Gina DeCagna - Editor
Meticulous proofreader & copy editor focusing on poetry, visual art / design / photography, & cookbooks
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Overview
I have worked in both independent literary operations and Big 5 Book publishing, working on the editorial sides of poetry, education, cookbooks, visual art, design, and photography books.
— Need some detail-obsessed, careful eyes to scrutinise and proofread your choices of diction, syntax, or punctuation?
— Need an editorial professional to copy-edit and fact-check all your cookbook recipe lists or photography/illustration captions for accuracy and consistency?
— Need an indexer for your book's back matter and/or checks on your endnotes?
I often pride myself on finding those tricky, tiny mistakes that slip through the cracks. Get your manuscript ready for perfection with the confidence that you've delivered your best product. I'm kind, generous, and enthusiastic to work on any editorial service you need to get your book distinguished on the market.
Former Editorial Services Assistant of HarperCollins Publishers US. The books I've listed below in my profile were proofread by me and published under the Ecco, HarperDesign, Dey Street, and William Morrow imprints of HarperCollins. One favourite career highlight was when I proofread the last manuscript of the great late poet John Ashbery.
— Need some detail-obsessed, careful eyes to scrutinise and proofread your choices of diction, syntax, or punctuation?
— Need an editorial professional to copy-edit and fact-check all your cookbook recipe lists or photography/illustration captions for accuracy and consistency?
— Need an indexer for your book's back matter and/or checks on your endnotes?
I often pride myself on finding those tricky, tiny mistakes that slip through the cracks. Get your manuscript ready for perfection with the confidence that you've delivered your best product. I'm kind, generous, and enthusiastic to work on any editorial service you need to get your book distinguished on the market.
Former Editorial Services Assistant of HarperCollins Publishers US. The books I've listed below in my profile were proofread by me and published under the Ecco, HarperDesign, Dey Street, and William Morrow imprints of HarperCollins. One favourite career highlight was when I proofread the last manuscript of the great late poet John Ashbery.
Services
Languages
English (UK)
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Art
Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits
Design
Photography
Fiction
Literary Fiction
Poetry
Certifications
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English, Creative Writing and Fine Arts, University of Pennsylvania
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Goldsmiths, University of London
Awards
- Meredith Corporation Top Scholarship Award, New York Women in Communications Foundation
Work experience
Editorial Services Assistant
HarperCollins Publishers US, New York, NY
October, 2016
–
November, 2017
(about 1 year)
I proofread and performed editorial checks full-time on both print and digital (eBook) manuscripts for HarperCollins US, the Big 5 Book Publisher headquartered in New York City. I focused on a variety of highly illustrated books and poetry titles from the company's William Morrow, HarperDesign, Dey Street, and Ecco publishing imprints. I developed my intricate proofreading (and production proofing) skills abiding by The Chicago Manual of Style's 17th Edition and imprint-specific style guides, executed with care and nuance at the highest standards of English language and production excellence. Although I loved this position dearly, I left it to move into freelancing with greater scheduling flexibility.
// BOOK TITLES I WORKED ON INCLUDE: John Ashbery’s 'Commotion of the Birds' (published by Ecco, Jan 2017); Joyce Carol Oates’ ‘A Book of American Martyrs’ (published by Ecco, 2017); David Wills' 'Audrey: The 50s' (published by Dey Street Books, 2016); Dan Marshall's 'Tidy Hacks: Handy Hints to Make Life Easier' (published by HarperDesign, 2017); Jamie Lee's 'Weddiculous: An Unfiltered Guide to Being a Bride' (published by HarperOne, 2016); Terry Edwards and George Craig's 'Cooking for Friends' (published by HarperDesign, 2017); Monica Botkier's 'Handbags: A Love Story: Legendary Designs from Azzedine Alaïa to Yves Saint Laurent' (published by HarperDesign, 2017); Justin Kennedy's 'The Scratch and Sniff Guide to Beer' (published by HarperDesign, 2018); Wylie Dufresne and Peter Meehan's 'wd~50: The Cookbook' (published by Anthony Bourdain/Ecco, 2017); Ashok Bajaj and Vikram Sunderam's 'Rasika: Flavors of India' (published by Ecco, 2017); Sarah DiGregorio's 'Adventures in Slow Cooking' (published by William Morrow, 2017); Melissa Ben-Ishay's 'Cakes by Melissa' (published by William Morrow, 2017); Dennis Prescott's 'Eat Delicious' (published by William Morrow, 2017); and Nick Korbee's 'Egg Shop' (published by William Morrow, 2017).
Storytelling Assistant, Marketing & Communications
Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
May, 2015
–
April, 2016
(11 months)
I am very confident editing and writing about contemporary art and design! In this position, I copy-wrote and copy-edited text for this international contemporary art museum's weekly newsletters. I also edited select curatorial and institutional text on contemporary art, featuring the museum's exhibitions, programs, and events. I also developed unique storytelling methods through photography and creative writing on the museum's social media channels, building international audience engagement with increased social media followers.
// ARTISTS' WRITINGS I EDITED AND EXHIBITIONS I WORKED ON INCLUDE: Maren and Ava Hassinger of Matriarch, Virginia Overton, Runo Lagomarsino, Karina Aguilera Skvirsky, and Lisa Tan (via 'Descent,' April 29–August 24, 2016); Rodney McMillian (via 'The Black Show,' February 3–August 14, 2016); Louise Fishman (via 'Paper Louise Tiny Fishman Rock,' April 29–August 14, 2016); Angel Nevarez and Valerie Tevere (February 3–March 27, 2016); Becky Suss (September 16–December 27, 2015); Christopher Knowles (via 'In a Word,' September 16–December 27, 2015); Josephine Pryde (via 'Lapses in Thinking by the Person I Am,' September 16–December 27, 2015); Barbara Kasten (via 'Stages,' February 4–August 16, 2015); Erin Bernard, Heather Hart, Rachelle Mozman, and Akosua Adoma Owusu (via 'Do/Tell,' April 22–August 16, 2015); and Julia Feyrer and Tamara Henderson (via 'Consider the Belvedere,' April 22–August 16, 2015).
Editorial Assistant, Jacket2: Poetry & Poetics Journal
Kelly Writers House, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
August, 2013
–
January, 2016
(over 2 years)
I love working on poetry. In this role, I spent most of my time proofreading dense writings on modern and contemporary poetry and poetics from an international base of contributing writers, adhering to The Chicago Manual of Style's 16th Edition, for Jacket2, a digital journal. I selected, acquired permissions, and edited corresponding photographs for each writing and published new pieces on the journal's online platform.
// AUTHORS, POETS, & CRITICS I PROOFREAD INCLUDE: Dmitry Prigov, Vanessca Place, Eleni Sikelianos, Geof Huth, Gary Barwin, Maggie O'Sullivan, Wystan Curnow, Camille Roy, Michael Cross, Cathy Wagner, John Taggart, John Ashbery, Calvin Bedient, Drew Dillhunt, Eric Hoffman, Robert Manaster, Patrick James Dunagan, Rachel Galvin, Maggie O'Sullivan, Marthe Reed, Courtney Rydel, Fiona Hile, Matt Gagnon, Robert Creeley, Emji Spero, Linda Russo, Anna Vitale, Hank Lazer, Basil King, Eileen Tabios, Leslie Scalapino, John Taggart, Madeline Tiger, Gleize, Maxim Amelin, Angela Rawlings, Joshua Liebowitz, Norman Fischer, Thomas Fink, Adrienne Walser, Laura Carter, Ethel Rackin, Deborah Poe, Laura Carter, Angelo Suárez, and Divya Victor.
Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Executive Director
SYMBIOSIS: The Crossroads of Art and Writing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
August, 2012
–
August, 2016
(about 4 years)
How do you know I love editing unique and original work? For four years, I had dedicated myself to founding, developing, directing, and editing a new print and digital publication, SYMBIOSIS, that featured experimental and curated collaborations between contemporary artists and writers, both students and professionals, based out of the University of Pennsylvania. I oversaw, mobilised, and motivated a 15-person staff of editors, marketers, designers, and administrators, responsible for organising collaborations among dozens of artists and writers each academic semester. I engaged over 400 members of the community across four academic years at the university, also featuring public workshops and gallery exhibitions for creative collaboration and exchange in the visual and literary arts. We won two national editing awards and two university-wide publications awards.
// WRITERS & ARTISTS I EDITED AND CURATED INCLUDE: Jeffrey Yang, Kimo Reder, Deirdre Murphy, Kevin Varrone, Michelle Taransky, Dave Worrell. Pattie McCarthy, Mara Adamitz Scrupe, Christina Cook, Kristina Moriconi, Shaina Gates, Yue Nakayama, Lisa Campeau, Thomas Park, Rashuan Rucker, James Sanders, Nicole Flibbert, Phoebe Low, Sachiko Hamada, Flora Bahri, S Cearley, Syra Ortiz-Blanes, Felipe Gedeon, Connie Yu, Ciara Stein, Tahir Bell, Benjamin Finkel, Ayla Fudala, Phoebe Goldenberg, Caroline Kim, Maura Reilly-Ulmanek, Alec Hill, Ila Kumar, Sara Ramirez, Isaac Silber, Anthony Chen, Hatixhe Kupa, Sam Sherman, Alina Grabowski, Keiwana McKwinney, Christian Hopkins, Elizabeth Doherty, Cristina Serban, Maxwell Bolno, Christine Otis, Yuqian Li, Caroline Cilio, Eric Xu, Reika Yoshino, Erin Peraza, Jamie Han, Adriana Gracia, Nick Moncy, Zola Ray, Nick Defina, Elizabeth Mamourian, Janina Lagemann-Done, James Mueller, Jamie Kent, Tess Paoletta, Xeno Washburne, Heather McMordie, Alexander Rafi, Afuah Frimpong, and Kaily Zitaner.
Portfolio (22 selected works)
Commotion of the Birds
John Ashbery
Civil Twilight
Jeffrey Schultz
Ordinary Beast: Poems
Nicole Sealey
A Book of American Martyrs
Joyce Carol Oates
`The story of Trump's America' Daily Mail Two families. Two faces of America. One violent crime that will bitterly divide them - and yet bind them together forever., `A magnificent story of two broken families' Independent `Page-turning, gripping, full of unexpected twists' Observer `From its dramatic opening, with the killing of an abortionist, the book rockets forwards ... Ingenious, agile, ... read more
The Relive Box and Other Stories
T. C. Boyle
Cooking for Friends: Bring People Together, Enjoy Good Food, and Make Happy Memories
Terry Edwards, George Craig
The Scratch & Sniff Guide to Beer: A Beer Lover's Companion
Justin Kennedy
wd~50: The Cookbook
Wylie Dufresne, Peter Meehan
Rasika: Flavors of India
Ashok Bajaj, Vikram Sunderam, David Hagedorn
Brand New!! Re-check ISBN before Purchase
Cakes by Melissa: Life Is What You Bake It
Melissa Ben-Ishay
Eat Delicious: 125 Recipes for Your Daily Dose of Awesome
Dennis Prescott
Egg Shop: The Cookbook
Nick Korbee
Bianco: Pizza, Pasta and Other Food I Like
Chris Bianco
Tidy Hacks: Handy Hints to Make Life Easier
Dan Marshall
In this sumptuous full-color compendium, award-winning designer Monica Botkier celebrates seventy of the most coveted bags of the past seventy-five years, from Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Hermes, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, and other international couture houses, as well as top bag designers such as Anya Hindmarch and Nancy Gonzalez. Exquisitely crafted luxury handbags are an obsession. The lo... read more
Legendary Authors and the Clothes They Wore
Terry Newman
"The most counterintuitive book of the summer thus far.... [Newman's] surprisingly convincing thesis is that the sartorial choices authors make are deeply connected to the narrative choices they make - or, as Beckett put it, `the fabric of language' they use." -Vanessa Friedman, The New York TimesDiscover the signature sartorial and literary style of fifty men and women of letters, including M... read more
Audrey: The 50s
David Wills
Baddiewinkle's Guide to Life
Baddiewinkle
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