Editing

I am an experienced editor of non-fiction, with particular expertise in the literary essay, critical writing and academic writing. I worked with hundreds of writers at all career stages at the Sydney Review of Books and developed a flexible and compassionate approach to editing, one that supports writers as they craft excellent, original new work for publication.

I provide editorial support that is suited to individual writers and their projects, rather than imposing a workflow template. With some writers, this means I get involved early on and deliver intensive feedback on work in progress. This may involve conversations about the ethics and consequences of publication, especially digital publication. With others, I step in once a working draft is complete, and compile detailed notes on structure, argument and style, sometimes responding to several stages of draft material. It's only during the final stage of the process, copyediting, that we start to talk about commas and semi-colons as we polish a document for publication or submission.

My preference is to work with writers on projects that are meaningful to them, and to provide the kind of editorial support that allows writers to take intellectual, political and aesthetic risks and to extend their practice. To me, a successful editorial relationship is one where a writer – and her readers – can clearly hear her own voice in her writing. 

I work with individual freelance clients as well as with publishers and journals. I generally don't work on query letters or submission packages, and of course can't promise that my interventions will guarantee your work will be published. Those decisions are in the hands of commissioning editors.

If you'd like to start a conversation about an editorial collaboration, please email me.