Sarah Johansson - Editor
Eagle-eyed former Bloomsbury editorial + production assistant with 7+ years of experience in editing and proofreading fiction and nonfiction
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Overview
I have a master's in postcolonial literature and worked for Bloomsbury Publishing in London before I moved to the US. After I left Bloomsbury I started freelancing as a copyeditor and proofreader and have worked on a wide range of exciting projects throughout the past 7+ years.
I have edited and proofread poetry and short stories for Write Bloody Publishing in LA and have edited English translations of a series of Swedish children's books. I have also copyedited for companies like Lean In and Society6, as well as Sheryl Sandberg's Option B organization.
For a number of years I edited many of Bloomsbury's big-name cooking ebooks, making sure that highly complex layouts looked clean and sleek in ebook form and that they were of the highest editorial and technical standard. Bloomsbury is still one of my most consistent clients and I provide them with QA and proofreading of their adult trade, specialist, and children's ebooks (for many of the titles that are listed in my portfolio, I have worked on the ebook files).
Hit me up if you want your manuscript fine-tuned or scanned for errors. I am highly conscientious and genuinely interested in most subjects, and I want to help make your book the absolute best it can be.
I have edited and proofread poetry and short stories for Write Bloody Publishing in LA and have edited English translations of a series of Swedish children's books. I have also copyedited for companies like Lean In and Society6, as well as Sheryl Sandberg's Option B organization.
For a number of years I edited many of Bloomsbury's big-name cooking ebooks, making sure that highly complex layouts looked clean and sleek in ebook form and that they were of the highest editorial and technical standard. Bloomsbury is still one of my most consistent clients and I provide them with QA and proofreading of their adult trade, specialist, and children's ebooks (for many of the titles that are listed in my portfolio, I have worked on the ebook files).
Hit me up if you want your manuscript fine-tuned or scanned for errors. I am highly conscientious and genuinely interested in most subjects, and I want to help make your book the absolute best it can be.
Services
Languages
English (UK)
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits
History
Political Science & Current Affairs
Fiction
Historical Fiction
Middle Grade
Short Story
Young Adult
Work experience
Freelance Editor/Proofreader
Self-employed
October, 2014
–
Present
(almost 8 years)
Copyediting, proofreading, translation (Swedish), and editorial services/QA for ebooks (from straightforward fiction to highly complex, illustrated nonfiction titles).
Completed and ongoing projects include:
• Editing of Bloomsbury Publishing’s big-name cooking ebooks and proofreading/QA of their wide range of fiction, nonfiction, children’s, and specialist ebooks.
• Copyedited ‘Getting Started’ guides and reading material for Lean In Circles.
• Copyedited stories of adversity for the community library in conjunction with the launch of Sheryl Sandberg’s Option B.
• Translated and edited a series of Swedish children’s books into English for bNosy.
• Conducted and copyedited interviews for Society6.
Digital Production Assistant
Bloomsbury Publishing
October, 2013
–
October, 2014
(about 1 year)
• Managed ebook conversion of adult trade and specialist backlist titles.
• Mono and color, from simple to highly complex conversions.
• Coordinated with in-house departments, suppliers, and freelancers to guarantee that ebooks were delivered on time and within the approved budget.
• Handled the various tasks involved in ebook conversion from print files: editorial briefing, file sourcing, cost approval, quality assurance, and proofreading.
• Managed file corrections and updates to all ebooks, coordinating with digital distribution and sales teams.
• Ensured that digital books were produced to a high technical and editorial standard and quality for all major e-reading platforms.
• Created an ebook manual that established the house style for all ebooks going forward.
• Provided training for colleagues in quality assurance and digital processes.
Editorial Intern
Bloomsbury Publishing
November, 2012
–
September, 2013
(10 months)
• Managed both the editorial and production parts of the department’s ebook conversion for backlist titles: clearing contracts, editorial briefing, communication with suppliers, cost approval, scheduling, quality assurance, final approval and upload of files for distribution.
• Other editorial and administrative tasks involved: proofreading and collating of manuscripts, liaison with authors, picture research, video editing for ebooks, reprint corrections, translation, blog posts, updating the company database.
• Coordinated extensive corrections to an ebook with the author of a bestselling title.
Portfolio (22 selected works)
Derrick C. Brown is a comedian, poet and storyteller. He is the winner of the 2013 Texas Book of The Year award for Poetry. He is a former Paratrooper for the 82nd Airborne and is the president of one of what Forbes and Filter Magazine call "...one of the best independent poetry presses in the country," Love is the only war with dying for. This collection contains all new work from All The Ene... read more
From the bestselling author of Return of a King, the story of how the East India Company took over large swaths of Asia, and the devastating results of the corporation running a country.In August 1765, the East India Company defeated the young Mughal emperor and set up, in his place, a government run by English traders who collected taxes through means of a private army. The creation of this n... read more
The Hollow of the Hand: Reader's Edition
PJ Harvey, Seamus Murphy
Between 2011 and 2014 PJ Harvey and Seamus Murphy set out on a series of journeys together to Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Washington, D.C.. Harvey collected words, Murphy collected pictures, and together they created an extraordinary chronicle of our life and times. The Hollow of the Hand marks the first publication of Harvey's powerful poetry, in conversation with Murphy's indelible images. It i... read more
POLPO: A Venetian Cookbook (Of Sorts)
Russell Norman
Tucked away in London's edgy Soho district, Polpo is one of the most irrepressibly buzzing restaurants in town. Critics and food aficionados have been flocking to this understated bacaro where Russell Norman serves up small dishes-think tapas-from the back streets of Venice. A far cry from the tourist-trap eateries of the famous floating city, this kind of cooking is unfussy, innovative, and e... read more
River Cottage Gluten Free
Naomi Devlin
Gluten is found in an extraordinary number of foods, yet it can be problematic for so many of us. Whether you need to cut gluten out of your own diet or you're cooking for friends and family with gluten intolerance, the River Cottage Gluten-Free Cookbook will provide the tools you need to deliciously navigate mealtimes. Expert nutritionist Naomi Devlin gives clear advice for gluten-free eating... read more
The Detox Kitchen Bible
Lily Simpson, Rob Hobson
The power of good, natural food beats any fad diet. By bombarding your body with a sea of nutrients and a range of delicious flavors, your skin will glow, your hair will shine, your stress levels will decrease, and you'll feel full of energy. This is what the Detox Kitchen philosophy is all about: fresh, bright, delicious, and nutritious food that will leave you radiant with health.Using mouth... read more
Tom's Table: My Favourite Everyday Recipes
Tom Kerridge
Tom Kerridge is known for beautifully crafted food and big, bold flavors. Tom's Table features 100 delicious everyday recipes so that anyone can achieve his Michelin-endorsed cooking at home. This is the sort of food you'll cook again and again, whether you bring his hearty and delicious starter, side, main and dessert recipes to quick mid-week meals or weekend dinners. The recipes include che... read more
We Come Apart
Sarah Crossan, Brian Conaghan
YA rising stars Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan join forces to break readers' hearts in this contemporary story of star-cross'd lovers. Jess would never have looked twice at Nicu if her friends hadn't left her in the lurch. Nicu is all big eyes and ill-fitting clothes, eager as a puppy, even when they're picking up litter in the park for community service. He's so not her type. Appearances ma... read more
The New York Times bestseller from the author of Chasing the Scream, offering a radical new way of thinking about depression and anxiety.There was a mystery haunting award-winning investigative journalist Johann Hari. He was thirty-nine years old, and almost every year he had been alive, depression and anxiety had increased in Britain and across the Western world. Why? He had a very personal r... read more
The Dragon Lady
Louisa Treger
'A daring blend of romance, crime and history, and an intelligent exposé of the inherent injustice and consequences of all forms of oppression' Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous ConditionsOpening with the shooting of Lady Virginia 'Ginie' Courtauld in her tranquil garden in 1950s Rhodesia, The Dragon Lady tells Ginie's extraordinary story, so called for the exotic tattoo snaking up her leg. From the... read more
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE VIRAL SENSATION TAKING ON THE BILLIONAIRES 'Listen out for Rutger Bregman. He has a big future shaping the future' Observer 'A more politically radical Malcolm Gladwell' New York Times 'The Dutch wunderkind of new ideas' Guardian In Utopia for Realists , Rutger Bregman shows that we can construct a society with visionary ideas that are, in fact, wholly impl... read more
Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel
George Saunders
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE MAN BOOKER PRIZEThe “devastatingly moving” (People) first novel from the author of Tenth of December: a moving and original father-son story featuring none other than Abraham Lincoln, as well as an unforgettable cast of supporting characters, living and dead, historical and inventedNamed One of the Ten Best Books of the Year by The Washington Post, ... read more
Koh-i-Noor: The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond
William Dalrymple, Anita Anand
From the internationally acclaimed and bestselling historians William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, the first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, arguably the most celebrated jewel in the world.On March 29, 1849, the ten-year-old leader of the Sikh kingdom of the Punjab was ushered into the magnificent Mirrored Hall at the center of the British fort in Lahore, India... read more
From the New York Times bestselling author of Unaccountable comes an eye-opening, urgent look at America's broken health care system--and the people who are saving it."A must-read for every American." --Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief, FORBES One in five Americans now has medical debt in collections and rising health care costs today threaten every small business in America. Dr. Makary, one of t... read more
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide
Carol Anderson
National Book Critics Circle Award WinnerNew York Times BestsellerA New York Times Notable Book of the YearA Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of the YearA Boston Globe Best Book of 2016A Chicago Review of Books Best Nonfiction Book of 2016From the Civil War to our combustible present, White Rage reframes our continuing conversation about race, chronicling the powerful forces opposed to ... read more
Finalist for the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for NonfictionLonglisted for the National Book Award in NonfictionNamed one of the Best Books of the Year by:Washington Post * Boston Globe * NPR* Bustle * BookRiot * New York Public LibraryFrom the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of White Rage, the startling--and timely--history of voter suppression in America, with a foreword... read more
The Edge of Everything
Jeff Giles
"A sharp fantasy thriller." --People"Swoonworthy." --Time"Sharp, dark, thoughtful and romantic." --Cassandra Clare, #1 New York Times bestselling author When their worlds collide, X and Zoe are pushed to the edge of everything in this much-buzzed-about tour de force fantasy from Entertainment Weekly veteran Jeff Giles.For the perfect love, what would you be willing to lose?It's been a shatteri... read more
A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses)
Sarah J. Maas
The # 1 New York Times bestselling sequel to Sarah J. Maas' spellbinding A Court of Thorns and Roses.Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court--but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lor... read more
Moonrise
Sarah Crossan
From Carnegie Award-winning author Sarah Crossan comes a poignant and thought-provoking novel that explores life, death, love and forgiveness.Seventeen-year-old Joe hasn't seen his brother in ten years. Ed didn’t walk out on the family, not exactly. It’s something more brutal.Ed’s locked up -- on death row.Now his execution date has been set, and the clock is ticking. Joe is determined to spen... read more
Bad Mermaids Make Waves
Sibéal Pounder
A trio of smart and stylish mermaids are about to make a splash in this hilarious start to a new middle-grade series that's The Little Mermaid meets My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish.Mermaids Beattie, Mimi, and Zelda's summer on land with temporary legs is going swimmingly-until they receive a strange message ordering them to return home at once. The beloved queen of the Hidden Lagoon has been fishna... read more
The Girl with the Dragon Heart
Stephanie Burgis
A chocolate-filled, girl-powered fantasy with a witty heroine who learns what home truly means, perfect for fans of Shannon Hale."Will satisfy readers who hunger for feel-good tales that pack a girl-power punch, like Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted or the movie Moana." --School Library Journal on The Dragon with a Chocolate HeartSilke has always been good at spinning the truth and storytel... read more
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart
Stephanie Burgis
A classic fantasy with terrific girl power (and chocolate), perfect for fans of Shannon Hale and Jessica Day George.Aventurine is a brave young dragon ready to explore the world outside of her family's mountain cave . . . if only they'd let her leave it. Her family thinks she's too young to fly on her own, but she's determined to prove them wrong by capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a ... read more
Sarah has 9 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Sarah does great work! Second time I have worked with her, and I will look forward to the third.
Tim DeRoche, May 2022
Working with Sarah was a fantastic experience. Her suggestions really helped me feel like I was submitted the best version of my story.
Sara Southard, May 2021
Sarah is thoughtful, patient and professional. She helped me dissect my first chapter that was in an unfamiliar setting and went above and beyond in her fact checking. She also caught a punctuation glitch that adversely affected my entire manuscript. Lastly, I'm in the home-stretch phase of publishing my manuscript and sent her a barrage of frantic changes after the collaboration began. She...
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Jeremy Osgood, August 2020
I hired Sarah to copyedit my children's book manuscript. I was looking for a professional copyedit, and she did not disappoint. She corrected issues of flow and syllable count, and provided comments explaining the reasoning. Every interaction was extremely professional, and her edit was right on. I would highly recommend Sarah and will look to utilize her again on future projects.
Jeff Kohler, June 2020
This is my second time working with Sarah, and I am very happy with the outcome of her review and recommendations. Sarah is very professional and I would absolutely utilize her expertise again.
Stacy Hughes, June 2020
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