Hugh Barker - Editor
I'm an enthusiastic, honest writer/editor/publisher with decades of experience. I love editing all kinds of non-fiction, fiction and memoir.
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Overview
I'm an editor and writer, with many years of experience as a commissioning editor and publishing director at companies including Constable & Robinson, Michael O'Mara and (as author) Faber, W.W. Norton, Bloomsbury, Ebury and Atlantic. I have worked on a wide variety of subjects including art, history, mathematics, science, philosophy and most other areas, as well as fiction, memoir, crime, philosophy, humour and gift books. I also have experience in the sales & marketing departments of several publishers, so understand their mindset, and have worked as an author and ghostwriter, having written over 20 books (under my own name and pseudonyms). I do my best to take every manuscript and improve it as much as I can, in whatever way I think is necessary. I will always go the extra mile to deliver a great job.
I understand where you are coming from as a writer; I will be direct and honest with you, and aim to deliver the best result I can.
I understand where you are coming from as a writer; I will be direct and honest with you, and aim to deliver the best result I can.
Services
Languages
English (UK)
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Management
Health & Wellbeing
Humanities & Social Sciences
Math & Science
Fiction
Literary Fiction
Mystery & Crime
Romance
Work experience
Freelance writing, book creation and editing
Self-employed
April, 2016
–
Present
(almost 7 years)
I write books for several major publishers including Penguin and Hachette. My past publishers have included Constable, Faber, Bloomsbury and W.W.Norton. I also work regularly as a freelancer for publishers around the UK and the US, as well as taking on a wide variety of jobs via Reedsy, which I find endlessly enjoyable and fascinating. In addition, I contribute book reviews to a UK magazine.
Publishing Director
Michael O'Mara
April, 2014
–
August, 2016
(over 2 years)
As publishing director, I oversaw all the firm's editors and was fully responsible for the non-fiction lists. This deepened my knowledge of how the editing process works, at all levels, and how to make a book successful.
Commissioning Editor
Constable & Robinson
January, 2004
–
April, 2014
(about 10 years)
I had a variety of roles, starting in the sales department, then commissioning and acquiring hundreds of books, including both fiction and non-fiction, and ending up as a commissioning editor. I had numerous bestsellers, and brought in successful authors in numerous genres.
Sales Manager
Quarto
January, 2001
–
January, 2004
(about 3 years)
This was my first job in publishing, although I previously worked as a proof-reader and in bookshops for several years. It was useful as a starter experience in understanding how publishing works, and what readers and publishers are looking for.
Portfolio (15 selected works)
This is the story of how Britishhedgerows contribute to our national identity and our wildlife. Overthe centuries we have proved ourselves to be a nation of hedge growers,marking boundaries or trimming them into fantastical creations. Fromformal garden features to emphatically rustic barriers, Hugh exploresour hedges in all their diversity.Hedge Britannia offers a wittyinsight into the history... read more
Faking It: The Quest for Authenticity in Popular Music
Hugh Barker, Yuval Taylor
Musicians strive to “keep it real”; listeners condemn “fakes”; ... but does great music really need to be authentic? Did Elvis sing from the heart, or was he just acting? Were the Sex Pistols more real than disco? Why do so many musicians base their approach on being authentic, and why do music buffs fall for it every time? By investigating this obsession in the last century through the storie... read more
This Book Will Send You to Sleep
Professor K. McCoy, Dr Hardwick
The world of business books is a curious place where one can find everyone from great businesspeople like Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, to the most spectacular business failures such as Enron and the sub-prime business market. There are geniuses, hard workers, academics and entrepreneurs as well a few charlatans and hucksters. There's even room for Donald Trump., The 70 titles cove... read more
Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops
Jen Campbell
'Can books conduct electricity?''My children are just climbing your bookshelves: that's ok... isn't it?' A John Cleese Twitter question ['What is your pet peeve?'], first sparked the "Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops" blog, which grew over three years into one bookseller's collection of ridiculous conversations on the shop floor. From 'Did Beatrix Potter ever write a book about dinosaur... read more
We're Going on a Bar Hunt: A Parody
Emlyn Rees, Josie Lloyd
We're going on a bar hunt.We're going to find a cool one.The babysitter's booked.We're not old!Bestselling authors Emlyn Rees and Josie Lloyd also happen to be parents, so they understand the complications of organising a rare night out. In this parody of the famous children's book, two parents set off for a night on the tiles, and encounter a series of watering holes and bars before an alarmi... read more
Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey
Nicola Tallis
The Bookshop That Floated Away
Sarah Henshaw
Bookshop That Floated Away
Create Your Own Universe
Greg McLeod, Myles McLeod
If you have ever wanted to create a comic, graphic novel, animation, film, television series, or even a book, then Create Your Own Universe is here to help you get started. A fun, imaginative and interactive guide to creating your own characters and worlds, this is a great starting point for producing your own stories.Be inspired and collect information on all your characters, locations and ba... read more
Take Care, Son: The Story of My Dad and his Dementia
Tony Husband
Elementary: The Periodic Table Explained
Russell, James M.
Hugh has 193 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Hugh provided me, a first-time writer, with constructive comments. I learned a few things and am glad he reviewed it for me.
Thank you
S neu, March 2023
We are satisfied with his work.
Masahiko Iwashita, March 2023
Again, it has been a privilege to have my work edited by a writer I admire greatly. Hugh’s work on 'Authenticity in Popular Music' and 'Segregation blues' has left a lasting impression on me. Submitting my heart and soul on a page to someone I admire for his skill in seeing beyond the phony to the “unselfconscious and spontaneous message” has been scary stuff but it was just what I needed – to ...
Read more
Carol Ballard, March 2023
Review is not posted so far. The draft is just a few lines.
Adrian Barbu, March 2023
Clear communication, great feedback and useful suggestions. As a bonus, I now know the difference between likely and probably!
Mark de Jong, February 2023
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