Katia Ariel

Katia Ariel – Editor

Manuscript nurturer, sentence polisher, eagle-eyed proofreader, wordsmith, preserver of voice and vision; fiction and memoir specialist.

Overview

Freelance book editor with over 15 years experience
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Health & Wellbeing Humanities & Social Sciences
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction LGBTQ Fiction Poetry Short Story Themes & Motifs
Languages
English (AUS) English (UK) English (US)
Awards
  • Honours Prize (Publishing and Editing RMIT)
Certifications
  • Arts/Law (Monash University)
  • Graduate Diploma in Editing and Publishing (RMIT)

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2005 — Present

I have been a freelance book editor since completing my editorial training in 2004. I hold an Arts/Law degree from Monash University and a Graduate Diploma of Publishing and Editing from RMIT. I have lived in Russia and Brazil, collecting several languages along the way. An avid reader and editor of literary fiction and poetry, I have been a managing editor with Five Islands Press since 2010. I edit for Dorling Kindersley, Melbourne University Publishing, Wild Dingo Press, Affirm Press, Transit Lounge and Hardie Grant, as well as print journals such as Dumbo Feather and Attenzione. In my work for private clients, I specialise in manuscript appraisal and structural editing, especially for memoir, narrative fiction and poetry.

Portfolio

Searching for Spiderman

Chumley, Ally

The Tiniest House of Time

Iyer, Sreedhevi

Birth With Confidence: Savvy Choices for Normal Birth

Dempsey, Rhea

Magic

Jan Golembiewski

‘I couldn’t put it down’ —Sofie LagunaThis is a true story…A young man heads off on a journey to find out if magic still exists in the world, to know its wonder, and to see if it might save him when his own life is unexpectedly at stake.Instead of retreating a... read more
Forged with Flames

Ann Fogarty

Forged with Flames is Ann Fogarty’s poignant and compelling story of her experiences of the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983 and its devastating aftermath as she struggled to survive the severe burns she sustained to 75% of her body, followed by a series of lif... read more
Lost Letters from Vienna

Sue Course

In 1977, Sue Course discovered a box of airmail letters in the dark recesses of a cupboard, written in German. Her German was rusty, but she could see that most were from her parents and grandparents and were written from the time of the Nazi invasion of Vienn... read more
Timeless On The Silk Road: An Odyssey From London To Hanoi

Heather Ellis

Believing this is her last adventure, her one last search for meaning, Heather’s journey ultimately becomes one of destiny. Infused with a deep spiritual power, it is also a story that leaves the reader considering their own ‘time less’ journey called life.Aft... read more
Mothermorphosis: Australian storytellers write about becoming a mother

Monica Dux

"The mythology of motherhood is often reduced to cliché. But how do we articulate the complex internal conflicts, the exhilaration and the absurdity of this transformation?Mothermorphosis is a collection of essays on the experience as told by some of Australia... read more
The Lovers

Catherine Rey

The Lovers is an arresting tale, a mystery with a low burn tension, which revolves around the disappearance of Lucie Bruyère. The novel unveils the truth about her charismatic yet subtly controlling partner, the world-famous artist Ernest Renfield. The suspens... read more
Crooked Vows

John Watt

Thomas, a 23-year-old student priest, emerges alone from the wilderness four days after surviving a plane crash. But a missing woman's footprints are found with his, near the crash site. What part did Thomas play in her disappearance? And why does he claim he ... read more
With just one suitcase

Cheryl Koenig

This is a true story about two boys, Istvan and Frici, who live two kilometres but worlds apart in Romania. One is Catholic, one is Jewish. Yet when the Second World War breaks out, the familiar world with its clear divisions disintegrates. On their parallel j... read more
Hippy Days, Arabian Nights

Katherine Boland

Spanning five decades and as many continents, Hippy Days, Arabian Nights is a funny, moving, and compelling story of a woman whose extraordinary life will never be summarised by the words ‘could have’, ‘might have’, or ‘should have’. Whether it’s following her... read more
Nagaland

Ben Doherty

The diary arrived addressed to me, bearing a message:We live forever through our stories. Tell ours.And so began the author’s journey into the life and legends of the Naga – a forgotten people living in the far north-east of India, struggling to survive in the... read more
The Happiness Plan

Elise Bialylew

What if you could train your brain to experience greater happiness, focus, and emotional balance in daily life? What if it took just ten minutes a day? In The Happiness Plan, Dr Elise Bialylew offers a roadmap to a happier life. Drawing on her background in me... read more
Missing Pieces: Book 2 of the Cass Diamond series

Caroline De Costa

In 1992, toddler Yasmin Munoz went missing from a rainforest picnic spot near Cairns. No trace of her has ever been found. Yet in 2012 Andrew Todd, a wealthy businessman and former mayor of Cairns, dies, and leaves in his will directions for a search for the m... read more
The tainted trial of Farah Jama

Julie Szego

Throughout the trial Jama had maintained his innocence against the accusations. Nearly 18 months after Jama's incarceration, his conviction was overturned. When journalist and lawyer, Julie Szego, set out to explore how a travesty of such magnitude could occur... read more

Katia has 18 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Nora H.

Nora H.

Jan, 2023

I had a great experience working with Katia. Everything - from her initial assessment of my manuscript - was clearly communicated and very thoughtful. Her feedback was just what I was looking for - insightful, thorough, and constructive. I highly recommend any collaboration with Katia.
Katia A.
Thank you, Nora! I loved working with you too.
Aleisha C.

Aleisha C.

Jan, 2023

With the knowledge that I was a first time author, Katia was warm and welcoming, communicating clearly with me every step of the way. She delivered an insightful, friendly and professional edit, leaving me feeling prepared and determined to tackle the next stage of my book. I would not hesitate to recommend Katia's talents to anyone. Thanks again for all of your assistance and feedback!
Laurelle C.

Laurelle C.

Dec, 2022

Katia has been an invaluable investment for my book Childbirth Education For Parents. She has pulled the pieces of the puzzle and rearranged them to come together the way they belong. My book is now more succinct and enjoyable to read. Thank you Katia!
Jamila D.

Jamila D.

Jul, 2022

Katia's notes clarified what was needed to bring my story to life. Her detailed and thoughtful comments have opened new insight and excitement for me to jump back into telling a beautiful story. I felt she connected deeply with the essence of who I am and really cared for the story I'm wanting to tell. Brilliant! Thank you Katia!
Matt S.

Matt S.

May, 2022

Katia’s developmental edit gave my manuscript the thorough and critical eye it needed. Picking it apart and putting it back together, she encouraged more of the things that worked, identified things that could be improved, and removed things that flat out didn’t work. Even subtle changes have made an enormous difference. Her suggestions have improved my manuscript tenfold and helped me identify...
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