Noo Saro-Wiwa - Editor
Award-winning author and editor with 16 years experience on various books and newspapers, including The Times, Lonely Planet and UCL Press.
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Overview
I’m an award-winning author, journalist and copy editor with versatile writing and editing skills.
My book, Looking For Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria (Granta, 2012), was BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week in 2012; The Sunday Times Travel Book of the Year, 2012; shortlisted for the Author’s Club Dolman Travel Book of the Year Award in 2013; named by The Financial Times as one of the best travel books of 2012. In 2016 it was awarded Italy’s Albatros Travel Literature Prize.
I have contributed to four anthologies: An Unreliable Guide to London (Influx Press, 2016); A Country of Refuge (Unbound, 2016); La Felicita Degli Uomini Semplici (66th and 2nd, 2016); The New Daughters of Africa anthology (Myriad Editions, 2019).
In 2019 I became a Rockefeller Foundation Arts & Literary Fellow at the Bellagio Center in Italy.
As a journalist I write book reviews, travel, opinion and analysis articles for The Guardian newspaper (UK), The Financial Times, The Times Literary Supplement, City AM, Prospect magazine and The New York Times, among others.
I also edit and proofread copy for The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, as well as academic papers and books for UCL Press.
As an editor I will breathe life into your prose, making it sharp, succinct and engaging, while removing all those repetitive rhythms and sentence constructions. And through my experience as an author I can advise you on how to structure your long-form narrative, be it fiction or non-fiction.
Languages
English (AUS)
English (UK)
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Political Science & Current Affairs
Sociology
Travel
Fiction
Historical Fiction
Humor & Comedy
LGBTQ Fiction
Romance
Certifications
- Msc Journalism, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, NY
- BA Geography, King's College London
Awards
- Italy's Albatros Travel Literature Prize
- Sunday Times Travel Book of the Year
Work experience
Copy editor
News International
December, 2014
–
March, 2020
(about 5 years)
The Sunday Times & The Times:
Edited, fact-checked and proofread digital and print news articles and features; wrote headlines and photo captions
Freelance copy editor
The Guardian newspaper (UK)
March, 2020
–
Present
(over 1 year)
Editing web articles, creating headlines and photo captions, fact-checking, proofreading; uploading photos; ensuring SEO
Freelance copy editor/proofreader
University of Neuchatel (Switzerland)
October, 2019
–
Present
(about 2 years)
I edit and proofread academic research papers and dissertations for the Institute of Geography.
Temporary production manager/proofreader
Thomson Reuters
March, 2018
–
September, 2018
(6 months)
As the temporary production manager/proofreader for employment law, I edited and proofread employment law handbooks and the IDS Employment Law Brief, a twice-monthly journal that reports on new employment legislation.
Freelance proofreader and copy editor
UCL Press
January, 2018
–
Present
(almost 4 years)
Freelance proofreader and copy editor of academic journals and papers.
Freelance journalist
Various
January, 2015
–
Present
(almost 7 years)
I write book reviews for The Times Literary Supplement. I also write travel, opinion and analysis articles for City AM, The Guardian, Prospect magazine, The Financial Times, The New York Times and Condé Nast Traveler magazine.
Online sub-editor (maternity cover)
New Scientist magazine
April, 2012
–
October, 2012
(6 months)
I copy edited and proofread articles, using the bespoke content management system to upload and format articles and images. I delivered content that was accurate, scientifically literate, libel-free, adhered to house style, and contained hyperlinks and multimedia content where appropriate.
In addition, I wrote accurate, attention-grabbing headlines and captions that promoted the stories while conforming to New Scientist's consumer-friendly style and SEO requirements.
Copy editor/proofreader
NHS Choices website
May, 2008
–
November, 2011
(over 3 years)
Edited the NHS website to produce accurate copy that conformed to house style and contained appropriate cross-links and relevant multimedia content, while meeting the standards for search engine optimisation.
Portfolio (10 selected works)
Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
Saro-Wiwa, Noo
Urban Claims and the Right to the City: Grassroots Perspectives from Salvador da Bahia and London
Walker, Julian, Walker, Julian, Carvalho, Marcos Bau, Diaconescu, Ilinca
Lonely Planet Africa on a Shoestring
Kevin Anglin, Becca Blond, Jean-Bernard Carillet
The Rough Guide to West Africa (Rough Guides)
Richard Trillo
A Country of Refuge
Popescu, Lucy, Popescu, Lucy, Barry, Sebastian, Boyd, William, Kennedy, A.L., Kureshi, Hanif
An Unreliable Guide to London
Budden, Gary, Caless, Kit
Noo has 17 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
My experience with collaborating with Noo was great. She was professional, responded to all emails in a timely manner, provided useful feedback, and delivered the finished project on time. She has a very good eye for detail. I would highly recommend her and work with her again on future projects.
Shavest Brotherston, September 2021
I feel fortunate to work with Noo. She proofread and copyedited my manuscript and synopsis, delivering the finished work before the deadline. She is truly an exceptional editor, professional, and a lovely person––I highly recommend her.
Tracie Hollis, September 2021
It was delightful to work with Noo. She turned my manuscript into a proper book I must say, without losing any or the originality and impact. I will happily work with Noo again and I highly recommend her.
Michael Buraimoh, August 2021
Noo is truly an experienced editor. I'm really pleased with her work. I would highly recommend her services. Looking forward to working with her on my future projects.
Michael Maretlwaneng, July 2021
Great communication and excellent feedback. I would work with her again!
Melanie Williams, June 2021
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