Dawn Sirett – Editor

I work on children's fiction and non-fiction as a developmental editor, writer, copy editor, fact checker, proofreader and project manager and have a track record of creating successful books for the 0 to 9 age group that sell well internationally. I’ve helped to create more than 400 children’s titles, crafting content on any topic – from dinosaurs to diggers, fairies to farm animals, maths to mermaids and space to sport. Before freelancing, I worked at DK for more than 20 years, where I wrote and edited, pitched ideas, innovated products, handled Americanisation and worked closely with authors, illustrators and photographers.

My favourite projects to work on are books for young children – board books, picture books, chapter books, novelty books and information books. I am also skilled at creating rhyming text for a young age group.

I am passionate about making books the very best they can be and I think the process of creating a book should be rewarding and enjoyable! I will edit your text sensitively, be frank about what might need to change, suggest ways to help your work speak to a young reader and ensure that your content is well structured, that every page delights and every phrase is well chosen.

If required, I can also:

• suggest picture ideas and help you find an illustrator

• fact check your content and recommend a consultant if your work needs to be checked by a subject expert

• provide feedback on whether your content is diverse and inclusive, age-appropriate and suitable for global publication

• write jacket copy and/or sales copy for online retailers such as Amazon

• work with you on your pitch letter/book proposal for agents/publishers

TESTIMONIALS:

'I've had the pleasure of working closely with Dawn on a fun series of preschool novelty titles. She’s an incredibly professional and passionate creative and her collaborative energy made every project a true joy to be a part of.'

JONNY LAMBERT, author and illustrator of children's books, including the 'Bear and Bird' series

'Working with Dawn is a lovely process. There is plenty of discussion whilst making sure that the work is accurate and well structured. We have worked together on several non-fiction projects and Dawn brings considerable experience to the process, offering help at all stages from planning the book's structure and what to include or discard to fine-tuning the text and asking probing questions to ensure clarity. She is also an excellent proofreader. I highly recommend her.'

JULES POTTLE, author of children's books, including 'The Really Incredible Science Book'

'I've had the pleasure of working with Dawn on a preschool storybook and we've also worked together as editors. Among Dawn's many strengths, she has a keen eye for developing projects and exchanging ideas about structure and page-by-page content. She has a wealth of copy editing and proofreading skills, but it's her creative engagement with everything she undertakes that makes her invaluable.'

LAURA BULLER, author and editor of children's books, including 'Baby Dinosaur Under the Sea'