Sandy Chapman – Editor

I trained in-house at Yale University Press, first on the art and architecture list and later on the history and politics list. After five years changes of circumstance meant working freelance was a better option for me. I now a diverse range of clients, from traditional publishing houses producing high-end academic books to copywriting agencies with a rapid turnover of blog posts and website articles. I particularly enjoy working on cultural and social history texts. I also work one-to-one with authors, helping them turn their thoughts into a publishable text and talking them through the often complicated publication process. On a personal level, I have an interest in creative writing and writing for children and have taken internships and courses on these areas.

I worked on the history and politics lists, managing titles from manuscript through to printed book. This involved copyediting, proofreading, designing the layouts and covers, obtaining images, clearing copyright and adhering to given budgets and schedules. I worked closely with a team of freelance and in-house staff and was responsible for approximately 10 to 12 titles per year.

I provided editorial assistance to one of the directors, with responsibility for office/admin duties as well as copyediting and proofreading. I learned to design the layouts of books and carry out picture research as well as become very familiar with a range of referencing systems. Our authors were based predominantly in the US, so I learned to work with both American and British styles.