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
(over 1 year)
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
(over 3 years)
Freelance proofreader and copy editor of academic journals and papers.
Freelance journalist
Various
January, 2015
–
Present
(over 6 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 12 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Noo was incredible to work with. She was patient with me in the beginning and flexible enough to work within my rigid timeline. I'm truly grateful to have collaborated with her and would say that if you're lucky enough to book her don't hesitate to move forward. Thank you, Noo for your grace and expertise! We launch on May 24th!
Kary Youman, May 2021
Working with Noo was a pleasure beyond measure. She is a professional in the truest since of the word. Not only is she an expert in her craft but she is also a decent human being. She takes pride in her work and also values the trust placed in her to become your editor. She is meticulous, through and does not mince her words. If any one is looking for an editor and wishes to have a completed m...
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jamal turner, April 2021
My work with Noo was positive in every aspect. She responded timely, communicated and collaborated with me on my specific needs for my essay, and most importantly, did an excellent job with the developmental suggestions and edits on my piece.
Tammy Rabideau, February 2021
Noo was profession and delivered good service. She was understanding of my sensitivity and offered really helpful tips on how to edit my manuscript. I would definitely request her assistance in future.
Gailann Alicia, February 2021
I am so grateful to work with Noo for the second half of my project- proofreading and copyediting. Her changes made the manuscript read much nicer and I am so excited to self-publish my first book! I will definitely work with Noo again.
Leslie Cadet, February 2021
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