Overview
I am Editorial Director at Story Machine. I am also a coach, fundraiser, and project manager. I have worked in literature and the book trade for more than fifteen years, first with Waterstones and then National Centre for Writing.
I love words and stories, and am passionate about helping you succeed.
I am perhaps best as a macro editor: helping you shape and construct the narrative and characters and themes of your work. Although I can offer line-by-line editing and feedback, I am not a copy editor. I will help make your book more readable, concise, and effective in communicating to your readers.
Whatever your work, I can work with it. I’ve edited literary fiction, sci-fi, southern-gothic horror, young adult, non-fiction, short stories, novellas, and much more.
Services
Non-Fiction
Fiction
Languages
Work experience
Story Machine
• Editorial support, mentoring, coaching, industry advice, workshops, and other support for writers.
• Writing, Directing, and Producing multi-artform live-literature shows featuring work by emerging and established writers including JM Coetzee, Sarah Hall, Kerry Hudson, Leslie Jamison, Ben Okri, Claudia Rankine, Sally Rooney, Preti Taneja, and many more.
• Collaborations with Granta, Man Booker Prize, Penguin Random House, National Centre for Writing, John Innes Centre for plant research.
• Performances at major festivals including Cheltenham Literature Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, science festivals, and chip shops across the UK.
• Start-up management – responsible for all tasks from conception to delivery and including branding, marketing and finance.
Self-employed
Editorial support, mentoring, coaching, industry advice, workshops, and other support for writers.
National Centre for Writing
Managing the inception, development, delivery, and evaluation of key projects including:
• Escalator Literature. Talent development programme for 10 writers per year, offering mentoring, a residential retreat, introduction to agents, and tailored opportunities;
• INN CROWD – commissioning, producing, and managing live literature shows developed for rural pub touring.
• Norfolk & Norwich Festival: programming, booking, and managing delivery of the literature strand of the UK’s oldest single-city festival;
• International Literature Showcase: a £500k on- and off-line project to network literature professionals across the world and showcase the best in UK writing. Partnership with British Council and Arts Council England;
• The National Conversation: 12 months, 12 events, festivals across the UK - exploring the challenges and opportunities facing literature in the UK and internationally;
• Brave New Reads: access to the best writing from around the world, and supporting confident, adventurous, & networked reading for all;
• Well Versed: Transforming the poetry offer in Norfolk schools.
Portfolio
