Emily Yau - Editor
A Bookseller Rising Star and commercial fiction editor with ten years editing experience at Penguin Random House, Hachette and HarperCollins
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Overview
I love working with authors, helping them reach their vision and make their book shine. I can be as hands on as needed, from identifying the problem areas and suggesting solutions, to in-depth line edits. I'm passionate about finding the gold in a story and bringing it to the fore, whilst remaining sensitive to an author's voice and style. As a copyeditor and proofreader, I am incredibly meticulous with a high attention to detail.
My main areas of expertise are women's fiction, crime/thrillers and, having worked at Del Rey, science fiction and fantasy. I've worked on a small number of literary novels and non fiction and I'm keen to do more.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
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See what authors are saying about my previous edits:
"I couldn't have asked for a better editor than Emily. She has a fantastic eye for exactly those tricky problems that are hard for a writer to spot in their own work. Her feedback was always honest but sensitive." Beth O'Leary, author of The Flatshare
"There are many reasons why Emily is brilliant editor. She is calm, focussed and objective, and the feeling I had when working with her was that she was my guide rather than my judge. She never pushed me in one direction or another, just lent me fresh perspectives." Adrian J Walker, author of The End of the World Running Club
My main areas of expertise are women's fiction, crime/thrillers and, having worked at Del Rey, science fiction and fantasy. I've worked on a small number of literary novels and non fiction and I'm keen to do more.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
-
See what authors are saying about my previous edits:
"I couldn't have asked for a better editor than Emily. She has a fantastic eye for exactly those tricky problems that are hard for a writer to spot in their own work. Her feedback was always honest but sensitive." Beth O'Leary, author of The Flatshare
"There are many reasons why Emily is brilliant editor. She is calm, focussed and objective, and the feeling I had when working with her was that she was my guide rather than my judge. She never pushed me in one direction or another, just lent me fresh perspectives." Adrian J Walker, author of The End of the World Running Club
Languages
English (AUS)
English (CAN)
English (NZ)
English (UK)
English (US)
Fiction
Dystopian
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Mystery & Crime
Romance
Science Fiction
Thriller & Suspense
Women's Fiction
Certifications
- Proofreading - Publishing Training Centre
- Copy-editing - Publishing Training Centre
- Working with Authors - Publishing Training Centre
Awards
- Bookseller Rising Star 2017
Work experience
Editorial Director
Quercus (Hachette UK)
August, 2017
–
December, 2018
(over 1 year)
I commission and publish my own list of fiction across all commercial genres: largely crime/thriller, women's fiction, up-lit and historical. Books I have worked on include The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, Darling Blue by Tracy Rees and The Last Thing She Told Me by Linda Green.
Commissioning Editor
Ebury & Del Rey (Penguin Random House)
March, 2012
–
August, 2017
(over 5 years)
I commissioned and published commercial fiction novels, including The One by John Marrs and Final Girls by Riley Sager. I also worked with authors such as Andy Weir, Caitlin Moran and Rowan Coleman.
Departmental Co-ordinator
Orion Publishing (Hachette UK)
September, 2011
–
March, 2012
(6 months)
Working in the paperbacks division, I checked and proofread ebooks.
Editorial Trainee
Avon (HarperCollins)
September, 2010
–
September, 2011
(about 1 year)
I spent most of my time here managing and collating proofreading jobs as well as some development and line editing. Here, I worked with authors such as Miranda Dickinson and Jaishree Misra.
Portfolio (22 selected works)
Final Girls: A Novel
Riley Sager
THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE 2018 INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS AWARD FOR BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL“The first great thriller of 2017 is here: Final Girls, by Riley Sager. If you liked Gone Girl, you’ll like this.”—Stephen King Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale m... read more
The End of the World Running Club
Adrian J. Walker
The #1 International Bestseller!A Science Fiction & Fantasy Book to Keep on Your Radar by io9 and GizmodoA powerful post-apocalyptic thriller, perfect for fans of The Martian. When the sky begins to fall, one man finds himself separated from his family, his best hope is to run―or risk losing what he loves forever. When the world ends and you find yourself stranded on the wrong side of the coun... read more
The Last Dog on Earth
Adrian J. Walker
"A real find." ―STEPHEN KING on The End of the World Running Club Every dog has its day...And for Lineker, a happy go lucky mongrel from London, the day his city falls is finally a chance for adventure. Too bad his master Reg plans to hide himself away from the riots outside...But when an abandoned child shows up looking for help, Reg and his trusty hound must brave the chaos in a journey that... read more
The One
John Marrs
A no 1 amazon bestseller and featured on Simon Mayo's Radio 2 book club"Wonderful conceit, ridiculously entertaining ... an absolute pleasure" T. A Cotterell, author of What Alice Knew How far would you go to find THE ONE?One simple mouth swab is all it takes., A quick DNA test to find your perfect partner - the one you're genetically made for. A decade after scientists discover everyone has a... read more
The Flatshare: A Novel
Beth O'Leary
Tiffy and Leon share an apartment. Tiffy and Leon have never met.After a bad breakup, Tiffy Moore needs a place to live. Fast. And cheap. But the apartments in her budget have her wondering if astonishingly colored mold on the walls counts as art.Desperation makes her open minded, so she answers an ad for a flatshare. Leon, a night shift worker, will take the apartment during the day, and Tiff... read more
Fromage à Trois: Paris. Love. Cheese.
Victoria Brownlee
Meet Ella, on the brink of turning 30 and full of regret for a life only half lived. In a haze of heartbreak after splitting up with the man she thought she was going to marry, she makes the only decision that seems rational and buys a one-way ticket to Paris, embarking on a pilgrimage of food, wine, and joie de vivre. After arriving, Ella struggles to grasp the nuances of French manners and f... read more
The Lost Boys
Lilian Carmine
Fate has brought them together. But will it also keep them apart? Having moved to a strange town, seventeen-year-old Joey Gray is feeling a little lost, until she meets a cute, mysterious boy near her new home.But there’s a very good reason why Tristan Halloway is always to be found roaming in the local graveyard... Perfect for fans of Stephenie Meyer and Lauren Kate, The Lost Boys is a magica... read more
FOR BETTER OR CURSE. That might as well have been the wedding vow of Elle Chance and her new husband, the ex-Warlock Hugh Marsh in the second book of this edgy new series that transforms elements of urban fantasy, historical adventure, and paranormal romance into storytelling magic. As Elle devotes herself to her duties as the Oracle—who alone has the power to keep the dark designs of Shadow a... read more
OPRAH WINFREY'S BOOK CLUB SUMMER 2018 SELECTION**THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**'Both [Nelson Mandela and Ray Hinton] emerged from their incarceration with a profound capacity to forgive...The Sun Does Shine is amazing and heartwarming' Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate'This incredibly moving chronicle...is one staggering revelation after another...' IndependentAnthony Ray Hinton was po... read more
From the MILLION copy bestselling author Even the deepest buried secrets can find their way to the surface...Moments before she dies, Nicola's grandmother Betty whispers to her that there are babies at the bottom of the garden. Nicola's mother claims she was talking nonsense. However, when Nicola's daughter finds a bone while playing in Betty's garden, it's clear that something sinister has ta... read more
A sweeping tale of love in the 1920s and a powerful story of reinvention, Darling Blue is a simply gorgeous read...Blue lives a charmed life. From her family's townhouse in Richmond, she lives a life of luxury and couldn't want for anything - well, on the surface at least. Then on the night of her twenty-first birthday her father makes a startling toast: he will give his daughter's hand to whi... read more
The Flatshare
Beth O'Leary
Tiffy and Leon share a flatTiffy and Leon share a bedTiffy and Leon have never met...'I finished The Flatshare in one sitting - it is, as promised, incredibly uplifting and joyous. I spent the last few hours with a massive smile on my face. I have fallen head over heels in love with Tiffy and Leon, and indeed with this book.' Louise O NeillTiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey ... read more
The Vets at Hope Green
Sheila Norton
A heart-warming and inspiring story about living the simple life, which readers are already likening to All Creatures Great and Small, 'like a Sunday Night ITV drama''Like a plate of hot-buttered crumpets and a mug of tea - warm, comforting and utterly delightful!'Annie Lyons (author of The Choir on Hope Street)Sam has always dreamed of working with animals...But her receptionist job in a Lond... read more
What do you do when you lose everything?After the tragic death of her boyfriend, Hannah Clitheroe is hiding away from the world. But when she discovers she's inherited a house in Cornwall, she knows it's time to face reality. Her estranged grandmother lived in Kernow House for years, but Hannah soon realises someone else thinks it's rightfully theirs: Raphael Tregar, a difficult man who quickl... read more
Destined to a life of poverty, this little girl has bigger plans in life...After the death of her father in a mining accident, Megan and her family had no choice but to move to the local workhouse. Separated from her mother and five siblings, young Megan must learn how to stand on her own two feet. But one day she meets a young boy who's stealing apples from the local market and together, they... read more
It was a victimless crime... Estate Agent Clara is struggling to make a sale. With her abusive ex-husband on the brink of finding where she's hiding, she needs to make a commission soon or lose her chance to escape. Boleskine House on the shores of Loch Ness has remained unsold for years, and Clara is sure that an 'innocent' fire will force the price down. But the perfect crime soon turns into... read more
Who needs love when you can eat cheese?Heartbroken and on the cusp of turning 30, Ella decides to pack her bags and move to Paris, somewhere she had visited when she was a different, more adventurous person. It's on the streets of beautiful, romantic Paris that she finds her heart's true desire: cheese. And with the help of Serge, the owner of the local fromagerie, she sets herself a challenge... read more
'Brilliantly funny. Best book I've read in a long time!' Amazon reviewer on Just Haven't Met You Yet! Life isn't turning out quite how Annie expected. In her twenties, she had a dream job, an amazing social life and bags of confidence. Now, she's living with her boyfriend Luke and is a stay-at-home mum to their baby daughter. The promising career has petered out, and along with it, her confide... read more
A feelgood laugh-out-loud romantic comedy to read on the beach this summer Tess Parks has made up her mind: love isn’t for her.When it comes to dating she has one rule: after six weeks with a guy, she ends it. So when her heartbroken best friend invites her for a girly getaway in Corfu, Tess is sure she can stick to their pact to stay single for the summer. But then she meets the gorgeous rest... read more
Be bold. Be brave. Be Viking...The uplifting, laugh out loud debut novel from the bestselling author of THE YEAR OF LIVING DANISHLYFrazzled mum Alice Ray likes to think she’s on top everything – she has FOUR bags-for-life in the boot of her car for heaven's sake. But after spectacularly embarrassing herself at work, she finally gives in to her sister’s pleas to take a much needed break.But thi... read more
Dark Touch
Debbie Johnson
It’s not easy finding out you’re a Goddess. For Lily McCain, the move from local music journalist to being the incarnation of Mabe, Mother of Mortals was a surprise to say the least.Thrust into a game of gods and monsters, the rules of which she barely knows, one thing is clear: if you have power, someone will try to take it from you.A Daily Express magazine 'Must Read!'Debbie Johnson is also ... read more
Cataveiro (The Osiris Project Book 2)
E. J. Swift
A shipwreck. And one lone survivor.For political exile Taeo Ybanez, this could be his ticket home. Relations between the Antarcticans and the Patagonians are worse than ever, and to be caught on the wrong side could prove deadly.For pilot and cartographer Ramona Callejas, the presence of the mysterious stranger is one more thing in the way of her saving her mother from a deadly disease.All roa... read more
Emily has 29 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Emily has been a delight to work with - we fit into each other's schedules and she delivered exactly what I wanted. I am now in the process of amending my ms using her notes and upgrading my product as I go. I can't recommend Emily enough!
Tannis Laidlaw, April 2021
Reply from Emily Yau
Emily was absolutely fantastic to work with! She was extremely communicative, punctual with deadlines, and flexible (I’m in NYC, and she in the UK, which wasn’t an issue)! She went far and away above my expectations, adopting my story as if it was her own and continuing my vision. Highly recommend!
Zachary Shapiro, April 2021
Reply from Emily Yau
It as an absolute pleasure working with Emily. She was able to help turn my rambling query letter into something far more succinct and targeted. As I was uncertain what literary agents are looking for in a query, her experience and expertise were invaluable.
Sam Markert, April 2021
Reply from Emily Yau
This was my first time working with an editor. It was a great experience and Emily is someone I will go back to on my next book. Without being prompted, she identified several areas where I was struggling. Many of them reflected the comments of beta readers. Of course, she was able to provide recommendations on how to fix those problem areas, often providing several options. I am very, very...
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John Calia, March 2021
Reply from Emily Yau
Emily was such a star from the moment I got in contact to after she sent the feedback. So lovely to work with, and feedback that was completely on point - the structural edit getting right to the heart of the issues and making the book much better as a result. Line edit was meticulous. Supportive, encouraging, and unbelievably helpful. Would definitely recommend, and would definitely like to wo...
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Becky Hunter, March 2021
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