Kit Caless – Editor

I'm an editor of award winning literary fiction and non-fiction at Influx Press. I've been a professional literary editor for over 8 years but I also give manuscript assessment and freelance as a copywriter and structural editor elsewhere. I was named a 'Rising Star' by the Bookseller (UK) in 2019.

I edited the multi award winning 'Attrib and Other Stories' by Eley Williams, plus other prize nominated short fiction collections such as 'How The Light Gets In' by Clare Fisher (Dylan Thomas Prize longlist) and 'Above Sugar Hill' by Linda Mannheim (Edge Hill Prize longlist). Other notable works I have edited include critically acclaimed novel 'Plastic Emotions' by Shiromi Pinto and the highly original non-fiction title 'Hold Tight: Black Masculinity, Millennials and the Meaning of Grime' by Jeffrey Boakye.

I specialise in working with debut authors, helping them to craft their voice, hone their skills and develop their practice. Many authors I have worked with on their debut books have gone on to the biggest publishing houses in the world for the second and third books.

My editorial interests are in literary works that play with form, literary fiction and creative non-fiction from authors traditionally marginalised in the publishing industry (predominantly Asian and Black authors), plus comic and satirical work addressing contemporary politics.

My own writing is er... less literary. I am a freelance journalist (Guardian, New Statesman, VICE etc) but I am the author of Spoon's Carpets: An Appreciation, a best-selling humour title that explored the, frankly extremely odd, world of pub carpets in the UK. A cult hit and Christmas present special, the book has sold well over 20,000 copies in two years and is still selling strong. I've seen all sides of the publishing industry, let's put it that way!

I offer editorial development for your manuscript, giving feedback and suggestions on structure, character and plot. I can also offer copy-edits to assist you with tone, style and consistency. I am a highly sensitive editor, aware of each author's personal and professional needs and have worked with as wide a demographic of writers as you can imagine. I can also do manuscript assessment to give you some light pointers on where things might be going wrong, as well as right.