their work.
After three decades working with scholars and public intellectuals, Cecelia feels strongly that one need not compromise scholarly integrity to write a compelling and marketable book. Much of her professional energy is spent helping writers to achieve this balance successfully.
Recent Tweets
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RT @cambUP_History: The Cambridge Companion to Latin American Independence by Marcela Echeverri, Cristina Soriano and @csorianogomez I… https://t.co/D4CvQSzGoI -
And we at @cambUP_History are thrilled to be publishing this new work by @araujohistorian ! https://t.co/zYf9CC4f7X
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Grad students and adjuncts at #OAH23 — ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/4jh5WuoKBU
Christopher Lura, Developmental Editor
Christopher Lura is a developmental editor specializing in idea- and research-driven nonfiction works. From outline to final draft, he works closely with authors to edit, polish, and develop exciting new book manuscripts for both scholarly and general reading audiences.
As a developmental editor, Christopher draws on many years of experience working in scholarly and cultural publishing. He previously worked in acquisitions at University of California Press where he helped bring to print new works by influential writers and thinkers including Cynthia Enloe, Kathryn Edin, Arlie Hochschild, Aldon Morris, and Paul Farmer. He was the founding editor of a Zellerbach-funded literary and cultural publication in San Francisco. He also previously worked on the editorial team at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art where he helped produce award-winning catalogues and bring to readers new writing by major cultural critics, academics, and essayists.
An independent editor since 2016, Christopher has continued to use his passion for research and publishing to help dozens of authors ensure their manuscripts become fantastic new books.
Chris’s feedback on my work was invaluable. I am so thankful for his affirming yet critical eye on my writing.
I contacted him at a time of great doubt and his attentive and encouraging editorial work helped me strengthen my voice throughout the manuscript. I hope I’ll have the opportunity to work with him again.
Bianca J. Baldridge, Author of Reclaiming Community: Race, Politics, and the Uncertain Future of Youth Work, Stanford University Press, Winner of the Critics’ Choice Award from the American Educational Studies Association
I worked on my book Among Murderers with Christopher Lura and I don’t know what I would have done without him.
He was the most involved and attentive editor. He saw the bigger picture and the minute details when I was at a loss. Just as importantly, he responded to an anxious writer’s questions with short notice and great care. I recommend Christopher to anyone working on a book that requires intellectual insight, technical scrutiny, and literary finesse.
Sabine Heinlein, Author of Among Murderers: Life after Prison, University of California Press, Gold Medal Winner at the Independent Publisher Book Awards