Daniel Johnson – Editor

Hi! I’m Daniel. I’ve been editing for about 11 years, and though the last 7 years have been mostly devoted to content design and UX writing for tech companies, I’m still open to taking on new work.

My editing style

Honest. Encouraging. Collaborative. Flexible.

- Honest. I'm up front about my suggestions, but not to the point of being harsh.

- Encouraging. Every writer at some point struggles with doubt and I’d rather reinforce positives than dwell too much on what's not working.

- Collaborative. I’m up for bouncing ideas and brainstorming in creative ways. Need help organizing the content in your book? Want a thought partner for envisioning a book design? Let's talk about it!

- Flexible. You can decide how much depth you want from my suggestions or comments. Some people like to know the ‘why’ behind editing marks, while others just want to know what to delete or change. Some people don’t mind suggestions of how to rewrite something, while others just want notes that they can interpret their own way.

Genres I like to work in

There’s a few types of books that I’m more willing to take on due to my own level of interest and experience. I’m open-minded about other genres, but likely only available for proofreading or copyediting.

- Comics/graphic novels

- UX design, product design, the tech industry

- Self-help, spiritual (any belief system)

- Poetry—especially collections that work with a literal or thematic narrative, epic poems, or poetry that uses complex rhymes

What I like to know from you

- What is your experience with writing, publishing, and working with editors?

- Who is your intended audience?

- What is your goal with this book?

- When I leave notes, do you prefer an explanation of why I’m marking something?

- Are you okay with me showing how you could potentially rewrite a sentence, or do you prefer me to leave notes for you to interpret your own way?

- Do you have or need a style guide for this book?

More about my background

- I’ve been writing poetry and music for 15+ years.

- I’m a lifelong comics reader, worked as an editorial assistant at Fantagraphics Books, and I’ve written a few scripts for self-published comics.

- I work in UX design and have experience designing booklets and other visual art. Though I don’t professionally design books for others, I’m able to advise on design decisions.

- I love hip hop, tea, travel, and encouraging people with ambitious dreams!