Mark Mathes – Editor

Editor for largest independent publisher in Southeast. Acquisition of new authors and literary properties, negotiation, talent management, licensing. Edited 29 new books 2015-16 and updated 31 existing titles for reissue. Structural editing, line editing, galleys, proofing. Image editing, permissions, titling/copyright registration, contracts, negotiation, licensing. Author's platform, book marketing, events, publicity. Goodwill ambassador for Pelican at national and regional publishing conferences. Chicago Manual.

In the Sarasota and New Orleans areas, he helps writers become authors and authors get published. He helps publishers produce content that builds audience and revenue.

Edit and write books for structure, style, character development, line editing. Fiction and nonfiction. Currently editing 12 books. Chicago Manual of Style (16th). Business plans, strategic plans, marketing plans. Author's platform. Book marketing, publicity, media campaigns, contracts, representation, e-books. audiobooks, podcasts. Ghostwriting, rewriting, co-author. No fee for evaluation, editing of one to three chapters.

Volunteer/member
Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival, volunteer 10 years, including 2019
Faulkner Words and Music New Orleans Lit Festival, volunteer 10 years, through 2017
Sarasota Fiction Writers Association, president 2021-; newsletter/PR editor 2019-
Florida Authors and Publisher Association 2019
Florida Writers Association 2019
Online News Association, volunteer 2019
Louisiana Book Festival, Baton Rouge
SW Florida Writers Conference, volunteer 2019
Wordier Than Thou Writers Conference, 2019
Arkansas Writers, 2016
Celebration of the Written Word, Hammond, 2015

A Knight Foundation Digital Media Fellow at UC-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, 2011.
I have successfully completed mid-career training at American Press Institute, American Society of News Editors, Suburban Newspapers of America, Tribune University and Harvard-affiliated training and New York Times Co. senior executive development as well as Poynter Institute.

Other training includes Florida Society of News Editors, Florida Press Association, Independent Free Publishers of America and Louisiana Press Association as well as Associated Press Managing Editors and the Society of News Design.

Training at Manasota SCORE 2019 Small Business Guide to Digital Marketing. WordCamp Orlando 2019. La. Small Business Development Center courses at SLU in 2012-16: Facebook, E-mail Marketing, Social Media Management, WordPress, Financing Your Start-Up, Louisiana Broadband, SEO, Delivering Mobile Content. New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, The Propeller, The Idea Village.

Acquired two monthlies 1999 in Tampa and three weeklies in 2000 to grow my company from $300,000 in 1999 to $3.7 million by 2008, with 8 zoned weeklies and 3 non-weekly niche publications with 105,000+ audited circulation. Created multi-zone ad packages based on frequency that encouraged color. Managed P/L, comp plan, benefits, legal. Converted from standard A direct mail to its own independent carrier unit that also delivered directories, catalogs, homeowner pubs. Developed staff that grew from 1 to 22 for sales and content. Successfully expanded every-two-week pub from Community News to Waterfront Weekly in Apollo Beach, Ruskin, Riverview, featuring boating, fishing lifestyle. Launched successful community website 2005 with revenue from photo reprints. Edited 8 community weeklies, average size 48 tall tab pages, 3 non-weeklies. Edited average 325 locally-produced staff and freelance stories each week, plus 90 photos/cutlines. Consistent award winner for editorial excellence in Florida.

Recruited, developed, edited and represented talent numbering 200 in international syndication, including Carl Hiaasen, Dave Barry, Mike Royko, Mother Goose and Grimm, Jackie Mitchard, Mitch Albom, and Kathleen Parker. Represented twelve editorial cartoonists, eight of them Pulitzer winners including Walt Handelsman, Jeff MacNelly, Mike Peters and Jack Ohman. Managed $25 million budget for the third-largest international syndicate.

Evaluated all incoming creative submissions from agents, talent, news and content services. Reviewed and selected books for first serial and second rights for sale to publishers internationally.

Developed content for entertainment, business, economics, investing, small business, internet and technology, politics and public policy, puzzles, sports, recreation, family and advice, women, pets, television, Hollywood and film, personalities and biography.

Strategic relationships with AOL, Excite, Nickelodeon, Mercury Mail, Knight-Ridder, McClatchy, TV Guide, licensing, product and video development. Contracts, negotiation, royalties. Represented Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. Created TMS Mutual Fund Wire.

Led the successful AM conversion of the New York Times Co.-newspaper in 1986 and managed the newspaper’s move to a $23 million plant and new presses nine months later. Led strategic 3-year plan. The Star-Banner set records for circulation and revenue growth, editorial excellence and development of staff members who happened to be minorities or women. Participated in many acquisitions and strategic plans as the NYT Regional Group grew from 18 to 35. Recruited, developed writers, editors, photojournalists in expansion of staff from 28 to 56. Created Star-Banner Stylebook and Operations Manual. Edited dozens of stories daily, all special reports, series. Launched over a dozen special interest publications from Fact Book to Ocala Inc. to Horse Country to Discovery that generated $750,000+ annually. Pioneered audiotext and electronic archives for the NYT Regional Newspaper Group. Developed news services to create and share resources among 35 newspapers for news graphics, breaking news, business, sports, photos and news features. Led Community with a Heart campaign to help the neediest, in both Ocala and Lakeland, raising $600,000+ from readers.