ANNE STANTON is an award-winning freelance journalist, editor, and ghostwriter, who has assisted with books ranging from two New York Times best-selling accounts of war to a highly lauded cancer memoir and vegan weight-loss guide. She is editorial director of Mission Point Press, a Traverse City-based company that has supported hundreds of independent publishers with services ranging from line editing to layout and cover design to promotion. For more information, please go to missionpoinpress.com.

Anne has also served as the executive director of the National Writers Series, a year-round book festival for nationally renowned authors, stepping down in February of 2021.

Anne began her career with a Sacramento Bee story about elderly Cambodian refugees, who suffered deeply from culture shock and isolation. Her first foray into journalism garnered the Detroit Press Club’s highest collegiate award.

After receiving a Master of Arts degree in journalism in 1988 from the University of Michigan, Anne worked as an investigative reporter, writing stories of human drama and resilience. Her award-winning articles have covered a wide range of issues—from Catholic nuns accused of sexually abusing their young wards to a rural barber charged with murdering her troubled, teen-age son. She has also extensively written on health, business and education issues.

In the last decade, Anne has used her interviewing, research, and writing skills to expand into ghostwriting and editing. She can also provide insights into book marketing, having co-authored the book, Publish to Win: Smart Strategies to Sell More Books, with indie publishing guru Jerrold Jenkins.

Praise for Anne Stanton

“Your editing work is absolutely above superb! I keep scratching my head going, ‘Why didn't I think to say it that way?’ And I have rectified or incorporated every question you have added along the side. They have been extremely helpful. So, thank you for all of your hard work on this manuscript!

~ Rob Edwards, author of I DO or I don’t

“There have been many wonderful stories Anne has contributed through the years, and Express readers reminded us of her legacy by voting on their favorites in this issue. In the past year alone, she wrote a gripping account of abused wife Joni Holbrook shooting her police officer husband and the subsequent trial that led to her imprisonment. Then there was the strange saga of Anne Avery Miller of Elk Rapids who took her own life after being accused of murdering her son. Most recently, she wrote about controversial criminal cases and why some people charged with crimes seem to get a free pass while others get the book thrown at them. She’s also done outstanding reporting this year on conflicts over Michigan’s new medical marijuana law, wind farms in Benzie County, and the biomass controversy... just to name a few. I’m sure you have your own favorites.

"Anne exemplifies the best of the brave and the bold in journalism, writing with a sense of ‘heart' and reminding us that justice is often a rare and elusive treasure. We’ve stood by long-form, investigative journalism here at the Express at a time when other newspapers have abandoned the format (to their peril, as it turns out). Sometimes, I complained to Anne that her stories were too long and we needed to save room for bigger photos. But I could never say that they weren’t complete -- and courageous.”

~ Bob Downes, FORMER editor of Northern Express

“I knew I wanted to write a book. I had a lot of great ideas and a good start on some topics, but I couldn't imagine how to pull it all together. Anne helped make my work more readable, and rounded out my rough spots, in record time, with good humor. She inspired whole chapters and special touches that I hadn't even considered. I've sold books all over our great country, and there's not a week that goes by that I don't hear about someone who was inspired to change their life after reading my work. Anne is genius.”

~ Mary Clifton, author of Waist Away: How to Joyfully Lose Weight and Supercharge Your Life; Get Waisted: 100 Addictively Delicious Plant-Based Entrees; and Get Graduated: Helpful Advice for the Next Part of Your Life

“Anne Stanton is a gifted writer and top-notch editor. She guided us with a strong, steady hand through the first draft or our successful memoir. It was a joy to work with her, and we are honored to give her our highest recommendation.”

~ Greg Holmes, Ph.D. and Katherine Roth, M.D. Co-authors of The Good Fight: A Story of Cancer, Love, and Triumph, a memoir that has garnered dozens of five-star ratings on Amazon

“Nina and I are life-long friends co-writing a memoir of our childhood experiences during WWII bringing together a young girl's relationship with her mother and father as he goes off to war in Europe and a young boy of Japanese parents who spends those years behind barbed wire in a desolate corner of Colorado.

“Anne took our complex story arcs and put them into a seamless whole adding historical events to give context to and enhance our personal journeys. She took a story of an unlikely friendship and focusing on an America at war, at race and identity following Pearl Harbor, examines the meaning of true friendship. What started out as a beautiful idea has turned into a beautiful story thanks to Anne.”

~ Gordon Nagai and Nina Wolpe (co-authors of Two Faces, a novel in-progress)

“In my view, a good editor does more than polish a writer’s words; rather, she inspires in the writer the ability to see beneath the surface of things, to say more than they knew they had to say. When in another life I wrote a weekly newspaper column and occasional magazine pieces, my editors left me feeling like a man writing behind curtains, walking gingerly on eggshells. Since beginning to work with Anne in re-establishing my life as a writer, I now feel more like I’m writing towards a clearing in the distance; self-revelation is what I’d call it.

Anne always approaches writing with enthusiasm and an innate understanding of what it is I am trying to say in my work. She’s always willing to provide additional information and to clarify certain points as needed

I enthusiastically recommend Anne Stanton as an editor and a writer. She takes great pride in her profession, conducts herself professionally and is easy to work with. I am certain that she will guide any writer well and would add immense value to whatever she touches.”

~ Isiah Smith, author of Midnight on the Road to Redemption (a novel in-progress)

“I have had invaluable editorial feedback from Anne Stanton during the process of writing and revising two books. Anne is an accomplished professional writer and editor, having honed her skills over several decades as a successful journalist. Anne has a keen sense of story. She knows where cuts are necessary and where elaboration is required. She adroitly employs the literary and editorial skills necessary to produce a polished, readable manuscript.”

~ Aaron Stander, award-winning author of the Ray Elkins Mystery Series

" I sought out Anne Stanton for help with writing my applications for medical school. I did not have the most outstanding scores, so my essays were especially important. I contacted dozens of writer; unfortunately I had a bad experience with many I found. Many were out to make a large amount of money. Many of the writers asked for months to work on the project, time I did not have. Many did very poor writing and had no experience with the work I required. I was lucky to find Anne.

Anne helped me write the work and activities portion of my application, secondary essays and thank you notes to my interviewers. Anne became not only a person, to help me with my writing, but she became my friend. She is very nice and friendly to talk with. The cost Anne charges for her work is very reasonable. The work she does is world class, and she is very good about completing the work in a timely manner. She has an amazing ability to pull together many key ideas and experiences, and express them in a powerful format. Much of the writing I required her to help me with was a chronology of my life’s experiences, which led to my interest in medicine and prepared me for medical school. It was my story, but I myself did not see how all of the pieces fit together and she pulled it together for me. She was able to form my story, which was an incredible learning experience for me. This also was very helpful in interviews. I almost felt Anne knew more about me than I did. Sitting down to read her finished product was an amazing experience.

Anne’s work produces results. I had worked to get into medical school for 16 years and applied unsuccessfully over three admissions cycles. With Anne’s help, I was accepted into medical school for the first time. I am so incredibly lucky to have found Anne. I strongly recommend her. I plan to seek her help in the future, when I am writing my applications for residency.”

~ Name Withheld Upon Request