Shara Hardeson
About Shara Hardeson
Shara Hardeson is a Senior Production Editor at Penguin Random House, with extensive experience in editorial roles and a background in children's literature.
Title
Shara Hardeson holds the position of Senior Production Editor at Penguin Random House. In this role, Hardeson manages multiple production cycles and oversees the editorial process for a diverse list of publications including board books, picture books, graphic novels, poetry anthologies, novels, and non-fiction.
Career at Penguin Random House
Shara Hardeson has built a significant part of her career at Penguin Random House, progressing through various editorial roles. She started as an Assistant Production Editor from 2014 to 2016, moved up to Associate Production Editor from 2016 to 2018, and then served as Production Editor from 2018 to 2021. She currently works as a Senior Production Editor in the Greater New York City Area. Her responsibilities include managing title lists, developing editorial style guides, and collaborating with multiple teams to resolve content issues.
Previous Work Experience
Before her tenure at Penguin Random House, Shara Hardeson gained varied experience through different roles. She worked as a Content Editor at Don't Panic Management, LLC from 2014 to 2015 in the Greater New York City Area. She also held positions at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, including Freelance Proofreader from 2012 to 2016 and Managing Editorial Intern for the Children’s Trade Division from 2011 to 2012. Additional roles include Editorial Assistant and Design Intern/Freelance Designer at The Horn Book, Inc., Bookseller/Assistant Manager at Curious George Books and Toys, and Bookseller/Children's Department Specialist at Borders.
Education and Expertise
Shara Hardeson has an extensive academic background in literature and editorial studies. She earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Children's and Adolescent Literature and a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Writing for Children from Simmons College, where she studied from 2008 to 2011. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English Language and Literature from Purdue University, completed in 2008. Her educational qualifications provide a strong foundation for her editorial expertise.
Editorial Skills and Contributions
Shara Hardeson’s editorial skills encompass a wide range of tasks and responsibilities. She has developed a divisional DEI style guide to promote conscious language during the production editorial process. Hardeson supervises seasonal interns, teaching them the fundamentals of production editorial. She also builds and updates style sheets for long-running series, established brands, and newly acquired licenses. Her collaborative approach involves working with editors, designers, freelancers, and production managers to address and resolve issues that may affect the production schedule.