Overview
‘Dave is a great editor. He’s perceptive and responsive. He has good suggestions about structure. He’s a steady hand and a clear head in a crisis. I really enjoyed working with Dave at Faber and Faber and would unreservedly recommend him to others.’ Simon Reynolds, author of Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984
‘I didn’t seek him out, David found me, publishing in academic peer-reviewed journals and for university presses. He then showed enough belief in me as a writer to see me through the difficult transition to trade-book publication. His guidance and support were instrumental in taking A Band with Built-In Hate: The Who from Pop Art to Punk and Pin-Ups 1972: Third Generation Rock 'n' Roll from idea to completion. More than this, he gave me the confidence to trust in my own voice as a writer.’ Peter Stanfield
Services
Non-Fiction
Fiction
Languages
Work experience
Self-employed
– Structural/developmental editing
– Copy-editing
– Text design and typesetting
– Proofreading
– Project management
Footnote Press
– Formulated publishing strategy for the newly formed Footnote Press
– Commissioned and edited a range of titles (fiction and non-fiction), both agented submissions and direct commissions
– Championed books throughout all publishing stages, from initial pitch to final campaign
– Actively sought out novel publicity and marketing opportunities, alongside direct routes to market
– Briefed and honed jacket/cover designs, and composed jacket/cover, TI and online copy, ensuring it is search-engine optimised
– Managed a commissioning editor
Reaktion Books
– Commissioned and edited a broad range of general illustrated non-fiction titles for the UK and US markets
– Identified ideas and authors, and work with them from concept to publication
– Picture research
Faber and Faber
– Helped set up the award-winning Faber Social list
– Commissioned and edited music-related titles
– Identified special-sales opportunities and limited editions
– Undertook the list’s more complex contractual negotiations
– Managed the frontlist schedule
– Oversaw the budgets and editorial–production stages of all titles on the list
– Hosted Faber Social events
– I also retained a fluid responsibility for Faber’s sensitive editorial projects, be it editing the company’s strategy or working with luminaries such as PD James
Faber and Faber
This role was based on Faber’s decision to shift their book production away from InDesign to a digital-first workflow. It began in 2011 and was largely completed in 2013, but I retained oversight of product development and the management of the workflow.
– Developed bespoke publishing software to allow simultaneous print and digital publication
– Trained staff in its use, wrote documentation, and oversaw its implementation across the company
Faber and Faber
– Managed a team of project editors responsible for Faber’s titles across all adult lists, from final draft to final files
– Oversaw the publishing schedule to ensure titles were produced on time and to budget
– Formulated Faber’s house style for copy-editors, proofreaders and indexers
– Devised and ran an in-house copy-editing skills course
– Developed Faber’s ebook conversion and checking processes
Greenhill Books
– Commissioned, developed and oversaw titles through all stages of production
– Managed a team of editors
– Represented Greenhill’s foreign rights at book fairs
The Folio Society
– Managed the editorial stages of a broad range of Folio titles
– Edited the society’s literary quarterly, Folio
Portfolio
Dave has 1 review
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
Rufus W.
Oct, 2022
