Kim Smith

Kim Smith – Editor

I'm primarily a line/copy editor. My favourite genre is humorous sci-fi and fantasy.

Overview

I mainly work with Australian and British English authors but have done a number of US English projects. I focus on line/copy editing but often find an annotated manuscript appraisal (with Zoom discussions) can be beneficial if your MS is not quite ready for that final edit. If not engaging a proofreader, I offer a free final proof-check of your formatted book. Note: this is a check for problems like spacing errors and hyphenation issues only.

I am semi-retired and only work on one book project at a time to keep my headspace in your narrative.

I work across a number of genres as well as narrative non-fiction. My favourite is humorous sci-fi/fantasy. I work collaboratively with my authors and keep them regularly updated on progress. My authors enjoy working with me and find me very approachable. Maintaining author voice is key and I am not a prescriptivist editor.

Aside from Reedsy reviews, here are some testimonials from my Facebook business page. These titles are listed on my portfolio.

Kim is an amazing editor. The key thing about Kim, is that she'll do a phenomenal job while acknowledging, respecting and enhancing author voice. All her feedback is given with honesty AND compassion. You'll get real info, no beating around the bush, but also real solutions and kindness.

Elisse Hay- Foul is Fair


Kim has an excellent sense of composition, both for narration and dialoge. She's a stickler for grammar accuracy, her edits invariably improving clarity and flow. Kim caught inconsistencies in my story line that, while subtle, blemished the overall story. Her revision recommendations were well considered and clearly expressed.

Jim Giedraitis (writing as Kenneth James) – Dog Star Night


Kim did an awesome work. English is not my first language, but Kim brought my manuscript to a professional level. She also helped me see plot holes and details requiring further research. Anttimatti Pennanen – The Black Table series - Black Table, Unity, Catalyst).


Services
Fiction
Chick Lit Contemporary Fiction Fantasy Humor & Comedy Mystery & Crime Science Fiction
Languages
English (AUS) English (UK) English (US)
Certifications
  • BA Communications (UTS)
  • Graduate Certificate Publishing and Editing (USQ)
  • IPEd professional member
  • CIEP professional member

Work experience

Self-employed

Sep, 2016 — Present

Monash Postgraduate Association (MPA)

Jan, 2007 — Sep, 2016 (over 9 years)

Commission, edit and publish articles for student magazine. Edit website. Edit and produce all print publications for the organisation. Edit and produce newsletter and social media.

Allen & Unwin

Feb, 1989 — Jul, 1994 (over 5 years)

Print buyer, production controller and reprint editor.

Kim has 11 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Rebecca D.

Rebecca D.

Sep, 2022

Kim was great to work with! Her editing greatly improved my manuscript, especially the big-picture suggestions she made. I like that she suggested meeting by zoom, because it's easier for me to work with people when I've met them. Enthusiastic and professional, would recommend.
Kim S.
Thank you Rebecca, I really enjoyed working with you. Your approach to self-publishing is impressively professional, and this speculative fiction novel was well-researched and executed. I wish you...
Read more
Kathleen R.

Kathleen R.

Sep, 2022

It was the best decision to send my manuscript to Kim for appraisal. Her comments and explanations, not to mention her patience gave me a great insight into my style of writing. I look forward to working with Kim again in the future.
Kim S.
It was lovely working with you Kathy. I hope we cross paths again but as you are writing for your own enjoyment, rather than publication, I think you don’t need to spend your money on a professiona...
Read more
Amilcar A D.

Amilcar A D.

Jun, 2022

Very professional and dedicated to the work she did with me. I will be happy to work with her again in the future so I highly recommend her.
Kim S.
Thankyou, you were great to work with too. :)
Legible T.

Legible T.

Jun, 2022

We initially struggled to understand each other regarding my expectations of the edit. The main communication problem was due to me being inexperienced in editing novels and not fully describing what I was after. Once that was sorted out Kim was professional and very helpful.
Kim S.
This project ended up being a developmental edit as there were many inconsistencies in the revealed world building and character development. The author had written the manuscript in a mere 6 weeks...
Read more
laura B.

laura B.

Jun, 2022

Kim was the only Editor that offered to teach me how to do it myself. She is wonderful and endlessly patient.
Kim S.
Thanks Laura, I certainly see editing as also being an educative process. Had fun chatting with you via Zoom working through how to punctuate dialogue and what is, and isn't, a dialogue tag. Just s...
Read more