James Attlee – Editor

Being an author who also works in publishing is a bit like being a doctor when you have a disease: you know what everybody should be doing but you don't want to be that awkward author/patient that makes a fuss and spoils their day— at least that’s how I've felt on more than one occasion! However, the experience I've gained through 20 years in the industry while also pursuing a writing career has put me in a good position to diagnose both what you need in terms of support as an author and what your manuscript requires in order to find a publisher.

I specialise in non-fiction, particularly art, travel, history, music and memoir. As a developmental editor I get great satisfaction from seeing a project that was previously in difficulties reach the finish line. Having been edited myself, I know how important it is to gain a relationship of trust with the author I'm working with, built on the right combination of affirmation, insight and straight-talking when needed.

Books I have worked on include 'The Art Museum in Modern Times' by Charles Saumarez Smith ("lively, informative... a good read", The New Criterion)

'Voyaging Out: British Women Artists from Suffrage to the Sixties', by Carolyn Trant ("Diligent, detailed and full of surprises", The Observer)

'Taming the Four Horsemen' by Robin Hanbury Tenison ("This is a fabulous book: it's like pumping a mountain stream through your head", Tim Smit, co-founder of The Eden Project)

'Today South London, Tomorrow South London' by Andrew Grumbridge and Vince Raison ("The ultimate reprobate's guide to God's own side of the river— your liver may never be the same again... Wonderful". Jenny Eclair)

My own books include 'Isolarion: A Different Oxford Journey' ("James had me purring from the word go... Unique and very special", Geoff Dyer in The Guardian); 'Nocturne: A Journey in Search of Moonlight' ("Charming, spellbinding, an inspiration", The New York Times); Station to Station (All human life is here, one ghost interweaving with another.’ Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday); Guernica: Painting the End of the World ("An impressive overview", The Sunday Times) and Under the Rainbow: Voices from Lockdown ("Full of warmth, wit and eloquence", Alexandra Harris)