Overview
I'm a flexible, efficient editor with a background in producing beautiful illustrated non-fiction books and a track record of successfully managing challenging titles to tight deadlines. I worked in-house for Thames & Hudson for over three years, and still edit for them as a freelancer.Whether you're after a detailed copy edit, a proofread of your finished manuscript, or help seeing a book through from development to publication, I'll approach your project with tact, dedication and a firm commitment to excellence. I've worked with a wide range of debut and seasoned authors and pride myself on offering an outstanding service regardless of your prior experience with publishing; I'll happily explain its mysteries to a first-timer! As an occasional writer myself, I sympathise with the challenges authors face and will always take time to explain my decisions or talk over options with my clients.I've edited books about contemporary culture, social and medical history, all that's curious and arcane, and a number that are best described as cross-genre. See below for a selection of titles I've worked on (NB: these are pulled automatically from Amazon – the marketing copy there is not written by me, nor can I edit it).I'm also a Cordon-Bleu trained chef with several years' professional kitchen experience, and would consider combining my cuisine and editorial skillsets to work on recipe books, food memoirs, or similar titles. If that would be of interest to you, please feel free to get in touch.
Services
Non-Fiction
Comics Non-Fiction
Design
Entertainment
History
Humanities & Social Sciences
LGBTQ Non-Fiction
Music
Languages
English (UK)
English (US)
Work experience
Self-employed
Feb, 2014 —
Present
Reading submissions, researching, writing, copy editing, proofreading and project editing for independent authors, publishers and literary agents. Past clients have included Wide Eyed Editions, Thames and Hudson, Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, and The Hotspur (a parish magazine reviewed in the Independent on Sunday). This began as a sideline in 2014 while I was employed full-time, and I'm delighted to finally be able to dedicate all my time to providing top-notch editorial services on a freelance basis.
Thames & Hudson
Mar, 2015 —
Aug, 2018
(over 3 years)
I formed an integral part of the small, close-knit Illustrated Reference team at Thames and Hudson, helping to manage Tristan de Lancey's list of popular, profitable illustrated non-fiction titles throughout the production process. I took responsibility for all aspects of the editorial workflow, including research; sales and book fair presentations; development and copy editing; writing captions and other content; proofreading; managing workflow; briefing freelancers; coordinating information; and cleaning up metadata.
I contributed to over thirty published books, including the award-winning Bitten By Witch Fever; cult medical trilogy The Sick Rose, Crucial Interventions, and The Smile Stealers; and pop-culture blockbusters Sinatra 100, Hip Hop Raised Me, and The Jacksons Legacy. As part of my job, I regularly worked with high-profile institutions and individuals including Universal Music, EMI Archive Trust, Frank Sinatra Enterprises, DJ Semtex, Aubrey Powell, The Jacksons, Wellcome Collection, The National Archives, and London School of Economics.
I was proud to be a key member of the development team for the groundbreaking The Big Idea series, contributing title and concept ideas that carried through to the final product; managing the first four series titles to completion; and carrying out a partial rewrite and detailed structural edit that prevented one title from being dropped.
I wrote original text for several projects, including an extra chapter for one book, and full captions with magazine titles in ten different Asian scripts for another. I also worked in part as a picture editor, including clearing images with copyright holders in 18 different countries for comics title Mangasia.
The Green Economics Institute
Feb, 2013 —
Jun, 2014
(over 1 year)
I collated articles and images to form coherent books for this independent publisher and academic institute, taking a lead role in two. I commissioned work from others, contributed my own writing, and negotiated rights for text and images. I worked on all aspects of the editorial process, from copy editing/proofreading to image placement and final layout. I also presented a paper from The Greening of Food, Farming and Agriculture and promoted the Institute at the 2013 Green Economics Institute conference at Worcester College, Oxford.
Portfolio
From his family's vast archives―a revelatory new pictorial life of the greatest entertainer of the twentieth century On the centennial of his birth, Sinatra 100―with the participation of his three children―is an intimate and dramatic visual portrait of Frank S... read more
A compelling and evocatively illustrated exploration of the evolution of the asylum, and its role in society over the course of four centuriesThis Way Madness Lies is a thought-provoking exploration of the history of madness and its treatment as seen through t... read more
Fashion designer Peter Golding’s comprehensive collection is a unique, insightful record of the 20th century’s most exciting and productive periods of rock poster art and graphics. Fashion designer Peter Golding’s comprehensive collection is a unique, insightf... read more
This complete illustrated history of recorded sound reveals the masterful product design behind the evolving technology of sound recording, with specially commissioned photography of iconic, rarely seen artifacts from the collections of the EMI Archive TrustTh... read more
The shocking story of a deadly trend in Victorian wallpaper design, illustrated by beautiful and previously unseen arsenic-riddled designs from the British National ArchivesIn Germany, in 1814, Wilhelm Sattler created an extremely toxic arsenic and verdigris c... read more
The only official, behind-the-scenes chronicle of the Jacksons' lives and careers, celebrating 50 years of one of the greatest acts of all time. The Jacksons: Legacy is the first official book on the the Royal Family of Pop. Unrivaled access to the family arch... read more
An incisive and startling international review of the evolution of dentistry from the Bronze Age to the present day, presented in a gorgeous packageThis achingly fascinating book follows the evolution of dentistry throughout the world from the Bronze Age to th... read more
A beautifully illustrated look at the evolution of surgery, as revealed through rare technical illustrations, sketches, and oil paintings The nineteenth century saw major advances in the practice of surgery. In 1750, the anatomist John Hunter described it as “... read more
Of all the artifacts from the history of medicine, the Anatomical Venus―with its heady mixture of beauty, eroticism and death―is the most seductive. These life-sized dissectible wax women reclining on moth-eaten velvet cushions―with glass eyes, strings of pear... read more
The official visual history of Motown, the legendary record label that brought us some of the greatest recording artists of all time―from Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson to Marvin Gaye and The Jackson 5―and changed music forever The music of Moto... read more
The complete catalogue of design collective Hipgnosis, showcasing groundbreaking cover art created for iconic rock ’n’ roll giants, including the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin, and Pink FloydThe complete, definitive, and never-before-published c... read more
The definitive volume capturing the essence, experience and energy that is hip hop and its massive and enduring impact over the last forty yearsHip Hop Raised Me is the definitive volume on the essence, experience, and energy that is hip hop, and its massive a... read more
A comprehensive visual survey of comic-art styles and themes throughout Japan and AsiaAn exhaustive and visually engaging account, Mangasia charts the evolution of manga from its roots in late nineteenth-century Japan through the many and varied forms of comic... read more
This fascinating entry in the “Big Idea” series is a well-informed, comprehensive and accessibly written look at the very nature of the universe. What Shape Is Space? is a question with far-reaching implications for our understanding of the very nature of real... read more
This captivating entry in the "Big Idea" series explores the history of democracy, as well as its evolution and viability moving forward. Only four countries around the world do not currently define themselves as democracies. However, many more do not fulfill ... read more
This engaging and accessible volume in the “Big Idea” series lays out the history of capitalism, exploring its successes and failures. Is Capitalism Working? is a deeply relevant question today, especially to a generation coming of age in a world still experie... read more
This stimulating entry in the “Big Idea” series assesses the connections between gender, psychology, culture, and sexuality, revealing how individual and social attitudes have evolved over the centuries. When we are born, we are each assigned a gender based on... read more
Showcasing an exotic, eclectic, and rare array of covers from more than five hundred movie publications from a glamorous bygone age, Chinese Movie Magazines sheds fresh light on China’s film industry during a transformative period of its history. Expertly cura... read more
