Rebecca Sutherland - Editor
Proofreader and editor with structural expertise and market insight. Here to make writing the best it can be.
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Overview
I've been working with books for six years, and loved them my whole life. My experience within the book industry includes working with the book buyer for a major international retailer, as an in-house editor at an independent publishing company and as a bookseller at my local indie bookshop. I have worked with many of the major publishing houses on everything from sports autobiographies to historical fiction; from cookbooks to tarot card reading guides - I just love the satisfaction of taking any project and giving it my all to make it the best it can be.
Between attaining my master's degree in publishing and my experience across the market, I have gained insight not only into genre and reader expectations, but into all aspects of communicating using this delightfully flawed medium we call the English language. My bachelor's degree in drama developed my structural expertise.
As a freelancer, I offer proofreading, editing, manuscript appraisal and writing advice/coaching. I can proofread your finished work ready for publication, write a structural report to help you with that final draft, or everything in between! As an experienced project editor, I can take any project at any stage and get it to where it needs to go next. My style, or philosophy if you like, is very much client-led. I will always provide information up front and am happy to make myself available to answer any questions and provide explanations. I can be flexible with your needs and view my role as providing guidance and advice rather than strictly dictatorial - your work is your work, and I'm here to contribute my expertise to assist you. You can expect an avalanche of advice of course, and my proofreading will always be exact and comprehensive.
Between attaining my master's degree in publishing and my experience across the market, I have gained insight not only into genre and reader expectations, but into all aspects of communicating using this delightfully flawed medium we call the English language. My bachelor's degree in drama developed my structural expertise.
As a freelancer, I offer proofreading, editing, manuscript appraisal and writing advice/coaching. I can proofread your finished work ready for publication, write a structural report to help you with that final draft, or everything in between! As an experienced project editor, I can take any project at any stage and get it to where it needs to go next. My style, or philosophy if you like, is very much client-led. I will always provide information up front and am happy to make myself available to answer any questions and provide explanations. I can be flexible with your needs and view my role as providing guidance and advice rather than strictly dictatorial - your work is your work, and I'm here to contribute my expertise to assist you. You can expect an avalanche of advice of course, and my proofreading will always be exact and comprehensive.
Services
Languages
English (AUS)
English (UK)
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Literary Fiction
Romance
Certifications
- MA Publishing
Work experience
Proofreader and editor
Self-employed
June, 2020
–
Present
(over 2 years)
In the past few years I have worked with publishers as a proofreader and copyeditor, as well as done a number of manuscript assessments for independent authors and authors intending to seek traditional publication.
Book buying assistant
WHSmith
November, 2018
–
April, 2020
(over 1 year)
Working for an international company gave me access to the bookselling industry, where I gained valuable insight into the book market that can use to advise on genre, marketability and markers of success. I also got a lot of free books to expand my literary knowledge!
Project editor
New Holland
February, 2018
–
November, 2018
(9 months)
At New Holland I was solely responsible for taking each project from raw manuscript to finished book, liaising with authors through large structural changes, nitty gritty copy/line edits and a final proofread polish to ensure a perfect text. I worked closely with designers and publicists and stuck to rapid turnarounds to keep production on schedule. Some of the genres I took on were cookbooks, guidebooks, educational books, memoir/autobiography, self-help and humour.
Assistant
Hachette and Curtis Brown
September, 2017
–
December, 2017
(3 months)
During my studies I interned as an editorial assistant at big five publisher Hachette, and as general assistant at literary agency Curtis Brown.
Portfolio (20 selected works)
The Life-changing Magic of a Little Bit of Mess
Sackville, Kerri
The Brothers
Hinton, S.D.
One Illumined Thread
Sally Colin-James
A beautiful, enthralling and powerful story of three women separated by centuries, yet connected by a thread of longing and a singular creative spirit - for readers of Geraldine Brooks, Sarah Winman, Maggie O'Farrell and Pip Williams. In ancient Judea, under the brutal rule of King Herod, a woman yearns for a child but is outcast when she does not fall pregnant. Against all convention she mast... read more
Over the Hill and Up the Wall
Alexander, Todd
You Made Me This Way
Shannon Molloy
A harrowing and heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful book about one of our society's deepest shames, from Shannon Molloy, the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, Fourteen.
The Paris Seamstress
Lester, Natasha
The Lebs: Miles Franklin Literary Award Finalist
Ahmad, Michael Mohammed
Teida's Story: Life Through the Eyes of a Dog
Corrie, Danielle
Brave: Courageously Live Your Truth
Vijeyarasa, Sheila
Surfing: Water is Freedom
Ord, Russell, Pancia, Anthony
Monsters and the Supernatural: A Young Person’s Guide
Moore, Jonathan J, Moon, K.B
From Earth
Rasmussen, Charlotte
Great Australian Ambos Stories
Bill Marsh
Yeah, while some of my stories are quite gory, others can be very enlightening. Though, in hindsight, the best outcomes are when the patient pulls through. It's then that you know you've done your job, and you get a bit of a buzz out of that.Put the sirens on and get ready to hit the road, because fact is stranger than fiction in this fabulous Australia-wide collection of ambos stories from be... read more
Before Dementia
Dr Kate Gregorevic
About preventing, preparing, coping How do I know if I have dementia, and how will I live with it if I do? Can people with dementia consent to sex? Can they choose euthanasia for their future selves? And can we prevent or push back its onset?Chances are you know someone with dementia, but how well do you really understand the condition? Dementia is a complex interplay of biological, social and... read more
Openside
Pocock, David
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