Overview
Hi there! I'm a highly skilled managing editor, structural and copy editor, proofreader, writer and copywriter with over 20 years' experience in publishing, copywriting and the arts. I'm a creative and flexible thinker who's able to consider problems from different perspectives, and am a whizz at identifying how to help your book be the best it can be. PLEASE NOTE: I'm currently available from March 2020.
A few words from some of the good folk I've worked with ...
'Audrey Thomas and I worked with Karen in 2016 on our book, I Don’t Have Time! published by Exisle. Karen provided the editorial perspective we needed to turn our unpolished draft into a well-paced, engaging read. In every instance, her editorial suggestions elevated the structure and quality of the manuscript. She has a strong grasp on how the overall narrative will flow best, and a keen eye for the detail in the language.
In 2017, we won an award for "Writing Excellence", which is in part due to Karen’s flair with words. Karen happened to be working with us during a period when I was dealt a significant personal trauma. She responded with compassion and thoughtfulness, and went beyond the expected scope of an editor to assist us to meet our book deadline in seemingly impossible circumstances. Her calm strength, clear direction and high professionalism was appreciated enormously, and I wouldn’t hesitate to work with her again, and recommend her work to others.'
—Emma Grey, author of I Don't Have Time! and Unrequited
'I have worked with Karen for a number of years as an editor and a proofreader. In that time she has proven herself to be a thoughtful, thorough and considerate editor and an eagle eye proofreader. She has never missed a deadline and is very reliable. She also has a great sense of humour and is very enjoyable to work with.
I would heartily recommend Karen in any creative capacity.'
—Samantha Miles, Publishing Manager, Finch Publishing
'Karen has expertly edited six of my books over the past ten years and I highly recommend her for a number of reasons. She has a great understanding of editing and she not only improves my work (and spots those pesky mistakes), she also keeps my writing "voice" authentic and consistent as she does not over-edit (change the author’s unique voice). Thank you Karen, you have taught me a lot about editing, style and much more.'
—Karen Fischer, author and owner of Skin Friend Pty Ltd
A few words from some of the good folk I've worked with ...
'Audrey Thomas and I worked with Karen in 2016 on our book, I Don’t Have Time! published by Exisle. Karen provided the editorial perspective we needed to turn our unpolished draft into a well-paced, engaging read. In every instance, her editorial suggestions elevated the structure and quality of the manuscript. She has a strong grasp on how the overall narrative will flow best, and a keen eye for the detail in the language.
In 2017, we won an award for "Writing Excellence", which is in part due to Karen’s flair with words. Karen happened to be working with us during a period when I was dealt a significant personal trauma. She responded with compassion and thoughtfulness, and went beyond the expected scope of an editor to assist us to meet our book deadline in seemingly impossible circumstances. Her calm strength, clear direction and high professionalism was appreciated enormously, and I wouldn’t hesitate to work with her again, and recommend her work to others.'
—Emma Grey, author of I Don't Have Time! and Unrequited
'I have worked with Karen for a number of years as an editor and a proofreader. In that time she has proven herself to be a thoughtful, thorough and considerate editor and an eagle eye proofreader. She has never missed a deadline and is very reliable. She also has a great sense of humour and is very enjoyable to work with.
I would heartily recommend Karen in any creative capacity.'
—Samantha Miles, Publishing Manager, Finch Publishing
'Karen has expertly edited six of my books over the past ten years and I highly recommend her for a number of reasons. She has a great understanding of editing and she not only improves my work (and spots those pesky mistakes), she also keeps my writing "voice" authentic and consistent as she does not over-edit (change the author’s unique voice). Thank you Karen, you have taught me a lot about editing, style and much more.'
—Karen Fischer, author and owner of Skin Friend Pty Ltd
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Health & Wellbeing
Nature
Parenting & Families
Philosophy
Fiction
Literary Fiction
Middle Grade
Plays & Screenplays
Languages
English (AUS)
English (UK)
English (US)
Works with
Wix
Awards
- Macquarie University–Society of Editors Prize for Language, Editing and Writing by Macquarie University Academic Senate
Certifications
- BA (Comms)
- Graduate Cert Editing and publishing
Work experience
Exisle Publishing
Jan, 2016 —
Jan, 2018
(about 2 years)
Project manager/editor of illustrated and non-illustrated non-fiction titles. Manuscript assessment; briefing and managing freelance workers; writing content for digital, print and social media; briefing and liaising with design and production teams, marketing team, external printers; providing input, ideas and direction for internal and cover design, and design for marketing materials; final approval for design; structural editing, copy editing and proofreading; writing back cover blurbs; contributing to the development and maintenance of house style guide.
Self-employed
Jan, 2008 —
Present
Manuscript assessment, project management, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, sub-editing, writing. Clients include Penguin, Murdoch Books, Allen & Unwin, ABC Books, Finch Publishing, Exisle Publishing, WebChild, Octomedia and various private clients.
Allen & Unwin
Jan, 2002 —
Jan, 2008
(about 6 years)
Project manager/editor of illustrated and non-illustrated non-fiction titles. Manuscript assessment; structural editing, copy editing and proofreading; briefing and managing freelance workers; briefing and liaising with design and production teams; providing input, ideas and direction for internal and cover design, and design for marketing materials; writing cover blurbs; organising photo shoots.
Portfolio
Worldwide, the World Health Organization estimates that 346 million people have diabetes, a figure that is expected to double by 2030 without intervention. In this essential resource for any diabetes sufferer, Professor Merlin Thomas from the world-renowned Ba... read more
The Digestive Health Solution takes you on a journey of scientific discovery towards personalized, effective natural solutions for optimal digestive health. Stomach cramps, pain, bloating, gas, diarrhoea and constipation — collectively called irritable bowel s... read more
Worldwide, over 45 million people live with dementia. For every person with dementia, their family and carers face the decision of how best to care for them. Live and Laugh with Dementia is all about how to make life with dementia as positive as possible — to ... read more
This is the essential reference for parents and carers of children with autism. Written by two leading experts in the field, this updated edition covers everything from the causes of autism to how it manifests at the various ages and stages of a child’s life, ... read more
The first book of its kind. Written by a native Pygmy, it tells the fascinating story of how Isaac transformed himself from a hunter-gatherer into a successful businessman and became a Pygmy rightst advocate.
After shaking my hand, Dr Mzimba took hold of both of my wrists and turned them over so that the palms faced upward. As he studied them, they began to tingle. The Peace Corps had given me extensive cross-cultural training, but I didn’t recall anything about gr... read more
Baby Care contains acclaimed advice for parents of newborns from an Australian mothercare/childcare professional awarded an Order of Australia for her services to infant health and the care of mothers and babies.
On 11 September 2001, Australian Yvonne Kennedy boarded American Airlines flight 77 to return to Australia after a US holiday. That day has since been seared into our consciousness. Her flight was hijacked and deliberately crashed into the Pentagon. All passen... read more
Sleep is fundamental to our health and well being. In Sleep Sense, international sleep expert Dr. Katharina Lederle draws on the latest research to explore how sleep is connected to each of the three pillars of successful living: physical health, cognitive per... read more
Working Mums: Stories by real women on how they manage children, work and life is a collection of empowering stories that will make working mums everywhere laugh in sympathy and nod in recognition. The stories are from Australian mums doing a range of work in ... read more
He's met all the movers and shakers. And sometimes Derryn Hinch has moved and even shaken some of them. How did Malcolm Fraser really lose his trousers in Memphis? And what happened with Raquel Welch at the Logies? In this book - covering 50 years in the busin... read more
Mindfulness is increasingly being used in educational environments as a proven way to help students:• learn more effectively• develop personally• enhance their physical and emotional health, and• deal with study and exam-related demands.Written by two leading ... read more
Stand-up comedians Mandy Nolan and Ellen Briggs have joined forces to bring you a laugh-out-loud collection of stories that examine what it means to be a woman in today’s social media-dominated world. Hint: it ain’t always easy. Thanks to biology, ageing and t... read more
More than 90 percent of eczema sufferers are sensitive to a range of artificial chemicals but did you know natural food chemicals also trigger eczema? This is why regular detoxes and healthy eating programs, which are rich in phytochemicals, can cause red, fla... read more
Pink Ink is the heartfelt memoir about a life of figuring oneself out. In 2013, at age 22 and after years of struggling to come to terms with his sexuality, Australian actor Harry Cook came out publicly on YouTube, which made international headlines and placed... read more
We live in a time of ‘hurry sickness’. ‘Busy’ has become a competitive sport — and it’s a sport with no winners. But somewhere, underneath all of this hard slog, there are the things we really want to do. The things that bring us joy and give our lives meaning... read more
