Overview
"I was fortunate to find an extraordinary freelance editor in Duncan, without whose creativity and vision this idea would not have gone very far, and without whose hard work and insight this book would never have been finished. What he does is an art, and as I and many other authors will attest, he is one of that art's finest practitioners. He gave me the confidence that I really could be a writer." -- Robert Hicks, New York Times bestselling author of THE WIDOW OF THE SOUTH, A SEPARATE COUNTRY, and THE ORPHAN MOTHER.
I love helping people tell their stories!
I began in editing as a newspaper journalist, but quickly moved to book publishing and work I had long dreamed of doing. For five years I was an acquisitions editor at Algonquin Books and edited some of the company's most successful, bestselling books in both fiction and nonfiction. I began freelance editing (and writing) in 2002, and during the ensuing decade I edited many books of fiction and nonfiction for trade publishers, academic publishers, agents, and individual authors. I edited New York Times bestselling novels published by Warner, Grand Central, and Thomas Nelson. In addition to fiction, I've worked with authors and publishers on books of journalism, history, science, art, and music. For five years I was the director of the writing program at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, where I taught editing, publishing, and writing for undergraduates and graduate students. I've been a visiting professor in creative writing at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and I continue to teach and host writing workshops.
I'm also a contributing writer and contributing editor at Harper's Magazine and The Oxford American magazine, and a writer for the Huffington Post Highline, the Virginia Quarterly Review, Men's Health, and other magazines. Writing has complemented my editing career by giving me an intimate experience of the writer's struggles. This experience has forced me to develop empathy and patience to go with clear-eyed, exacting editing.
I dive deep into manuscripts and ignore nothing. I don't take shortcuts, and every mark or comment I make on a manuscript has been carefully written for that book. I think the author's own intentions for a book are the most important criteria for an editor.
I think grammar and usage are exceedingly important, requiring a different kind of attention from the editor. I edit even the finest, smallest detail if I think working on it will help the writer to say what they want to say.
I work quickly. I respond to messages promptly. I do what I say I'm going to do and I'm always on time. I love to hear from my authors and will always make time to talk. I think that being an editor also means having a sympathetic ear and a willingness to help authors navigate the publishing world without losing their minds.
Services
Non-Fiction
Fiction
Languages
Awards
- Notable Selection, Best American Essays, "The Meat Horses of Siberia"
Certifications
- Master of Science in Journalism, Northwestern University
- Master of Fine Arts, fiction, Bennington College
- Bachelor of Arts, history, Cornell University
- Certificate in Copyediting, U.C. Berkeley
Work experience
CraftBook Editorial
• More than 1 million books in print. New York Times bestsellers: The Widow of the South, A Separate Country, The Orphan Mother
• I work with authors to develop their ideas into publishable books and manuscripts, often through many drafts.
• As a developmental editor, I edit manuscripts and proposals for structure, clarity, style, mechanics, and flow. I am also a line editor and copy editor. (Often all the kinds of editing come into play on the same project.)
• I help authors and would-be authors through the process of publication, from book/article proposal through publication and beyond, and into content marketing, book trailers, and networking. My editing specialities include fiction (literary, historical, crime), American history, 18th-20th century world literature, literary criticism, true crime, religions, political science, sports performance, biological sciences and natural history.
Harper's Magazine
• Reported and wrote longform works of narrative nonfiction on a variety of emerging regional and global issues, including the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, termites, and Latinx immigration into the American South.
Algonquin Books
• Nearly 1 million books in print under the Algonquin imprint. Acquired, developed, and edited works of fiction, nonfiction, and photography, including national bestsellers (Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv; Gap Creek and Brave Enemies, by Robert Morgan; Godforsaken Sea by Derek Lundy).
• Built working relationships around the country with agencies, academic institutions, and publications in the search for new authors
• Developed expertise in developmental editing, long-term project development, line editing, copy editing, and book promotion
Portfolio
Duncan has 55 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
Samantha L.
Oct, 2023
Pinned
Tim A.
Aug, 2023
Pinned
Staley K.
Dec, 2021
Pinned
Justin J.
Dec, 2024
Shaun R.
Dec, 2024
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