Amy Talcott - Editor
Freelance editor and writer with more than 10 years' experience in the publishing industry.
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Overview
Hi! I’m Amy, a professional wordsmith dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the English language in a world with a 280-character limit. I began my career more than 10 years ago in Boston, where I edited business and legal books for a small scholarly press (Aspatore Books), organized publicity tours for a big academic publishing house (Wiley-Blackwell), and managed communications for an independent children’s book publisher (Barefoot Books). In 2011, in want of a more mobile career that would allow me the freedom to move to the mountains of Montana, I made the decision to go freelance—and I’ve been at it ever since.
As an editor, I have extensive experience working as a copyeditor, proofreader, and (to a lesser degree) line editor. Current and past clients include National Geographic Learning, Cengage/Gale, St. James Press, Cambridge University Press, and University of Nevada Press. I also edit doctoral dissertations and master’s theses.
Academic writing is also in my wheelhouse. From 2014 to 2019 I contributed dozens of literary biographies and critical summaries to Gale’s Literary Criticism Online, a continually updated series that presents criticism and analysis of literature from the medieval era to the present day. I have also worked as a contributing writer for Legal Issues across the Globe (2018; Gale) and for Literature Online (Chadwyck-Healey), an academic database focusing primarily on obscure writers and works of British literature.
In addition to nonfiction content in the humanities, I also enjoy editing and writing in the areas of local history, gardening, travel, self-help, spirituality, and social theory.
Services
Languages
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Management
Education & Reference
Health & wellbeing
History
Home & Garden
Political Science & Current Affairs
Travel
Work experience
Freelance Writer & Editor
Self-employed
January, 2011
–
Present
(about 10 years)
- I provide copyediting, proofreading, and substantive editing services for print and digital publishers. I specialize in scholarly and reference works in the humanities but have worked in a variety of nonfiction genres, including gardening, local history, memoir, self-help, spirituality, and anthropology. I also edit doctoral dissertations and master’s theses.
- Proficient in Chicago, MLA, AP, and APA styles.
Associate Editor
Thomas Riggs & Co.
January, 2016
–
January, 2017
(about 1 year)
Served as a project manager and editor for scholarly and reference titles published by Gale, Chadwyck-Healey, St. James Press, and others; coordinated with managing editors, production teams, and academic consultants to generate editorial schedules and style sheets, track workflow, and enforce deadlines; trained freelance editors and writers, reviewed the quality of freelance work, and provided feedback when necessary.
Communications Manager
Barefoot Books
May, 2007
–
May, 2009
(about 2 years)
Book Sales & Publicity Coordinator
Wiley-Blackwell
January, 2007
–
May, 2007
(4 months)
Editorial Assistant
Aspatore Books (Thomson-Reuters)
January, 2006
–
January, 2007
(about 1 year)
Portfolio (10 selected works)
The history of gardens in antiquity is characterized by a rich mix of cultures interacting throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. This period - from the sixth century BCE to the sixth century CE - was foundational to the later periods of garden history. The emergence of advanced horticultural techniques, sustained regional and international trade routes, and centralized power structures promoted ... read more
Recognizing that ethnic differences are transforming American education expectations, political ideals and popular culture, Gale presents a vital, new multicultural reference. Gale Encyclopedia Of Multicultural America contains 152 original essays (about 8, 000-12, 000 words each) on specific minority and ethnic groups in the U.S., with an emphasis on culture (religions, holidays, customs, lan... read more
Gale Researcher Guide for: British Literature of the Early Twentieth Century is selected from Gale's academic platform Gale Researcher. These study guides provide peer-reviewed articles that allow students early success in finding scholarly materials and to gain the confidence and vocabulary needed to pursue deeper research.
Worldmark Global Business And Economy Issues covers current business and economic issues that have an impact globally.Intended to meet the needs of global studies courses as well as International Baccalaureate and AP courses in Economics and Business & Management, this set is designed to give students and researchers a resource that helps contextualize and analyze the central issues surroundin... read more
Expert help for dealing with this complex diagnosis!If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it can be confusing and overwhelming. What are the most effective treatments? Will therapy help? When will life return to normal? With The Everything Health Guide to Adult Bipolar Disorder, 3rd Edition, you can take charge and manage your condition, or learn the best ways to supp... read more
In 2, 800 pages across 4 volumes, Worldmark Encyclopedia Of Religious Practices, 2nd Edition, provides information on current religious practices around the world with an emphasis on how religions impact the daily lives of their followers. Volume 1, Religions and Denominations, contains 24-to-40-page entries on 13 major religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, and 8-to-14 page entr... read more
The St. James Encyclopedia Of Popular Culture, 2nd ed., updates and augments the over ten-year-old first edition. It includes 3, 036 signed essays (300 of them new), alphabetically arranged, and written or reviewed by subject experts and edited to form a consistent, readable, and straightforward reference. The entries cover topics and persons in major areas of popular culture: film; music; pri... read more
Legal Issues Across the Globe is an academic series showcasing the diversity of legal approaches to issues making headlines worldwide. Each chapter is devoted to a single topic and presents twelve country essays examining how the nationâ??s history and culture have influenced legislative and judicial actions. Essays also feature brief narratives depicting the impact of a countryâ??s laws on in... read more
World Link Intro Lesson Planner with Classroom Presentation A1 (3rd ed)
James R. Morgan, Nancy Douglas
The World Link Intro Lesson Planner, Third Edition makes preparation simple and effective through updated page-by-page teaching tips, new teaching options, expanded skill-building instruction, new video-viewing support, pacing guides, expansion activities, audio and video scripts, and all of the answers for the student book and workbook. This edition also includes access to the new Classroom P... read more
Touchstone Level 2 Student's Book
Michael McCarthy, Jeanne McCarten, Helen Sandiford
Touchstone, together with Viewpoint, is a six-level English program based on research from the Cambridge English Corpus. Touchstone uses a corpus-informed syllabus ensuring students are learning the language that people really use. Activities include a strong focus on inductive learning, personalized practice, and encouraging learner autonomy. Each Student's Book contains approximately 90 hour... read more
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