Ryan Pinkard – Editor

Hi there! I'm Ryan. I'm an experienced journalistic editor specializing in music, art, culture, and travel.

MY STYLE

I'm a hands-on editor with a collaborative approach and an eye for detail. I love helping writers whip their words into shape and reach their highest potential. Breaking roadblocks and adding new ideas is my superpower. Whether you're looking for a quick proofread, developmental feedback, or the full service treatment, no project is too small or too big.

MY PHILOSOPHY

Everybody needs an editor, and it's a damn shame that many talented writers never get to work with a professional because of financial constraints. When it comes to pricing, I believe in agreeing on a reasonable fee based on the scope and needs of the specific job, with special considerations for clients who truly can't pay more.

EXPERIENCE

I’m a lifelong music nerd with a deep knowledge of genres and history, and a record collection to back it up. As a music journalist, I have written about every style of music—from indie, rock, pop, and hip-hop to jazz, classical, metal, and Latin—and interviewed the likes of Wayne Coyne, Mark Ronson, Daniel Lanois, Kamasi Washington, Action Bronson, Slowdive, and The National.

From 2014 to 2017 I was managing editor at TIDAL, where I also helped launch some of the most important albums of the day—Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo, Jay-Z’s 4:44—in addition to special projects for the likes of Prince, The Beatles, Rihanna, Neil Young, Daft Punk, Jack White, and Arcade Fire.

Between 2017 and 2020 I founded and ran Mini Music Critic, a popular Instagram-page-turned-website where music writers, vinyl collectors, YouTubers, and record store clerks wrote about albums they loved.

In 2019, I wrote and produced the podcast 'Place in Sound: Chicago'. Hosted by Anthony Valadez (KCRW, KROQ, FUSE TV) the four-part series breaks down the past, present, and future of music in the Windy City through the eyes of artists, journalists, poets, historians, politicians, and activists.

In 2022, I released my first book: an oral history history of The National's watershed album Boxer for the acclaimed 33 ⅓ series published by Bloomsbury. Of the book, author and Pitchfork writer Stephen Deusner wrote: “Accessible, perceptive, sometimes hilarious, but more often harrowing, Pinkard’s book gets a running start on its subject, tracing The National’s trajectory from their first notes together to the creation of Boxer.”

I addition to joining the 33⅓ Advisory Board and editing manuscripts for the series—including entries on The Clash, Pulp, Garth Brooks, Death Metal, Krautrock, Dance-Punk, and South African Popular Music—I recently finished my next 33⅓ book: a journey into the ethereal world of Shoegaze.

ENDORSEMENTS

"Ryan was the first professional editor I worked with, which quickly turned out to be a joyful experience. He's thorough and enthusiastic, and his multitude of notes helped shape and streamline the project. I deeply appreciated his close attention to aspect, and his willingness to deeply research a new, unfamiliar topic." —T. Coles, author of Death Metal