Tricia Callahan - Editor
Portland, United States
Copyeditor and proofreader formerly at Random House and Penguin, specializing in novels and short stories for adult and young readers.
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Overview
After nearly a decade in production editorial at Penguin Group and Random House, I left New York City for Portland, Oregon, and started my freelance editing business. I now contract with big 5 publishers, small presses, and independent authors. My expertise is copyediting and proofreading original manuscripts and page proofs.
In a basic copy edit, I focus on clarity, accuracy, consistency, and correctness in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, tightening and rewriting when requested. In a basic proofread, I fix lingering editorial errors and flag production errors in page layout, cross-references, image placement, and design-element consistency. The resources I regularly use are the publishing industry standards: The Chicago Manual of Style, 16 and 17; Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11; and Words into Type, 3.
I worked as a copyeditor, copy chief, and production editor at book publishing companies and magazines. I studied substantive editing at NYU and creative writing at Loyola College and was a member of Anna Solomon's Advanced Fiction Writing workshop in Brooklyn. I'm currently studying minimalism in Chuck Palahniuk and Suzy Vitello's writing workshop in Portland.
When I'm not editing, I'm writing my own fiction, watching comedy, hiking in the Gorge, or biking around the city.
In a basic copy edit, I focus on clarity, accuracy, consistency, and correctness in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, tightening and rewriting when requested. In a basic proofread, I fix lingering editorial errors and flag production errors in page layout, cross-references, image placement, and design-element consistency. The resources I regularly use are the publishing industry standards: The Chicago Manual of Style, 16 and 17; Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11; and Words into Type, 3.
I worked as a copyeditor, copy chief, and production editor at book publishing companies and magazines. I studied substantive editing at NYU and creative writing at Loyola College and was a member of Anna Solomon's Advanced Fiction Writing workshop in Brooklyn. I'm currently studying minimalism in Chuck Palahniuk and Suzy Vitello's writing workshop in Portland.
When I'm not editing, I'm writing my own fiction, watching comedy, hiking in the Gorge, or biking around the city.
Services
Languages
English (US)
Fiction
Children's - Middle Grade
Literature
Young Adult & Teen
Awards
- Writing Medal, Loyola College in Maryland
Work experience
Editorial Freelancer
Self-employed
January, 2014
–
Present
(over 5 years)
Copyedit and proofread book-length manuscripts and page proofs for independent authors and publishers such as Penguin Random House and Simon and Schuster, totaling more than 500 books in the past five years, including National Book Award nominee NEVER CAUGHT by Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Hugo Award winner THE FIFTH SEASON by N. K. Jemisin, and #1 New York Times bestseller I'VE BEEN THINKING... by Maria Shriver.
Copy Chief
Howler Magazine
January, 2013
–
November, 2015
(almost 3 years)
Directed the copyediting department for eight issues, hiring copyeditors and proofreaders and approving edits to features, infographics, timelines, illustrations, and essays that have gone on to win contests and recognition in The Best American Sports Writing series.
“A testimony to the beauty of print.… The magazine is constantly re-contextualizing the way in which we think about soccer.” —The New Yorker
“The best expression of the state of soccer in America right now.” —The New York Times
Copyeditor
Random House Children's Books
February, 2012
–
January, 2014
(almost 2 years)
Copyedited and proofread range of fiction and nonfiction for young readers, including board books, picture books, coloring and activity books, chapter books, junior novels, and middle grade and YA fiction and nonfiction.
Editor in Chief
Slice Magazine
March, 2009
–
October, 2012
(over 3 years)
Oversaw all aspects of production and operation, including conceptualizing features and soliciting short stories, performing substantive editing and copyediting, promoting and fund-raising, managing editorial and production staff of 20+, including hiring and training, liaising with authors, and publishing interviews with Ha Jin and Simon Van Booy as well as original stories by Ramona Ausubel, Kathy Fish, and others.
Production Editor
Penguin Group (USA)
October, 2006
–
February, 2012
(over 5 years)
Promoted from Assistant Production Editor to Associate Production Editor September 2010. Promoted to Production Editor April 2011.
Oversaw and coordinated edits through production, from manuscript to bound book, of nonfiction (self-help, cooking, memoir, trivia, humor, inspiration) and fiction (historical romance, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, mystery) in trade and mass-market imprints Perigee and Berkley.
Portfolio (13 selected works)
Dear Martin
Nic Stone
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER"Raw and gripping." —Jason Reynolds, New York Times bestselling coauthor of All American Boys"A must-read!” —Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut. Justyc... read more
The Wizenard Series: Training Camp
Wesley King
#1 New York Times BestsellerA People Kid Pick of the weekFrom the mind of basketball legend and Academy Award–winning storyteller Kobe Bryant comes this radically original portrait of five young basketball players, one enlightening coach, and the awesome transformative power of the game. Filled with insights about the mental stamina and emotional clarity that peak performance requires, this is... read more
Mosquitoland
David Arnold
“Top-notch” —USA Today “Illuminating” —Washington Post “A breath of fresh air” —Entertainment Weekly “Memorable” —People By the New York Times bestselling author of Kids of Appetite! After the sudden collapse of her family, Mim Malone is dragged from her home in northern Ohio to the “wastelands” of Mississippi, where she lives in a medicated milieu with her dad and new stepmom. Before the dust... read more
THE IDEA is a manual for conquering the most important part of the screenwriting or fiction writing process — the first part. Most writers rush too quickly through choosing a story idea, so they can dive into writing it. And it’s the biggest reason most projects don’t move forward in the marketplace: producers and editors are underwhelmed by the central concept. Multiple Emmy- and Golden Globe... read more
The Waning Age
S. E. Grove
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Sentence, a lightly speculative, relevant puzzle box with undertones of Never Let Me Go.The time is now. The place is San Francisco. The world is filled with adults devoid of emotion and children on the cusp of losing their feelings--of "waning"--when they reach their teens.Natalia Peña has already waned. So why does she love her little b... read more
Little Moss, Big Tree
M. Yap-Stewart
~ 2018 SCBWI Spark Honor WINNER ~ SCBWI Announces Spark Award Winners: "Little Moss, Big Tree won the Spark Honor for Illustrated Book. Author M. Yap-Stewart and illustrator Mariya Prytula's poignant picture book about natural pen pals touches on friendship and empathy in the face of big life changes." ~"Scenic Hudson protected Storm King Mountain so families could explore its natural beauty. ... read more
Reality Gold (The Shifting Reality Collection)
Tiffany Brooks
Gold Award Winner in the 2018 Literary Classics Book Awards for YA ContemporaryLiterary Titan Gold Book Award 2018Bronze Medal in the YA Adventure Readers Favorite Awards 2018Semi-finalist in the Dante Rosetti YA CIBA Award 2019 “…an incredibly readable, fast-paced, YA coming of age adventure novel where everyone has a secret, and no one is who they seem.” —Chanticleer Review "Brooks’ riveting... read more
I've Been Thinking . . .
Maria Shriver
A book of reflections for those seeking wisdom, guidance, encouragement, and inspiration on the road to a meaningful lifeAs a prominent woman juggling many roles, Maria Shriver knows just how surprising, unpredictable, and stressful everyday life can be. In this moving and powerful book, she shares inspiring quotes, prayers, and reflections designed to get readers thinking, get them feeling, g... read more
Asymmetry: A Novel
Lisa Halliday
A TIME TOP 10 BOOK OF THE YEAR The bestselling and critically acclaimed debut novel by Lisa Halliday, Asymmetry, hailed as “extraordinary” by The New York Times, “a brilliant and complex examination of power dynamics in love and war” by The Wall Street Journal, and “a literary phenomenon” by The New Yorker.Told in three distinct and uniquely compelling sections, Asymmetry explores the imbalanc... read more
Hey Mom
Louie Anderson
With wry wit and poignant humor, Louie Anderson, New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award–winning comedian starring in Louis C.K. and Zach Galifianakis’s Baskets, shares his journey of turning life’s challenges into joy as well as plenty of wisdom he’s gained from his late mother.Louis Anderson has been channeling his beloved mom in his iconic stand-up comedy for decades—but she passed... read more
The Library Book
Susan Orlean
Susan Orlean, hailed as a “national treasure” by The Washington Post and the acclaimed bestselling author of Rin Tin Tin and The Orchid Thief, reopens the unsolved mystery of the most catastrophic library fire in American history, and delivers a dazzling love letter to a beloved institution—our libraries.On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. ... read more
The Last Kids on Earth and the Cosmic Beyond
Max Brallier, Douglas Holgate
Soon to be a Netflix Original series! The New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, with over two million copies in print!"Terrifyingly fun! Delivers big thrills and even bigger laughs."--Jeff Kinney, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Diary of a Wimpy KidIt's the first winter after the Monster Apocalypse. For Jack and his buddies, that means sled catapults, epic snowball battle... read more
Another Day (Every Day)
David Levithan
A New York Times BestsellerA girl falls in love with someone who wakes up in a different body each morning in this enthralling and poignant follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Every Day. David Levithan (co-author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson with John Green) turns his New York Times bestseller Every Day on its head by flipping perspectives in this exploration of love and how it can cha... read more
Tricia has 24 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Communication
I had a great experience working with Tricia. She delivered spot-on, smart recommendations on my manuscript that went beyond the copy editing services that we initially agreed. I would definitely work with Tricia again.
Read moreAntonio M Thewissen, November 2018
Tricia caught mistakes that even seasoned proofreaders missed! I'm so glad she was available to check my book one last time before it went to the printers. Tricia was able to work with my tight schedule and I feel incredibly fortunate to have found her on Reedsy.
Read moreMelissa Yap-Stewart, September 2018
When I hired a proofreader after already using a "copy editor" on my first (40,000-word nonfiction) manuscript, I figured he or she might find a handful of typos and grammatical errors. Instead, I got 2,181 suggested insertions, deletions or formatting changes, and 57 explanatory comments -- from Tricia. Wow, was I impressed with her thoroughness and knowledge, and the painstaking work that she...
Read moreErik Bork, August 2018
Happy to hear that, Erik. Thank you!
Reply from Tricia Callahan
I screened editors for a book manuscript, selected Tricia, and was thrilled with the results. She easily earned five-stars across the board. In fact, Tricia went the extra mile, far exceeding what was expected in terms of quantity and quality of edits. As an indie author on a tight budget, I was concerned about cost. She proved to be worth every penny (and then some). Highly recommend her.
Read moreJeff Langholz, June 2018
I'm so happy to hear that. Thank you, Jeff! Looking forward to seeing your book take off.
Reply from Tricia Callahan
We LOVE working with Tricia! She is talented, practical, organized, and a pleasure to communicate with; she makes everything easy for us.
Read moreElizabeth Carey, May 2018
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