Naomi Huffman – Editor

To each of my projects, I apply a holistic understanding of the literary marketplace. Though I'm primarily an editor, I've worked in publicity, marketing, event planning, and even as a bookseller, which means I know not only what editors and publishers are seeking, but also review media and book buyers. I bring my industry-spanning perspective to each project, and I enjoy passing on to my clients what I've learned in the near-decade I've spent working with books.

I am a thorough and meticulous editor, and I value a collaborative, equitable experience with my clients. I edit full-length manuscripts, book proposals, short stories, and long form essays. In literary fiction, I most enjoy working with novels, short story collections, high science fiction, and experimental approaches to the form (fragmentary and hybrid structures, magical realism). In non-fiction, I am drawn to memoir, narrative, and well-researched alternative histories. As in all things I do, I am most interested in elucidating the perspectives of marginalized individuals and communities, and facilitating projects that correct harmful narratives.

My career in publishing began in 2012, with the Chicago-based small press Curbside Splendor, where I was initially hired to manage publicity and marketing. In three years, I was promoted to editor-in-chief, learned to advocate for debut and emerging writers, and shaped the press's overall editorial voice. In that time, I worked with New York Times-bestseller Samantha Irby, Halle Butler (winner of Granta's Best American Young Novelists 2017, named one of National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35), Anne Elizabeth Moore (an Eisner Award winner and Lambda Literary Award nominee), and other critically-acclaimed writers. In 2017, I was hired to help launch MCD, a new imprint at renowned publishing house FSG. There, I acquired and edited High School, a New York Times Bestselling memoir by musicians Tegan and Sara, as well as forthcoming books by music critic Jessica Hopper, and the previously unpublished novel Toad, from the archives of the late novelist Katherine Dunn.

Writing can be an intensely isolating endeavor, but I don't think editing should be. I work closely with all my clients to listen to their needs and ideas, craft a unique editorial plan, and set goals for improving their work. I'm also available for regular phone calls and consultations to ensure my clients feel equipped to finish their projects and empowered to take the next step toward publication.