Shari Last - Editor

I am a freelance editor and author with more than 15 years' experience worth of experience at Penguin Random House, where I primarily worked on children's non-fiction. As a freelancer, I write and edit books across all genres for traditional publishing houses, and I consult with self-publishing authors on their manuscripts and Amazon's KDP self-publishing platform.

During my career, I have worked on a number of wonderful books, including official guides to the latest Star Wars movies, a supernatural horror series, groundbreaking LEGO build and play books, superhero encyclopedias, a Jewish self-help book, a Disney-themed craft book, a guide to selling your start-up, contemporary YA fiction, and even some great British classics, such as Oliver Twist and Gulliver's Travels.

I co-wrote the New York Times bestselling LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia and was the editor of the groundbreaking The LEGO Ideas Book, which spent more than 60 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold more than two million copies worldwide. I was part of a team of authors who re-imagined the classic levelled reading books, Keywords with Peter and Jane, for a modern readership.

As an editor, I pride myself on being thorough, accurate and decisive. I am a line/copy editor and an editorial problem-solver – able to rework problematic text for maximum readability, sense and pace, while retaining the author's voice. I provide honest, detailed feedback in the form of notes on the manuscript, as well as a document with general points, comments, questions and advice.

As an author, I am creative and versatile. I can write to many different styles and for many types of reader. I love to write preschool poetry just as much as I love crafting page-turning prose for a thriller. I am equally capable of following a brief or coming up with ideas myself. I am a good communicator and am happy to work as collaboratively or independently as the projects, or clients, require.