Josh Raab - Editor
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Experienced, passionate, and versatile non-fiction/fiction editor. Clients include Al Gore, Garth Brooks, Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket).
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Verified identity
Overview
Hello! I'm Josh. I graduated from New York University with a degree in English Literature and a minor in Philosophy. I was put on this planet to edit.
After working at Random House Publishers, I started my own literary press called tNY Press which ran for 5 years. As editor-in-chief, I worked with over 800 writers, edited 25 books, and published or workshopped over 1,500 short stories and essays.
As an editor and producer at Melcher Media in New York City, I was responsible for book projects for the likes of Former Vice President Al Gore, country music superstar Garth Brooks, Netflix, Neil Patrick Harris, King Tutankhamun exhibits, and more.
As a freelancer, I have worked for writers, business people, and artists from around the world. You can expect heavy edits with well-reasoned comments, and tons of dialogue. I find the more I communicate with my clients, the more I understand their goals and can help steer them in the right direction.
I will weed your work of redundancy, cliché, and verbosity that can weigh writing down. I also have a good eye for organization and can recommend new ordering, titling, and formatting which will help the book flow more easily. Fact-checking non-fiction comes with the job as well; if you quote statistics or studies, I will make sure there are correct citations. Once I'm done, you will have a clean, modern, engaging manuscript.
While developmental and line editing is my forté, I'm interested and able to take on full-suite publishing jobs to help you design, publish, and market your book, whether that be for self-publishing or through the proposal process with an established publisher.
Looking forward to talking!
After working at Random House Publishers, I started my own literary press called tNY Press which ran for 5 years. As editor-in-chief, I worked with over 800 writers, edited 25 books, and published or workshopped over 1,500 short stories and essays.
As an editor and producer at Melcher Media in New York City, I was responsible for book projects for the likes of Former Vice President Al Gore, country music superstar Garth Brooks, Netflix, Neil Patrick Harris, King Tutankhamun exhibits, and more.
As a freelancer, I have worked for writers, business people, and artists from around the world. You can expect heavy edits with well-reasoned comments, and tons of dialogue. I find the more I communicate with my clients, the more I understand their goals and can help steer them in the right direction.
I will weed your work of redundancy, cliché, and verbosity that can weigh writing down. I also have a good eye for organization and can recommend new ordering, titling, and formatting which will help the book flow more easily. Fact-checking non-fiction comes with the job as well; if you quote statistics or studies, I will make sure there are correct citations. Once I'm done, you will have a clean, modern, engaging manuscript.
While developmental and line editing is my forté, I'm interested and able to take on full-suite publishing jobs to help you design, publish, and market your book, whether that be for self-publishing or through the proposal process with an established publisher.
Looking forward to talking!
Languages
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Management
Politics & Current Affairs
Psychology
Self-help & Self-improvement
Sex & Relationships
Social & Behavioral Sciences
Technology
Work experience
Editor & Producer
Melcher Media
February, 2017
–
September, 2018
(over 1 year)
Project lead on highly-designed, illustrated books for celebrities and media companies. My accounts include Al Gore, Garth Brooks, Apple, Netflix, and more, and my books have over 2 million copies in print.
Responsibilities include overseeing every step of the publishing process: project management and client liaison; acquisitions and proposals; creative direction and design management; editorial oversight and manuscript creation; team building (freelancer on-boarding); photoshoot production; image rights; production, printing, and fulfillment; and marketing and publicity consultation.
Editor / Creative Director
Self-employed
August, 2018
–
Present
(about 1 year)
Dramaturg & Print Marketing Manager
The Industry L.A.
February, 2015
–
September, 2016
(over 1 year)
I helped produce Los Angeles' most ambitious opera ever, HOPSCOTCH. A cast of 120+, for 1.5 months, in a fleet of 24 limousines, all being live streamed back to a temporary structure with 24 viewing screens. I found the writing talent and managed the writing process, I oversaw the branding and design (from merchandise to a comprehensive paperback book), managed the social media, printing, publicity, and more.
The show received rave reviews in The New Yorker, Wired, Fast Co.Create, The New York Times, The LA Times, California Sunday, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and more. See less
Editor-in-Chief
Self-employed
August, 2011
–
July, 2016
(almost 5 years)
I started tNY.Press (formerly theNewerYork) to build a stage for modern storytellers. We publish literature in print in a literary magazine and single-author books, and online on. We have published over 1500 stories by 800+ writers. We are also a creative design firm fashioning books and print design for individuals and organizations. Experimental workshops and readings every month. Originally funded on Kickstarter.com.
Enhanced e-Book Producer
Penguin Random House Publishers
January, 2010
–
August, 2011
(over 1 year)
Managed the enhanced ebook edition of How to Life Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu. Gave seminar(s) to editorial and production at Knopf and Vintage on the future of the publishing industry.
Portfolio (17 selected works)
A New York Times bestseller!The follow up to the #1 New York Times bestselling An Inconvenient Truth and companion to Vice President Al Gore’s new documentary, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, this new book is a daring call to action. It exposes the reality of how humankind has aided in the destruction of our planet and delivers hope through groundbreaking information on what you can do... read more
The Anthology Part 1 Limited Edition
Garth Brooks
The first five years were filled with high adventure, with dreams coming true, with new friendships beginning and old friendships growing. Most of all, though, the years were filled with music being made. We thought about songs night and day, chased the things. I was surrounded by songwriters, musicians, producers, engineers, managers, by people who lived to make music, and we got to see the w... read more
This mysterious illustrated tie-in to Netflix's award-winning A Series of Unfortunate Events--featuring an introduction by Count Olaf's legal representative, Neil Patrick Harris--shares insider secrets about the Baudelaire family and the making of the show. In every library there is a single book that can answer the question that burns like a fire in the mind...In this collector's companion yo... read more
Cheaper Easier Direct: How to Disrupt the Marketplace and Create Your Own E-Commerce Empire
Chad Rubin, Frank Turner
In the last few years, direct-to-consumer e-commerce companies have invaded the marketplace and our daily lives. Dinner? Blue Apron. Plans tonight? Netflix. Need new glasses? Warby Parker. Five o'clock shadow? Dollar Shave Club. It's never been a better time to start your own direct-to-consumer enterprise and there are innumerable tired industries waiting for you to disrupt them. In Cheaper Ea... read more
Do you feel separate or disconnected? Are you tired of your frantic, busy lifestyle? When is the last time you felt truly alive, and filled with the joy of being?This unique and uplifting book will show you how you can liberate yourself from a hectic, unfulfilling life by creating and then deepening quality connections with your Body, your True Self, Others in your life and with Spirit. You wi... read more
theNewerYork Book III (theNewerYork)
Josh Raab, Shane Jesse Christmass, Bryce A. Christopherson, Alex Cocotas, Jeremy Blachman, Steve Vermillion, Christine Gosnay, Heiko Julien, Charles Holdefer, Jane Huffman
This is a collection of experimental short-fiction. The stories are beautifully designed and paired with art. The contributors come from all over the world. Artists throughout the ages, from Dali to Proust, have taken their talents to exposing time; here is theNewerYork's attempt. The stories in this collection in one way or another, deal with loss, youth, death, joy, tradition, technology, an... read more
Selfies, sexbots, and drones collide in these interwoven nanofictions about a society before, during, and after its collapse. With dazzling humor and insight, debut author S. Kay reveals a future that looks disconcertingly like the present. Beautifully illustrated by Thoka Maer, Reliant is a bold examination of society’s unrequited love for technology.Available October 2015
Studies in Hybrid Morphology
Matt Tompkins
A man with lobster claws for hands. A woman who grows a blanket of feathers. A talking cow. A baby born from an egg. A hu-manatee. Modeled after a scientific journal, complete with abstracts and endnotes, Studies in Hybrid Morphology includes more than a dozen surreal stories exploring the intersections of human and animal, head and heart, science and fiction.The strange characters who populat... read more
Small Creatures / Wide Field
John Mortara
This is an exciting and beautiful interactive story. Twitter length stories leave you with two options to continue. Jump around this colorful story. One story called "Invade" runs throughout the book, but you'll also find yourself on rickety bridges, in abusive relationships, analyzing literature with dragons, and printing some pages to fold into paper airplanes. This is a very American book. ... read more
The Inevitable June
Bob Schofield
Is it June yet? Somewhere between prose and poetry and a graphic-novel, The Inevitable June is the story of your mind: a room with no doors, where the lights are always on. It is a surreal flash-fiction for every day in June. It is your imagination with teeth. A vicious moonshine of unforgettable words and illustrations. There's a black octopus in the sky, you're on a horse made of light bulbs... read more
What drove Americans to vote for Donald Trump – a racist and misogynist crook? And why are authoritarians like Trump, Putin, and Erdogan on the rise worldwide? Economic discontent, created by automation and globalization, has created a new underclass fearful of its future. But exactly what makes voters act so violently and unpredictably? Why don’t politicians have the answers, and economists a... read more
PTA - Tales of a Physical Therapist Assistant
Wade Ballance
What do My Cousin Vinny, The Goat Man and voodoo ceremonies in the deep south have in common? They represent only a few of the interesting people and adventures had by Wade Ballance in his Physical Therapy career. From large city hospitals, to a ten bed hospital in a small town, to a massive catholic monastery, Wade has treated a colorful mix of patients throughout the south. Memorable patient... read more
The Grind: How to Start, Grow, Maintain, & Earn More Money
Jeffrey Johnston
Have you ever thought about starting your own Twitch stream? Are you having a hard time taking your Twitch stream to the next level? If so, look no further! This book is the complete no-bull guide on what it takes to truly be successful in the industry. After reading this book, you'll be leagues ahead of the competition, giving you the tools you need to go from Twitch dreamer to successful Twi... read more
This book will be the most valuable tool at your barber station. If you want to learn how to perfect your barbering skills, offer a world-class client experience, and get your name out there in a big way, this is the book for you. In The Rich Barber Method, Chuka Torres, also known as Chuka the Barber-and founder of The Rich Barber Company-offers a complete game plan for new and experienced ba... read more
Where the Money Lies: A Non-Partisan Guide to Trump Economics by Max AndersonMaking an informed decision before casting a vote has never been harder. Complicated issues are oversimplified and delivered as tweets and sound bites. News is more fragmented and more partisan, sources of information are more opaque (sometimes even turning out to be our foreign adversaries), and networks increasingly... read more
The Anthology, Part III: Live
Garth Brooks
Go inside the electric world of Garth Brooks LIVE. From the first on-stage appearance in college to headlining his own record breaking tours and worldwide stardom. Includes behind the scene stories, insider secrets, interviews with band and crew. Five CDs with 52 Live Recordings including Triple Live, the soundtrack of the record breaking world tour. 100 behind-the-scenes and performance photo... read more
Stalker Poison: A Safety Guide for Women Experiencing Domestic Violence and Stalking
Shaun Edward Sundahl
IF YOU ARE TIRED OF BEING STALKED OR PHYSICALLY ABUSED BY YOUR PARTNER OR EX-PARTNER, HERE ARE 7 REASONS YOU SHOULD READ STALKER POISON IMMEDIATELY!#1 - DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS EDITED THIS BOOK - We actively sought and recruited several editors who had firsthand experience with intimate partner violence (IPV) or indirectly through family members as they grew up, all of whom were Subject Ma... read more
Josh has 6 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Working with Josh was great! He communicated to me when he'd be available, and when he wouldn't be which really helped.
He's quite professional with a keen eye for everything from plot to sentence structure, and grammar. You know a freelancer is good, and cares when they continue to work with you after the deadline, or are willing to clarify something after the fact, and Josh is one of those....
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Patrick Bourbeau, October 2019
Josh is a fountain of knowledge!
I would highly recommend working with him.
I hope to work with him again!
Before I found Josh I was working with a developmental editor from the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), but they were massively expensive and were quick to strip my voice out of the project. It didn't take long for me to realize that I needed to find a new editor, and whoever I ...
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Kiara Robles, August 2019
great editor, easy to communicate with and friendly.
Amine Rahal, July 2019
Reply from Josh Raab
Josh is a great partner as he gives great ideas and understands the process in the getting a book done and to print. I would recommend him if you are looking for a partner to finish your book.
brian garbutt, June 2019
Quick turn around and some useful feedback.
David Bell, December 2018
Reply from Josh Raab
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