Jo Collins – Editor

Recent clients have included The Golden Egg Academy, Little Tiger Press, Barefoot Books, Artemis & Bear Ltd., The Entertainment Department

I offer a range of freelance editorial services, and work with agents, publishers, writers, and as a mentor at The Golden Egg Academy.

As picture book editor and mentor for The Golden Egg Academy, I co-run their popular Picture Book Programme alongside Barefoot Books co-founder, Tessa Strickland. This is a 12-month course for aspiring picture book writers. We mentor students through one-to-one editorials and a series of workshops, helping them build a portfolio of manuscripts ready to submit to publishers and agents. We have a First Look Deal for our graduates with Andersen Press, and Peters, Fraser + Dunlop Agency.

I also take on writing commissions and am currently writing a series of picture books for The Entertainment Department.

Previous writing credits:

'Sleeping Beauty' illustrated by Kirsti Davidson, Little Tiger Press, UK and Tiger Tales, US, 2019
'Hansel and Gretel' illustrated by Marisa Morea, Little Tiger Press, UK and Tiger Tales, US, 2018
'From Bump to Baby: a Pregnancy Journal', Little Tiger Press, 2017
Original stories in 'Favourite Animal Stories', 'Favourite Bedtime Stories' and 'Favourite Fairy Stories', Little Tiger Press, 2016
'Thank you, Teacher', Thunder Bay Press, US, 2015

Editor of more than 40 new picture books.
Commissioning and working with many acclaimed authors, including amongst others, Sue Mongredien, Claire Freedman, Steve Smallman, and Tracey Corderoy.
Working closely with authors, nurturing texts from initial ideas to finished manuscript.
Project management and scheduling of books.
Concept and development work.
Finding and developing potential authors and new texts.
Negotiating contracts.
Writing novelty picture book titles.
Writing adult gift book titles.

Editorial management of all new titles and backlist reissues for both the UK and the US.
Managing the in-house editorial team and all external freelance designers and copy-editors.
Briefing artists and giving art direction.
Costing all books, and ensuring they kept on schedule and in budget.
Commissioning and producing all audio books and songs.
Attending the Bologna and Frankfurt Book Fairs to assist the foreign rights team and look for new artists.