Dan Foster - Editor
Penn Valley, CA, United States
Formerly of Random House, I’m a bibliophile and veteran editor with 26+ years of experience editing non-fiction for major book publishers.
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Overview
I offer exceptional project management, editing, proofreading, and manuscript development services. I'm a former managing editor of Random House and Prima Publishing. I have a strong working knowledge of The Chicago Manual of Style and am highly proficient with Microsoft Word (including tracking changes, commenting, styles, and working with templates), Adobe Acrobat (PDF markup, commenting, and querying authors), FTP clients, and more. And my wife, Danielle Foster (also on Reedsy), does professional book design and layout! We've worked on many hundreds of non-fiction books for clients such as Random House, Microsoft Press, Adobe Inc., Apple, Thomson Learning, Cengage, Pearson, Peachpit Press, Callisto Media, Prima Publishing, Rosenthal Media, and more. We offer complete book packaging services including project management, copyediting, developmental editing, design and layout (composition), proofreading, indexing, cover design, and more. As the editor, I most often edit books on computers and technology, from consumer instructional books to high-level programming books. I have also edited numerous books on music production and technique, in addition to many other genres.
Languages
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Computers & Internet
Education & Reference
Life Sciences
Mathematics & Statistics
Music
Publishing
Sports & outdoor recreation
Technology
Travel
Work experience
Freelance Editor & Book Packager
Self-employed
December, 2002
–
Present
(over 16 years)
Work with numerous authors and editors and oversee content development from raw manuscript to printer-ready files while adhering to demanding book production deadlines. Manage book production processes and schedules; direct authors, editors, compositors, and indexers; edit, rewrite, and proofread non-fiction books for multiple prominent book publishers.
Managing Editor
Random House
December, 2001
–
December, 2002
(12 months)
House of Collectibles, The Crown Publishing Group, Random House
Managed all editorial and production processes for a well-known book imprint devoted to antiques and collectibles
• Oversaw production and ensured timeliness and quality of all books
• Assumed principal role for building strong editorial and production personnel, resources, and services
• Established and negotiated pricing for all editorial services
• Created budgets and cost estimates for PL statements
• Reduced plant costs by more than 30% while improving book quality and timeliness
• Developed and approved new book designs
• Worked with numerous authors, editors, and freelancers to develop, copyedit, and proof manuscripts
• Examined and approved all digital printer proofs
Managing Editor
Prima Publishing
May, 1997
–
January, 2002
(over 4 years)
In the computer book division of a fast-paced, rapidly growing publishing company, lead and supervised the editorial department and oversaw its workflow to ensure the timeliness, quality, and cost-effectiveness of the production of more than 100 academic and instructional books on computers and technology.
• Hired and supervised all editorial staff
• Planned project timelines and allocated resources for the division
• Developed author guidelines and established quality standards for editing, design, and composition
• Wrote and edited cover copy, catalog copy, sales tip sheets, and other promotional materials
• Established and negotiated pricing for all editorial services
• Resolved author and editor concerns
Senior Project Editor
Prima Publishing
April, 1995
–
May, 1997
(about 2 years)
In the computer book and non-fiction trade book divisions, oversaw the production of more than 100 titles from manuscripts to bound books
• Trained new editors and took on multiple roles, including developmental editor, copy editor, technical reviewer, project manager, and more
• Copyedited, proofread, and prepared manuscripts for print in a wide variety of subjects, including computers and technology, biography, current events, cooking, health, self-help, and other non-fiction
Project Editor
Prima Publishing
September, 1993
–
April, 1995
(over 1 year)
Coordinated the efforts of authors and editors during developmental editing, technical review, copyediting, indexing, page layout, and proofreading of numerous non-fiction books
• Edited and corrected manuscripts, page proofs, and bluelines, and critically evaluated all elements to ensure accuracy, consistency, attractiveness, and functionality
• Conducted printer press checks when necessary
Production Editor
Academic Press, Inc., A Division of Harcourt Brace & Company
January, 1992
–
August, 1993
(over 1 year)
In the editorial department of a publisher of scholarly scientific and technical books, coordinated all stages of book production from hard copy manuscripts to bound books
• Prepared manuscripts for typesetting, including copyediting, instructing freelance copy editors and reference editors, and monitoring art preparation
• Checked page proofs to ensure adherence to specifications, incorporated editorial and author corrections, and assigned cost responsibility for alterations
• Corresponded with numerous authors and volume editors
• Obtained copyright permissions for reproduced material
• Initiated and developed production-tracking schedule forms that were instituted company-wide
Portfolio (11 selected works)
Creating iOS Apps: Develop and Design (2nd Edition)
Richard Warren
With more than 600 million iOS devices sold, Apple’s booming mobile platform provides a immense and continuously growing app market for developers. And with each update to the iOS SDK, Apple offers the richest set of additional developer tools. iOS 7.0 is no exception. iOS programming expert Richard Warren shows you how to use these powerful tools to begin writing the next generation of iOS ap... read more
Information visualization is a language. Like any language, it can be used for multiple purposes. A poem, a novel, and an essay all share the same language, but each one has its own set of rules. The same is true with information visualization: a product manager, statistician, and graphic designer each approach visualization from different perspectives. Data at Work was written with you, the s... read more
Robotics: A Project-Based Approach
Lakshmi Prayaga
Have you ever thought of building your own robot? With today's technology, it's easy (and inexpensive!) to get started in this fascinating hobby. With the projects in this book and just a little bit of programming knowledge, you can create fun, functional robots. You'll learn the fundamentals of robot-building--the basic concepts and technologies that are used every day in the growing field of... read more
Microsoft Excel 2013 for the Business Analyst
Larry Rockoff
As one of the most popular software tools in the world, Microsoft Excel is used by business analysts across the globe to keep track of details, look deeply into the data that drives business, and provide managers with the information and insights they need to keep their companies moving forward. MICROSOFT EXCEL 2013 FOR THE BUSINESS ANALYST is an introduction to Excel, written by a business an... read more
Making Beats: Skill Pack
Richy Pitch
MAKING BEATS: SKILL PACK teaches you how to make infectious modern beats from start to finish using popular beat making software such as Native Instruments Battery, Apple Logic Pro, Steinberg Cubase, Propellerhead ReCycle, Audacity, and others. This book explains the detailed process of beat making, what tools make a beat stand out, and how to use digital audio workstations to develop beats an... read more
The Art of Stop-Motion Animation
Ken A. Priebe
Through the magic of stop-motion animation, inanimate objects seem to spring to life. With true artistic passion and finesse, a stop-motion film evokes the nostalgia of childhood when imagination could bring toys to life. Stop-motion retains the art and performance that are the heart and soul of captivating animation. Beginning with a history of stop-motion animation, The Art of Stop-Motion An... read more
The Advanced Art of Stop-Motion Animation
Ken A. Priebe
Take an in-depth look at the art and techniques of stop-motion animation. The Advanced Art of Stop-Motion Animation helps experienced stop-motion artists enhance their craft by exploring the professional methods and advanced technology used by top film studios today. This book features expanded coverage of the basic principles of animation, including specific applications for character perform... read more
Physical Computing: Sensing and Controlling the Physical World with Computers
Dan O'Sullivan, Tom Igoe
Physical computing is all around us-from interactive displays at museums to "puff sensors" that aid the physically challenged. With a multiple book buying audience, this book doesn't require a specific background or technical experience. It is designed to help make a more interesting connection between the physical world and the computer world. The audience size is comparable to that of the Ro... read more
Churchill on Leadership : Executive Success in the Face of Adversity
Steven F. Hayward
Success often depends on the strength of a single quality: leadership. Winston Churchill is universally recognized as one of the 20th century's great political leaders and his words ring just as true in the world of commerce. A wise, witty, and inspiring leader, Churchill ran Great Britain like a great corporation. "Perhaps the finest book on practical leadership ever written." — Brian TracyCh... read more
The first step to playing like a pro is thinking like one.Guitar players frequently face the same roadblocks in their playing. Many feel stunted creatively, stuck playing the same old things, and unsure how to move forward. These issues are caused by some common pitfalls. Typical problems include being unable to think beyond familiar patterns, not understanding how music theory relates to the ... read more
The Language of SQL (2nd Edition) (Learning)
Larry Rockoff
The Language of SQL, Second Edition Many SQL texts attempt to serve as an encyclopedic reference on SQL syntax -- an approach that is often counterproductive, because that information is readily available in online references published by the major database vendors. For SQL beginners, it’s more important for a book to focus on general concepts and to offer clear explanations and examples of wh... read more
Dan has 6 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Dan went above and beyond. His feedback was more thorough than a simple proofread, his comments were insightful and spot on, and his communication throughout made the whole process easier for me. He is awesome. I will absolutely work with him again and I highly recommend Dan to anyone who needs a proofreader or editing of any type whatsoever.
Allison Dillard, May 2019
Dan was a pleasure to work with. His work was exemplary, and he patiently and kindly helped re-edit passages that were particularly cumbersome. Thanks to Dan's copy editing, the new version of my book got better reviews, and even helped a particularly harsh reviewer amend his review to a positive one. I can whole-heartedly recommend Dan to anyone in need of the services they provide.
Dean Movshovitz, April 2018
Dan was fantastic. He offered candid advice and made terrific suggestions (like naming my chapters, giving my book more flavor). He not only found mistakes, but he explained how and why English standards worked--so I wouldn't make them again. More importantly, I couldn't find any mistakes he missed. He is thorough and professional. I can't recommend him enough.
John Staats, August 2017
Dan was very thorough and professional. I hope to work with him again.
John Staats, July 2017
Dan is a true professional, who's work speaks for itself.
He's consistently gone above and beyond my expectations to deliver a great product, and improve my book.
I'd recommend Dan to anyone, without hesitation. His years of experience and integrity are worth many times the price paid. I look forward to the next project we can work together on.
KP Kaiser, June 2017
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