Editors available for work this month are marked with an asterisk. (Asterisks are generally updated at the start of each month.) 

Other editors are taking bookings for coming months. Contact them to check their availability.

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∗ Samantha Allemann

samantha-allemann.com
allemann.s@gmail.com
LinkedIn Samantha Allemann

Samantha studied Professional Writing & Editing at RMIT from 2002 to 2004 and has since worked as a freelance editor and writer. Samantha was the sub-editor of Pip Australian Permaculture Magazine for several years. As a freelance editor, Samantha has worked for Busybird Publishing. As a freelance proofreader, she has worked with Universal Media. With a background in educational publishing, Samantha also worked as the in-house writer and editor of an independent K-12 school.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Non-fiction, fiction, essays, children’s and young adult fiction, short stories and academic.

 

Tahlia Anderson
Paper Heart Editorial

paperhearteditorial.com
tahlia@paperhearteditorial.com

Tahlia Anderson is an experienced editor with nearly a decade’s experience in illustrated non-fiction. After completing a graduate editing qualification at RMIT, she was managing editor at Thames & Hudson Australia where she worked with galleries, arts organisations, award-winning fashion designers, architects, interior designers and popular children’s authors to produce beautifully illustrated books. She then went on to become the chief copy editor at Country Style magazine and managing editor at Uro Publications, a boutique architecture publisher. Confident in handling all stages of the publication process from commissioning and contracting through to editing, design and print production, Tahlia enjoys nothing more than helping shape and develop projects from outset to completion. Recent clients have included Smith St Book, Pantera Press, the Age and David Jones’ magazine, JONES. As well as editing and project management, Tahlia is also a skilled writer and available for writing services in conjunction with editing.

TYPE OF EDITING: Project management (including print management), manuscript assessment, structural editing, copy editing, rewriting, document styling, typesetting, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Illustrated non-fiction – interiors, architecture, fashion, cookery, art and design – children’s fiction and non-fiction, short stories, magazines and travel.

 

Kim Astill

www.wordsworthwhile.com.au
kimastillediting[at]gmail.com

Kim Astill is an experienced editor with a creative and scientific background. Her goal is to help you bring out the best in your manuscript and give you the confidence and enthusiasm to approach your next draft or submit your manuscript to agents/publishers. Kim also enjoys mentoring, teaching creative writing and running a gifted writers’ program for primary school children. She is a member of the ASA, CBCA and SCBWI, and is passionate about children’s literature. Kim is also a member of the Institute of Professional Editors.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessments, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Children’s literature (picture books, junior fiction, middle grade and young adult), literary and commercial fiction, family history, self-help, psychology, science.

 

James Bean

www.jamesbeanediting.com
james[at]jamesbeanediting.com

I work with authors – both experienced and new – to develop and ready their work for submission to agents or publishers, or for self-publication. I’ve edited more than 100 fiction and educational titles. For 10 years I was senior editor for an educational publisher, working on a range of projects from young adult fiction to science textbooks. I’ve authored numerous titles, giving me a keen appreciation of the challenges (and satisfaction!) of writing well. I’m a Professional Member of the Institute of Professional Editors.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental (or structural) editing, copy editing, manuscript assessment.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction (middle-grade, YA, adult); memoir and family history; thesis editing.

 

Helen Bethune Moore

hbmedit[at]cqvmedia.com.au

Helen has more than twenty years’ experience as an editor and a writer, both in-house and as a freelancer. She has worked with ACER, Cambridge University Press, Cengage, Deakin University, Macmillan Education Australia, Melbourne University Press, Oxford University Press and Pearson Education (Australia, UK and Canada). Helen specialises in children’s literacy texts. She project manages and edits award-winning early literacy and primary non-fiction series developed for the Australian, UK, US and Canadian markets. However, she is very happy to consider other genres as she has edited humanities texts at tertiary and secondary levels, memoirs, teacher guides, theses and YA books.

TYPE OF EDITING: Substantive editing, development editing, copy editing, proofreading, writing, rewriting, versioning, fact checking.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Children’s literacy, history, philosophy, politics, theses and YA.

 

∗ Kat Betts
Element Editing Services

elementeds.com
elementeds@gmail.com
@elementeds

Kat has eight years’ editing experience, and a Diploma and Bachelor in Professional Writing and Editing. She is a professional-level member of the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd), Editors Victoria, and a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. Kat’s focus is on working with new and experienced self-publishing authors and edits for the Australian, British, and American markets.

TYPE OF EDITING: Line editing, copy editing, developmental editing, substantive editing, content editing, structural editing, manuscript critiques, beta reading, coaching, and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Specialisations in fantasy and science fiction, and generalisation in speculative fiction. Kat also dabbles in women’s literature, middle-grade, YA, and adult.

 

Dianne Blacklock

dianne.blacklock@gmail.com
dianneblacklock.com

Dianne has been editing since 2013, but has had almost twenty years’ experience in the publishing industry. She is a published author of ten novels of commercial women’s fiction, and this gives her a unique perspective on the editing process, having been through it herself. She is now contracted by major Australian publishing houses including HarperCollins, Harlequin and Pan Macmillan, and works with private clients as well, developing and editing their manuscripts for submission, or towards self-publishing. She also regularly runs workshops and courses through Writing NSW.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript development and assessment, ghost-writing, mentoring.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Commercial fiction – all genres, though with a particular specialty in women’s fiction; narrative non-fiction, memoir and history.

 

Sabine Borgis

sabineborgis[at]gmail.com

Sabine’s pathway to editing has been eclectic, with a bilingual (German) background, studies in environmental science and, recently, a Graduate Certificate in Editing and Electronic Publishing. She spent five years teaching English to adults and providing translation and proofreading services to nature conservation organisations in the Czech Republic, before returning to Tasmania and working for ten years as a Hansard subeditor at the Tasmanian Parliament. She was voluntary subeditor of the Australian Wildlife Society’s magazine for ten years, and has also proofread for Island magazine and the Tasmanian Naturalist. Currently Sabine is working as an editor and proofreader in genres related to the natural world.

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing and proofreading; structural and developmental editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: General and creative non-fiction in all aspects of natural history, the environment and sustainability; gardening and crafts; fiction with an environmental focus.

 

Claire Bradshaw

www.clairebradshaw.com.au
hello[at]clairebradshaw.com.au

Claire has been working as a freelance editor and proofreader since 2015. She specialises in speculative fiction (primarily fantasy), but her editorial services are available for fiction works in any genre, as well as non-fiction. She particularly enjoys working with independent/self-published authors and with writers preparing manuscripts for submission to traditional publishers or agents. Claire is the in-house editor for fantasy-focused small press Talem Press, publisher of the Aurealis Award–nominated novel The Ninth Sorceress.

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing and proofreading (all genres); manuscript assessment (fantasy only).

AREAS OF INTEREST: Speculative fiction, particularly fantasy; fiction for adult and young adult audiences.

 

Samantha Brennan

wordsbysamanthabrennan.com
wordsbysamanthabrennan[at]gmail[dot]com
@wordsbysamantha

Samantha Brennan has nearly 20 years’ experience writing and editing content for Australian publishers, magazines, creative agencies and government. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Writing and Media) from Macquarie University and is a former university journalism lecturer. Her publishing skills span print media as well as digital – she can manage and edit content in a Word document as easily as in a CMS. As an experienced production manager, Samantha is also available for project management opportunities.

TYPE OF EDITING: Content review, structural editing, line editing, copy editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Samantha is available for non-fiction editing in the following genres: food and cooking (she’s a trained recipe editor), health and fitness, nutrition and wellbeing, spirituality, gifts and journals, interior design and general women’s lifestyle. She is not currently accepting works of fiction.

 

Kay Campbell
The Comma Institute

commainstitute.com
office[at]kaycampbell.net

I specialise in art, culture and lifestyle publications, providing a full range of services for galleries, arts organisations, government, publishers, designers and writers. As well as editing scholarly art books, catalogues and published essays, I work on general non-fiction. My expertise extends to cultural policy and planning documents, style guides, marketing material, grant applications and reports. An accomplished proofreader, copy editor and writer, I am also a project manager who can shepherd a publication through all stages from concept development through to printing. Prior to becoming a freelance editor in 2016, I worked for 30 years in senior roles in the visual arts industry in Australia and the United Kingdom.

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing, proofreading, structural editing, project management, copy writing, manuscript assessment and development, conversion into plain English.

AREAS OF INTEREST: General and illustrated non-fiction (art, architecture, design, lifestyle); Strategic Planning, Cultural Policy. Specialist in visual arts (exhibition catalogues, art books, catalogues raisonné).

 

∗ Penny Carroll

pennycarroll.com.au
penny[at]pennycarroll.com.au

Penny brings 20 years of experience in magazine publishing to fiction editing, giving her a unique perspective on writing for women. She loves helping authors polish their stories with structural and copy editing, reigniting their passion for writing in the process. Penny has written and edited for outlets including Lonely Planet, Country Style, Women’s Health, Harper’s Bazaar and Good Weekend and is now working directly with authors as they prepare their manuscripts for submission or self-publishing. She is available for fiction and non-fiction editing projects and is skilled in InDesign for sub-editing layouts.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, line and copy editing, sub-editing, feature editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Commercial women’s fiction, genre fiction, literary fiction, YA, health and wellbeing, food, travel.

 

Sherryl Clark

sherrylclarkwritingcoach.com
clark.sherryl@gmail.com
@sherrylwriter

I have been teaching writing and editing for more than 25 years, mostly in the Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing. I’ve worked as a freelance editor and mentor since 2013, working directly with authors on their manuscripts. This includes developmental work, structural editing, copy editing and manuscript critiques. After teaching for so many years, I’m very experienced in working with new writers as well as those who are published and may be looking for help with taking their work to the next level. I also write fiction and nonfiction, poetry, children’s and YA books and articles for Medium. I have more than seventy children’s and YA books published. My mentoring work involves editing, development work, goal setting, motivation and discipline. I tailor my programs according to writers’ needs.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental, structural, copy editing, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction (literary and genre with a particular interest in crime and historical), memoir and life writing, poetry, children’s and YA books (especially picture books).

 

AJ Collins Writing & Editing Services

www.ajcollins.com.au
aj@ajcollins.com.au
@AJCollinsEditor
LinkedIn AJ Collins

AJ Collins is a professional freelance IPEd accredited editor and RMIT qualified freelance writer. After twenty years working in the corporate sector, AJ started her own freelance editing business in 2012 and is now in high demand, often booked six months in advance. AJ is approachable, understanding of newbie writers’ sensitivities and always passionate about words on the page. AJ helps authors lift their writing to the next level by providing advice on developmental issues such as story, plot and character.

TYPE OF EDITING: Assessments, developmental/structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, formatting.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction: general, YA, fantasy, thriller, spec-fic, romance, drama, action & adventure, mystery. Creative non-fiction: memoir, biography, some self-help.

 

∗ Sam Cooney

samuelcooney.com
samuelcooney[at]gmail.com
@samuelcooney

Sam has a variety of experience in the publishing and wider literary industries. He founded the small press Brow Books and ran it for five years, editing most of its titles – many of which found critical acclaim and won major awards. He’s been an editor of print literary journals and of writerly websites, he has taught writing and publishing subjects at universities for several years, and he’s a literary critic for all of Australia’s major newspapers. Sam’s focus is often on working with innovative and boundary-pushing fiction and nonfiction authors, although he also loves working on general and commercial fiction and nonfiction. As a freelance editor he works with established publishing houses, literary agents, and individual authors as private clients.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment, developmental editing, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, mentoring/career coaching, grant writing/editing, project management (including print management).

AREAS OF INTEREST: Literary fiction (novels, novellas and short fiction), literary non-fiction (essays, experimental, etc), general/commercial fiction and non-fiction, graphic novels and non-fiction, history, biography, current affairs, memoir.

 

∗ Lauren Elise Daniels
Brisbane Writers Workshop

www.brisbanewriters.com
lauren[at]brisbanewriters.com
lauren[at]ledaniels.com

Lauren Elise Daniels is a professional member of IPEd with a BA and MFA in Creative Writing from the USA. She is an Aurealis Award winning editor (2021) and a Bram Stoker Award® (2023) and Australian Shadows Award finalist (2022) who has worked in publishing since 1992 (Ziff-Davis, Boston). For 15 years, she was the senior prose editor for Interactive Publishing (Carindale, QLD) before going freelance and has edited over 130+ published titles and numerous short form fiction and non-fiction works for AUS, NZ, UK and US authors. Lauren has taught workshops for the South Coast, Hobart and Queensland Writers’ Centres, and has presented for GenreCon, StokerCon, Whistler Writers Festival and Heroines Festival. She serves as a literary judge for Hawkeye Publishing and the Horror Writers Association and directs Brisbane Writers Workshop.

TYPE OF EDITING: Mentoring, manuscript assessments, developmental and structural editing, copy editing, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Adult fiction, YA, junior fiction: genre and literary fiction – long and short form. Creative non-fiction and memoir for adults, YA, junior readers: memoir, personal/professional development – long and short form.

 

Kerry Davies AE
Kerry Davies Publishing Services

k[dot]davies1[at]optusnet.com.au

Kerry has more than 35 years’ experience in publishing and communications. She has worked with ABC Books, Australian Geographic, Focus Publishing, Simon & Schuster, UQP, Weldon Owen and Wiley, mainly on non-fiction, memoir and biography, as well as educational publishers and corporate, government and private clients in a wide range of genres, from academic theses to fiction. She is a well-rounded generalist editor. Kerry was manager of Indigenous publisher Magabala Books 1990–95, and also has experience as a journalist and writer. She is an honorary life member of Editors Queensland, a branch of the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd), and Queensland councillor and chair of IPEd. She is an IPEd Accredited Editor.

TYPE OF EDITING: Substantive editing (including structural work), copy editing, proofreading, developmental editing, writing, rewriting, project management.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction, memoir, history, illustrated, children’s, YA, travel and guidebooks, Indigenous writing in all genres.

 

Tricia Dearborn

www.triciadearborneditor.com
triciadearborneditor[@]gmail.com

Tricia has over 25 years’ experience in the publishing industry, including as a managing editor, and has run a successful freelance editing business since 2008. Her clients include Australian publishers such as Allen & Unwin, Hachette, Hardie Grant, HarperCollins, NewSouth Publishing and Penguin Random House, as well as government departments and institutions including the Australia Council for the Arts and the Lowy Institute. Tricia also works directly with authors who wish to have their manuscripts assessed, developed or edited before submitting to a publisher or literary agent, or self-publishing. She is a Professional Member of the Institute of Professional Editors.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment and development; structural editing; copy editing; proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Biography and memoir; literary fiction; commercial fiction; narrative non-fiction; general non-fiction; self-help; poetry.

 

Emma Dobinson

flyingpantsediting.com.au
emma@flyingpantsediting.com.au
lucinda@flyingpantsediting.com.au

Flying Pants Editing provides manuscript appraisal and editing services for the children’s and education market. Our specialised service is tailored toward creating awesome books for kids, including picture books, tween and YA books, and children’s non-fiction and novelty books. We help writers enhance the magic of their story through manuscript assessments for picture books and novels as well as full structural editing and even idea kicks to beat that writer’s block. With over 30 years of combined experience in the children’s industry, we have a unique understanding of the market and audience. We know what kids and parents want and can help you get the nuances of age and stage right.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript appraisal, structural edit, picture edit.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Picture books, children’s non-fiction, novelty books, tween and YA, including YA romance, fantasy or crime/detective.

 

Glenda Downing

www.glendadowning.com
glenda@glendadowning.com

Glenda has been editing titles for the major Sydney publishers for 20 years. She was managing editor at Simon & Schuster Australia and senior editor for the GHR Press. Her clients include Random House, Murdoch, Pan Macmillan, Momentum, HarperCollins, Pantera Press, WriteLight and writers who are developing their manuscripts.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript development/mentoring, project management, structural editing, copy editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Young adult and adult fiction; non-fiction – memoir, parenting, lifestyle, Australian history and cooking (illustrated).

 

Harriet Empey
Harriet Empey Editorial Services

harrietempey.com
harriet[at]harrietempey.com
LinkedIn: Harriet Empey

For the past ten years, I have specialised in editing and proofreading for food, travel and lifestyle publications, products and businesses. I particularly enjoy working on magazines and cookbooks. I have edited and proofread hundreds of recipes in my work for magazine publishers and trade non-fiction publishers. As well as being a keen cook who understands cooking terms and techniques, I’m also interested in food provenance and food production. I grew up in Ireland, so I am familiar with both metric and imperial measurements and with British English food terms, which is useful when international recipes require localisation for an Australian audience. I speak excellent French and have a good understanding of French culture, so I also enjoy working on content that contains a lot of French words or references to France. I’m a Professional Member of the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd).

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing, proofreading, magazine subediting, fact checking.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Food, travel and lifestyle magazines; illustrated non-fiction – cookery, food and wine, French language and culture, travel and tourism, health and wellbeing, homes and gardens, nature, the environment and the countryside.

 

Rochelle Fernandez

rochellef.com.au
rochellef[at]gmail.com
@roch_town

An editor since 2005, Rochelle has edited, proofread and project managed manuscripts of fiction, biography, memoir, cookery and current affairs for major Australian publishers. She has previously been digital editor and Voyager publisher for HarperCollinsPublishers and prior to working in publishing she has edited copy and educational material for the corporate sector.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction and non-fiction for adults, especially romance, cooking, finance and memoir.

 

Deonie Fiford

deonief[at]yahoo.com

Deonie has been working as a freelance and inhouse editor for over 20 years. She has worked as an editor for major publishing companies, such as HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, and Pan Macmillan. She has taught writing workshops for the NSW and Queensland Writers’ Centres and editing courses at Sydney University and James Cook University. She is currently a freelance editor working for trade publishing companies and helping authors develop their manuscripts for publication.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, manuscript development, copy editing, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction – literary, mass market, speculative fiction (fantasy and science fiction); YA and children’s.

 

Lauren Finger

laurenfinger.com
lauren@laurenfinger.com

I’m a very experienced editor with an excellent reputation in trade publishing in Australia and the UK, in which I have worked since 2001. I have worked in-house for digital publisher Bookouture on commercial fiction, and before that the more traditional houses, Atlantic Books and Allen & Unwin. I have a particular interest in digital publishing. I’m experienced in working with first-time authors through to seasoned writers, journalists, high-profile authors, and celebrities. My job is to make your manuscript the best manuscript it can be. I love what I do, and I’m good at it! I’m communicative and have a dry sense of humour, empathy and imagination. I will work with you to help you take your manuscript where you want it to go – whether that is to a small group of people, or the world.

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing, developmental/structural edits, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Commercial fiction. Particularly: women’s fiction, crime and thriller, historical fiction and romantic comedy.

 

∗ Gina Flaxman

https://ginaflaxman.journoportfolio.com/
gina.flaxman[at]gmail.com

I have more than 20 years’ editorial and publishing experience. After years as a magazine chief subeditor, I now use my editing, research and publication management skills to work with private clients on a variety of manuscripts. I usually work on fiction and memoir and on non-fiction (mostly health, food and cookbooks), but I’m happy to work in other areas. With my magazine background I’ve had a lot of experience working on highly visual print products and I’m well versed in liaising with writers, graphic designers, food stylists and clients. I can manage an entire publishing project from start to finish, simply give your copy a final polish, or anything in between. I also offer copy editing and proofreading services for corporate documents such as reports and white papers. As a writer, my journalism has appeared in outlets including The Saturday Paper and SBS and my short fiction has been published in Meanjin. I received a Varuna Publisher’s Fellowship for my novel in progress.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessments, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, project management, corporate documents.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Illustrated and non-illustrated non-fiction (particularly health, food, cookbooks), narrative non-fiction, memoir, literary fiction, commercial fiction, corporate documents.

 

Rebecca Fletcher
Words on Words

Rebecca[at]wordsonwords.com.au

Hi there! I have worked as a freelance writer and editor since 2017. Experienced with editing for digital and print, I split my work between fiction editing, business/academic editing and proofreading. I love working with authors who are looking to self-publish, guiding them through the editing and publishing process. I have a Bachelor of Arts in writing and completed my Master of Creative Writing, Editing and Publishing at the University in Melbourne in 2021. I am a professional member of IPEd. Based in Ballarat, I am also a regional ambassador for Writers Victoria, working closely with writers in the regions to connect them and help them take the next steps in their writing.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental/structural editing, copy editing, proofreading. I also love working with first time authors who have a lot of questions!

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction, especially speculative or contemporary fiction and YA/young adult. I also edit non-fiction, particularly self-help books, and I love humour writing (fiction and otherwise!).

 

Sarah JH Fletcher

www.sarahjhfletcher.com
sjhfletcher [at] gmail [dot] com
@sjhfletcher

[Sarah will be on maternity leave from August 2020.] Sarah has been working in the publishing industry for the past decade and editing since 2007. She began her career inhouse in the children’s and YA division of Random House Australia, moving to Murdoch Books to work on adult titles, then going freelance in 2011. Her clients range from multinational trade publishers to digital-first startups. An advocate for quality digital publishing, Sarah is a well-regarded speaker and industry trainer. She was previously known as Sarah Hazelton.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing; copy editing; proofreading; ebook development and quality assurance.

AREAS OF INTEREST: All fiction for children’s, YA and adult audiences. General non-fiction, especially popular science and law for non-specialists. Digital publishing in theory and practice. Presentations and industry training.

 

Geneve Flynn

www.geneveflynn.com.au
geneveflynn[at]outlook.com

Geneve Flynn is a two-time Bram Stoker Award®- and Shirley Jackson Award-winning editor and a professional member of IPEd. She was assistant editor for Relics, Wrecks & Ruins, an Aurealis Award-winning speculative fiction anthology which features bestselling authors such as Neil Gaiman, Ken Liu, Juliet Marillier, Garth Nix and Angela Slatter. She teaches creative writing workshops with Brisbane Writers’ Workshop and has presented for GenreCon, StokerCon and WorldCon. She has been an Australasian Horror Writers Association mentor, a submissions reader for the Aurealis magazine, and a judge for the Australian Shadows Awards. Her horror short fiction, non-fiction and poetry have been published in Australian and international markets. Her work has been nominated or shortlisted for the British Fantasy, Locus, Aurealis, Australian Shadows, Ditmar, Elgin and Rhysling Awards, and the Pushcart Prize.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment and copy editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy and horror), mystery/thriller, middle-grade fiction, YA fiction. Short fiction and long-form works.

 

Simone Ford

www.simoneford.com
fordsimone[at]gmail.com

Simone has been working in the publishing industry for more than twenty-five years. She was an editor at Allen & Unwin and Pan Macmillan before breaking out into the freelance world over a decade ago. Since then she has worked for many leading publishers, including Allen & Unwin, HarperCollins, Pan Macmillan, Hardie Grant, Ventura Press, Hachette and ABC Books. She also loves helping private clients develop their writing for submission or self-publication. In addition to her work in trade publishing, Simone has extensive experience in academic, corporate and website editing. She has been a judge for the HarperCollins Varuna Awards for Manuscript Development and is a Professional Member of the Institute of Professional Editors.

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing, structural editing, proofreading, project management, manuscript assessment.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Young adult, fiction (literary, commercial, fantasy, science fiction), children’s, sport, memoir, history, narrative non-fiction, science, craft and cooking.

 

∗ Jessica Friedmann

www.jessicafriedmann.com
jess.friedmann[at]gmail.com

An experienced magazine and journal editor, Jessica has worked at Dumbo Feather, Going Down Swinging, a cloth-covered button and Farrago, well as for clients such as Angostura Bitters and the Lonely Planet. She is currently Publications Manager at Australian Poetry, and has a strong love of poetry, fiction and literary non-fiction in all its forms. Having worked across all aspects of print production, Jessica is able to shepherd a publication through its entire life cycle, from concept and design through to printing and distribution. She is available for copywriting and basic typesetting where it complements required editorial work.

TYPE OF EDITING: Project management, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, plain English rewriting, corporate communications.

AREAS OF INTEREST: General and literary fiction, poetry, short story, general and literary non-fiction, YA, essay, illustrated, memoir, travel, art and photography, design.

 

Jess Gately

jjgately.com
jess[at]jjgately.com
@Jess_Gately

Jess Gately is a Perth-based freelance fiction editor specialising in science fiction and fantasy. She was a judge for the 2019 and 2020 Aurealis Awards and her master’s thesis explored the process of editing a manuscript that utilises fictional languages. She is the President of Editors WA, a branch of the Institute of Professional Editors. Her work with Underground Writers has given her extensive experience working with emerging writers.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment, structural editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction, YA, speculative fiction, sci-fi, fantasy.

 

∗ Rema Gnanadickam
Zodiac Publishing Services

zodiacpublishing@bigpond.com

Rema has been in the publishing world in India and Australia for more than 30 years. Her experience has been mostly with primary, secondary and tertiary educational publishing. Many of the books she edited and produced were in the Maths and Science areas. She has worked with Harcourt Brace and Company, Hodder Headline, Horwitz Education and Cambridge University Press. Since 2016 she has been freelancing for several publishers and worked on a variety of genres: educational, self-help, non-fiction and professional development. Her speciality is project management and taking a project from manuscript to printed book.

TYPE OF EDITING:  Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading and print management.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Narrative and general non-fiction, illustrated books, academic titles, and educational titles.

 

Irma Gold

www.irmagold.com/editing-services
irmagold[at]iimetro.com.au
Instagram: @irma.gold
Twitter: @Irma_Gold
Facebook: @IrmaGoldAuthor

Irma Gold has worked as an editor for 23 years, both freelance and in-house. She was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra for a decade, and currently works from Naarm/Melbourne as a full-time freelance editor for Australian publishers like Hardie Grant, Penguin Random House, Walker Books and a range of smaller independents. She has also worked extensively for cultural institutions like the National Library of Australia, QUT Art Museum and William Robinson Gallery, National Museum of Australia and National Gallery of Australia, among others. Irma also works with individual writers looking to prepare their manuscript for submission to traditional publishers, or indie writers looking to create a professional self-published book. As a published author of works for adults and children herself, Irma understands both sides of the editing and publishing process.

TYPE OF EDITING: Project management, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessment.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction (literary and commercial, not genre with the exception of crime), non-fiction (memoir, biography, narrative non-fiction and travel), children’s fiction and non-fiction (picture books, junior fiction, middle grade and YA), magazines (arts and travel). Irma has extensive experience working with First Nations authors and illustrators.

 

Kate Goldsworthy

kate.m.goldsworthy[at]gmail[dot]com
LinkedIn: Kate Goldsworthy

Kate has been working on trade books for fifteen years. As a freelance editor, she has worked for Allen & Unwin, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Transit Lounge, Black Inc., Ventura Press, Text Publishing, Affirm Press, Echo Publishing and Pantera Press. She has also worked full-time as an in-house editor at Black Inc. and Affirm Press. In 2015 and 2016 she mentored authors at Varuna. She has a diploma in Professional Writing & Editing from RMIT.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessment and author mentoring.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Memoir, literary fiction, commercial fiction, narrative non-fiction, history, biography, current affairs, essays, politics, short stories and young adult fiction.

 

Elena Gomez

elenagomez.net
elenamaria[dot]gomez[at]gmail[dot]com

Elena has a decade of experience in publishing, and eight years’ experience as an editor, most recently as deputy managing editor. She has worked in house for Murdoch Books, Text Publishing and Penguin Random House Australia. She has also edited for cultural organisations such as Sydney Living Museums. Elena enjoys editing and developing manuscripts in a wide variety of genres. As a published poet, she is also available to work with poetry manuscripts. She enjoys working with first-time and experienced writers.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, line editing, copy editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Commercial fiction (including romance and crime); literary fiction; memoir; general non-fiction; essays; poetry.

 

∗ Lesley Halm

praxisediting.com
lesleyhalm[at]gmail.com
LinkedIn: Lesley Halm

The co-founder of Praxis Editing, Lesley is a highly skilled freelance editor, with major clients including Hachette Australia, Text Publishing, Affirm, Scribe Publications, UQP, and UTAS’s School of Humanities. She has over ten years’ experience working in diverse publishing environments, including trade publishing, lit journals, and digital environments. Before working in-house as an editor with Scribe for four years, she was the online editor for Island magazine, special editor for the Review of Australian Fiction, and bookseller for Fullers Bookshop. With an Arts and Fine Arts degree, and a postgrad qualification in Editing and Publishing, she was also a judge for the Scribe Nonfiction Prize for Young Writers for four years, and co-founder of emerging writers’ group Twitch, auspiced by the Tasmanian Writers’ Centre. A published writer, Lesley is extremely passionate about the art of writing (and reading) and has a particular love of finding and developing great narratives, both in fiction and nonfiction and across a broad range of genres.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural development, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessment/evaluation, MS styling and localisation, transcribing, blurb and copy writing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction – literary and mass-market, but with a particular interest in speculative/dystopian fiction, science fiction, horror, alt fiction (yes, she still believes it’s a valid category) and children’s fiction and picture books. Nonfiction – memoir, science, history, art, food, and humour. Lesley also loves working with graphic novels, comics, zines, poetry, journals, and illustrated works. Or napkin scribbles.

 

Sonja Heijn

sheijn[at]gmail.com

Sonja has worked in publishing for ten years, beginning in-house at Scribe Publications in Melbourne after completing a Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing at RMIT. Nowadays she edits, proofreads and writes copy from home in Newcastle NSW for a range of private clients and trade publishers including Allen & Unwin, Black Inc, DK, Hardie Grant, Penguin and UQP

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading; also copywriting and manuscript assessment.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction, narrative non-fiction, children’s, YA, cookery, gardening, science, current affairs, history.

 

Denise Holden AE
Central Writing & Editing Services

www.centralediting.com.au
denise@centralediting.com.au
@DeniseHolden

Denise specialises in technical, business, government and academic editing. Since establishing Central Writing & Editing Services in 2006 she has completed projects for local councils, state and federal government departments, universities in NSW and WA, companies in the ASX Top 200, as well as smaller businesses. Prior to this Denise held senior corporate and consulting roles  in marketing, media and research in which she was responsible for writing and editing proposals, reports, presentations and competitive tenders; and developing staff training programs. She also has expertise in compiling and analysing data, statistics and research. Denise’s undergraduate degree was in commerce with a major in statistics. She followed this with a master’s degree in writing incorporating a graduate certificate in editing and publishing. She has completed professional development courses through the NSW Writers’ Centre and Society of Editors (NSW) and was accredited by the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) in 2011.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, technical editing, plain English rewriting, formatting.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Business, corporate, government, technical, scientific, academic, theses, non-fiction.

 

Joanne Holliman

joanne.holliman[at]gmail.com

Joanne has nearly three decades of publishing experience. She has worked as an editor, project manager, researcher and writer on a broad range of publications for trade and custom publishers (both in-house and as a freelancer), cultural organisations, government agencies, educational institutions and business enterprises. She has been employed by all the major publishing houses – Allen & Unwin, MUP, UQP, NewSouth, Pan Macmillan, Hachette, New Holland, among them – and has worked closely with first-time as well as experienced authors. As a highly skilled structural and copy editor, she can assist you to take your idea through all the stages of production through to finish product, or work with you on just one stage of that process, as well as provide advice on what next. With Joanne, you will be in safe hands.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural and copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessment and development, writing and researching, and project management.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Narrative and general non-fiction, illustrated books, academic titles, fiction – almost anything.

 

∗ Kirstie Innes-Will

kirstieaiw [at] gmail.com

Kirstie has been a professional book editor for 20 years. Most recently, she was editorial director / associate publisher at Black Inc., where she focused on non-fiction, working with authors such as David Marr, Jess Hill, Don Watson, Annabel Crabb and Benjamin Law. She has edited the Quarterly Essay since 2014. Kirstie is an IPED accredited editor and in her years as a freelancer her clients included trade publishers Penguin, Oxford University Press and Hardie Grant, as well as writers looking to self-publish or polish their work for submission. Her early career in educational editing gave her a grounding in handling large, complex illustrated and highly referenced works. She has taught editing and proofreading short courses at RMIT and run PD sessions for fellow editors.

TYPE OF EDITING: Project management, manuscript assessment, structural editing, line editing, copy editing, copywriting, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: General and illustrated non-fiction, particularly politics, history social issues, sustainability, psychology and neurodiversity; memoir; biography; literary fiction and YA; essays.

 

∗ Liz Kemp

www.lizkemp.com
liz@lizkemp.com
@hexwoodharriet

Liz has worked in the publishing industry for over ten years, most recently as publishing assistant/editor at HarperCollins Children’s and YA department. She has also been a member of the programming team at the State Library of Victoria’s Centre for Youth Literature. Her freelance business includes an audio transcription service for authors.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript development and author mentoring, structural editing, copy editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Young adult, children’s and adult fiction (genre and literary): general non-fiction — memoir, history, etc.

 

Vanessa Lanaway
red dot scribble editorial services

red.scribble[at]gmail.com
@reddotscribble

Vanessa has been an editor since 2003. Prior to commencing her freelance career, she was managing editor of Macmillan Education’s primary library division, overseeing the children’s illustrated non-fiction list. Freelance since 2011, her clients include Allen & Unwin, Hardie Grant Egmont, Penguin, Momentum, Pantera Press, Bounce Books, Hinkler, Macmillan and Oxford University Press.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, briefing illustrators, versioning text between US/UK English.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction and non-fiction for both children and adults, especially YA fiction, children’s non-fiction, romance and cooking.

 

Portia Lindsay

www.portialindsay.com
@portialindsay

Portia was proofreader for the 2015 Viva La Novella winners: Formaldehyde by Jane Rawson, The End of Seeing by Christy Collins and Welcome to Orphancorp by Marlee Jane Ward. For years Portia proofread Newswrite, the NSW Writers’ Centre magazine, Seizure magazine and the Seizure website. She also has vast experience writing and copy editing content, grant applications and marketing material for a variety of projects and publications to do with Seizure, Mudgee Readers’ Festival and NSWWC. Portia has worked for the Manuscript Appraisal Agency and manages submissions for Seizure, as well as working as a reviewer and industry insider (in bookshops and NSWWC) for many years.

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction, memoir, spec fic, romance, short stories, essays, cultural studies.

 

Martine Lleonart

martinelleonart.com
martinelleonart[at]gmail[dot]com

Martine Lleonart has worked in the book industry for over eighteen years. Before life as a freelancer, Martine worked in-house for Hinkler Books as its managing editor. She spent several years as senior editor of pictorial books, merchandise and general reference books for Lonely Planet Publications. She has also worked as assistant editor and, later, co-editor of Australia’s leading literary magazine, Meanjin. Her clients include trade publishers as well as not-for-profit organisations and individuals. Past clients include Hardie Grant Books, Allen & Unwin, Plum Publications, Lonely Planet Publications and Random House.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment, structural editing, copy editing, project management including briefing and commissioning, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: General reference, illustrated non-fiction, literary fiction, travel, humour, food, gardening and children’s reference.

 

Nikki Lusk

www.nikkilusk.com
nikkilusk[at]gmail.com
@booktuner

Nikki moved from practising criminal law to editing legal, academic and trade books in 2008. She began freelance editing in 2014, having previously worked in-house as an editor at UQP and a senior editor at Black Inc. She has worked with authors including David Marr, Anna Krien, Benjamin Law, David Malouf and Anna Goldsworthy.

TYPE OF EDITING: Reader’s reports, manuscript development, structural reports and edits, copy edits, proofreads.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Politics, history, current affairs, popular science, memoir, narrative non-fiction, short stories, literary adult and YA fiction.

 

Brooke Lyons

brookelyons.com.au
hello@brookelyons.com.au
LinkedIn Brooke Lyons 

Brooke is a skilled, perceptive and experienced editor who has been working with words for two decades. She began freelancing in 2016 after a successful in-house career in book publishing and corporate communications, including three years as managing editor at Wiley. Brooke provides copy editing and proofreading services to a small number of loyal book publishing clients. Her recent clients include Affirm Press, the National Library of Australia, Pan Macmillan, Major Street Publishing, Amba Press and Publish Central. Brooke holds postgraduate qualifications in editing and publishing. She is a professional member of the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) and a manuscript assessor for Writers Victoria.

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Self-help/personal development, general non-fiction, commercial fiction (proofreading only).

 

John Mapps

www.johnmapps.com
mappsj[at]bigpond.net.au

I’ve been an editor since the 1980s and work on general non-fiction books, as well as corporate and government publications. I’m a generalist, working across a big range of non-fiction genres. My clients include HarperCollins, Allen & Unwin, Pan Macmillan, Murdoch Books, Reader’s Digest, NewSouth Books, Melbourne University Press, Editor Group, ACOSS, as well as private, self-publishing clients.

TYPE OF EDITING: Project management, structural editing, copy editing and proofreading; plain English rewrites.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Memoir, biography, current affairs, sport, history (especially military history), politics, gardening, academic works, government reports, corporate documents.

 

∗ Kylie Mason

www.kyliemmason.com
kylie@kyliemmason.com

Kylie has been a freelance editor for eleven years and has also worked inhouse for HarperCollins and Pan Macmillan. As a freelance editor she has worked with HarperCollins, Penguin, UQP, Random House, Hachette, Allen & Unwin, Momentum, ABC Books and Pantera Press.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessment and development.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Literary and commercial fiction, crime, romance, fantasy/science fiction/spec fic, memoir, history, craft and cookery.

 

Scott McConnell

LinkedIn Scott McConnell
thestoryguy[at]scottamcconnell.com
@ScriptEditing

Scott McConnell has worked in story for thirty years and is a former Los Angeles film and television producer who is now a writer and story consultant in Australia. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America. Scott also edits the manuscripts of novels. He enjoys helping to develop stories to have universal themes and local colour and to find solutions to story problems. As an Australian-American, Scott can vet the authenticity of Australian and American stories. His specialties include concept, character and theme development, plot structure and the application of dramatic devices.

TYPES OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment/developmental editing; film and TV scripts.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Drama, war, adventure, action, thriller, westerns, sci-fi, historical, biopics, romance.

 

Rebecca Millar

www.rebeccamillareditorial.com
rebeccamillar[at]hotmail.co.uk
Instagram: @bring.your.own.book

Hi, I’m Rebecca Millar – a book editor with over three years’ experience in the commercial publishing industry. Before breaking out on my own, I was an editor at Penguin Random House, where I was privileged to work closely across a wide array of books – including a few Sunday Times bestsellers –  by both household names as well as emerging debut writers. I have formal qualifications from the Publishing Training Centre for both Copy Editing and Proofreading, as well as being trained on the job by some of the best publishers and editors in the business. Before Penguin, I ran the editorial department of a self-publishing company, working with a range of authors on their projects, to make their writing the best it could possibly be, and guiding them through the process of becoming an author. This still remains the best part of my job – getting to work closely with an author, coming to understand their writing and working together to make their manuscript the best it can be.

TYPE OF EDITING: I have expertise in all levels of editing including editorial assessment, structural editing, copy editing and proofreading, across both fiction and non-fiction.

AREAS OF INTEREST: I’m experienced in a wide variety of genres, from the more niche Star Wars and Stranger Things publishing lists to mass-market celebrity and personal memoirs such as Tina Turner’s My Love Story and Sherlock: The Fire Brigade Dog. I also currently work with major romance publisher, Mills and Boon – my not so guilty pleasure. However, my expertise – and personal passion – lies in all things crime and thriller, working on such titles as The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan, Come Back For Me by Heidi Perks and The Kingfisher Secret by Anonymous.

 

Kathryn Moore
Kat’s Copy

www.katscopy.com
kathrynscopy@gmail.com
@katiesevenfour
LinkedIn: Kathryn Moore

Kathryn moved from the UK in 2011 and studied professional writing and editing at RMIT in Melbourne, where she now lives. She started a freelance book editing and assessment business in 2014, and since then she has worked for several small publishers and directly with both new and experienced writers. She’s passionate about story and about helping you make your writing the very best it can be.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessments, screenplay assessments.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction of any genre: general, spec-fic, romance, humour, lesbian fiction, crime, thriller, action & adventure, fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, horror, YA. Screenplays: any genre.

 

∗ Bríd Morahan
editproof australia

editproof.com.au
e:brid[at]editproof.com.au

I am a writer and I have been working as an editor since 2002. My experience includes magazine copy and articles, reports and other published materials for academic and business clients (e.g. NSW Bar Association, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and a range of universities in NSW and South Australia). I have worked on fiction – both long-form (novella, novel) and short stories – and on memoir. I have experience with non-fiction works in diverse fields from medicine to music. I have a Bachelor of Arts with honours in English and a Master of Applied Linguistics. I love to help writers craft their work towards publication readiness.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental editing, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, beta reading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction, memoir, biography, non-fiction in education, language, theatre, drama, film.

 

Rod Morrison

wordsandpages.com.au
rod.morrison[at]me.com

Rod has been in the publishing industry for more than 20 years and is a highly experienced editor/publisher. He has worked as commissioning editor at HarperCollins, associate publisher (non-fiction) at Hardie Grant, and Picador publisher at Pan Macmillan. In 2011 he co-founded independent publisher Brio Books (now a division of Booktopia). He has extensive experience editing memoir, biography, history, true crime, popular science and mathematics, current affairs, politics, sport and travel. He has worked with authors such as Hugh van Cuylenburg, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Adam Spencer, Mike Carlton, Robin Barker, Robert Dessaix, Tara Moss, Malla Nunn, Emily Maguire, Kim Scott and Carrie Tiffany. He has also mentored writers at UTS and Varuna and taught publishing at the University of Sydney.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, manuscript development, copy editing, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Non-fiction – memoir, biography, history, true crime, popular science and mathematics, current affairs, politics, sport and travel.

 

Christine Nagel Literary Services

www.nagelliteraryservices.com.au
christine@nagelliteraryservices.com.au

Christine Nagel is a professional freelance IPEd editor and holds a BA from Deakin University in creative writing and literature. She is a founding member of the Society of Editors, WA. After ten years working in the public and private sectors, Christine started her own freelance editing business in 1993. Since then she has helped authors achieve commercial publication, assisted self-publishing writers, and worked with award-winning writers in developing their writing. Christine offers a supportive, collaborative partnership to help authors bring their writing to the next level. She provides advice on developmental issues such as story, plot and character, as well as polishing manuscripts in the line and copy-editing stages.

TYPE OF EDITING: Assessments, developmental/structural editing, line and copy editing, formatting.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction: general, crime, mystery, erotica, drama. Creative non-fiction: memoir, biography, some self-help.

 

Sumudu Narayana

hello[at]sknarayana.com

Sumudu began her career in health and medical research, and has been a freelance editor for more than five years. She works with various writers groups around Australia, and also regularly works with emerging and self-publishing writers. She is passionate about words and the power of stories in our lives. Sumudu is constantly developing her writing and editing skills, and has presented workshops on editing for writers.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, manuscript assessments, copy editing, mentoring.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Adult and YA: fantasy, romance, historical fiction, women’s fiction, contemporary fiction, crime/mystery; academic and education texts.

 

Darren Nash Editorial Services

darrenanash.com
darren[at]darrenanash[dot]com

Darren Nash is a freelance editor with more than twenty-five years of experience in commercial publishing with multinational houses in Australia and the UK. His editorial experience embraces two decades with major British SF imprints Earthlight, Orbit and, most recently, Gollancz, where he was responsible for launching the SF Gateway classic science fiction ebook program and the third edition of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Authors he has worked with include Trudi Canavan, Mike Carey, Marianne de Pierres, Kate Griffin (who now writes as Claire North), Glenda Larke, Ken MacLeod, Paul McAuley and Sean Williams. Books he has edited have won or been shortlisted for major genre awards including the Hugo, Arthur C. Clarke, Aurealis, Ditmar and Philip K. Dick Awards.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment, structural editing, line editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Adult science fiction and fantasy, crime, thrillers, humour, YA science fiction and fantasy.

 

∗ Abigail Nathan
Bothersome Words Editing & Writing Services

www.bothersomewords.com
Editor[at]BothersomeWords.com

Abigail has a background in copywriting, magazine sub-editing and legal editing, and has been a freelance editor for more than eight years. She works with various Australian publishing houses, including HarperCollins, Random House, Hachette, Pearson and LexisNexis, as well as Etopia Press in the US, and also works regularly with emerging and self-publishing writers. Abigail is the managing director of Bothersome Words Editing & Writing Services and blogs about editing, writing and reading at https://www.bothersomewords.com/blog. She is the website coordinator for the Society of Editors (NSW) Inc. and has co-presented workshops on social media and marketing for freelancers.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment and development; structural editing; copy editing; proofreading; plain English rewriting.

AREAS OF INTEREST: commercial fiction, crime, romance (including erotica), speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, paranormal and horror), YA and children’s fiction, general non-fiction, memoir, psychology, philosophy, academic and education texts, legal publications.

 

∗ Pauline O’Carolan
In the Garret Writing and Editorial Services

paulineprivate5[at]gmail.com

Pauline has extensive experience in editing and proofreading legal material after a thirteen-year career as editor/senior editor at Thomson Legal from 1994 until 2007, and as a long-term freelance proofreader for McGraw-Hill Australia. She began her trade publishing freelance career in 2002 working for HarperCollins Australia, at that stage primarily proofreading for the Voyager list but also children’s titles, commercial fiction and some non-fiction. Her career took a new direction in 2007 when she became the contracts manager for HarperCollins Australia, retiring from that role in September 2022. She continued as a freelance proofreader for publisher clients, Xoum Publishing (mostly non-fiction) and Harlequin (fiction) in particular, and private clients (novels and theses) while contracts manager. In her retirement she is keen to keep her brain active with new opportunities, especially for proofreading. Pauline enjoys direct contact with authors after so many years of editing their manuscripts and negotiating their contracts, and is herself the author of sixteen readers for EFL students.

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing, proofreading (especially proofreading).

AREAS OF INTEREST: Crime, commercial women’s fiction, romance, children’s, legal, education.

 

∗ Kate O’Donnell

www.editorkate.au
editorkate@gmail.com

Kate has been a trade publishing editor since 2006. She has worked with Jackie French, Courtney Act, Sean Williams, Judy Nunn and Jessica Dettmann, among others.

TYPE OF EDITING: All.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Literary fiction, children’s, YA, spec fic, sci-fi, fantasy, romance (any fiction, really).

 

∗ Erin O’Dwyer

www.erinodwyer.com
www.goodprosestudios.com
editor@goodprosestudios.com

Erin O’Dwyer is a journalist, writer and editor. Erin has worked in the Australian media for more than 25 years, in print, digital and broadcast settings. She is a specialist academic, public policy and non-fiction editor. She brings to her editing work rigorous academic credentials plus a journalist’s eye for plain English, readability, audience, tone, story and narrative. A passionate writing teacher and coach, Erin loves working collaboratively with clients to make their writing the best it can be. Erin holds a PhD in English Literature, as well as a BA/LLB (Hons). She has taught post-graduate writing and journalism courses at the University of Sydney, UTS, QUT, UOW and UNSW, as well as writing workshops at the ACIJ and Qld Writers Centre. She has written extensively for The Sydney Morning Herald and still writes occasionally for the SMH and The Saturday Paper. She is an associate member of the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and a professional member of the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd). She knows how to spot a story, shape an idea, develop a narrative, and help writers find their voice. Recent clients include McGraw Hill, SBS, Australian Geographic, RMIT, UNSW and UOW.

TYPES OF EDITING: Copy editing, structural editing, developmental/project editing and proofreading; story development, writing coaching and mentoring; copywriting, rewriting, fact checking, plain English writing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Non-fiction and narrative non-fiction – all genres including memoir, investigative, travel, biography, public policy, social issues, politics and current affairs, educational textbooks, academic research (sciences and humanities), PhD and Masters theses.

 

Bronwyn O’Reilly

bronwynhoreilly[at]gmail[dot]com

I’m the best combination of organised and creative, and am armed with ten years’ international experience in the publishing industry. I’ve worked as an editor for Penguin Random House in Australia and for Bloomsbury in the UK, as well as for the exhibitions team at the breathtaking Natural History Museum in London. I recognise the time, energy and care it takes to write a manuscript and I work closely with my authors to nurture their work and shape their words into the best possible book, one with powerful characters, compelling storylines and meaningful messages. My editing speaks for itself: authors I have had the pleasure of working with have gone on to win the Sisters in Crime Davitt Award, the Griffith University Young Adult Book Award and the EAC Best Exhibition Catalogue Award. Others have been shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Award, the Aurealis Award, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and the Indie Book Award. If you’re looking for an editor to help you work on your manuscript until it’s ready for self-publishing or submission, take that leap and contact me. I offer a range of services, from developmental editing to proofreading, as well as an ‘ask an editor’ service for the Big Questions that face every writer.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental/structural editing, line editing, copy editing, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Children’s books: middle-grade fiction, young adult fiction, children’s non-fiction. Adults’ books: commercial fiction, fantasy, narrative non-fiction, non-professional natural history, popular science.

 

Nicola O’Shea

www.nicolaoshea.com
nicola[at]nicolaoshea.com

Nicola has been working as an editor since the early 1990s. After several years in-house at HarperCollins, she set up her own freelance editing business in 2004. Her clients include Australian publishers such as HarperCollins, Pan Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Allen & Unwin, Hachette, as well as authors seeking editorial advice before submitting their manuscript to a literary agent or publisher. She also works with authors who choose to self-publish. Nicola has taught editing at UTS and Sydney University, the Australian Publishers’ Association and the Society of Editors NSW; and has run workshops for writers through Sydney Writers’ Festival and NSW Writers’ Centre.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript development; structural editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Genre fiction, literary fiction.

 

Alexandra Payne

alexandrakpayne[at]gmail[dot]com
@alexandrapayne

Alexandra has worked as an editor and publisher in trade publishing for more than two decades. She has been employed inhouse at both multinational and independent publishers, including Penguin and Hardie Grant. From 2007 to 2018 she was the Non-fiction Publisher (Trade) at UQP. She now works freelance for both trade publishers and individual authors.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental/structural editing, book doctoring, copy editing, ghost-writing, project management, proofreading, commissioning/scouting, author support and mentoring.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Non-fiction (commercial and literary), narrative non-fiction and illustrated non-fiction. Genres include memoir, biography, personal development, activism, environmental/nature writing, politics, current affairs, sport, mind/body/spirit, health and wellbeing, travel and more.

 

Camha Pham

www.camhapham.com
camha.pham[at]gmail.com

Camha Pham is an experienced accredited freelance editor (Institute of Professional Editors), with over nine years of experience in the publishing industry. She has worked in-house as a development editor at Oxford University Press and at Margaret River Press. As a freelancer, she has worked on copy editing and proofreading projects for publishers including Hachette, Allen & Unwin, UQP, Hardie Grant, Magabala Books, Wiley and Pearson, among others. She currently sits on the Editorial Board of Portside Review and was previously on the Editorial Board of Margaret River Press. She also works in the industry as a mentor and peer assessor, and has conducted workshops for Sweatshop and the Centre for Stories. She is co-founder of the FNPOC in Publishing Network along with publishing professionals Radhiah Chowdhury and Grace Lucas-Pennington.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing; copy editing; proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: General non-fiction, educational textbooks, fiction, short story collections.

 

Anne Reilly

www.annereilly.com.au
anne[at]reilly.id.au

25+ years’ experience in publishing industry, predominantly as non-fiction editor with specialisation in life story. Collaborative style.

TYPE OF EDITING: Non-fiction structural editing, copy editing, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Memoir, biography, current affairs, history, politics, ghost-writing, children’s and YA fiction.

 

Tony Ryan

tony@tonyryan.net.au

Every text needs an editor, an expert set of eyes to anticipate your audience’s needs and give them no excuse to stop reading. By shepherding writing to publication, I help readers to enjoy books, students to learn from course materials and communities to form around websites. (I can un-dangle a dangling phrase while blindfolded, too!) I love nothing more than the satisfying rhythm of crisp, lucid prose.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, plain English rewriting, professional communications, thesis editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Narrative non-fiction, memoir, autobiography, literary fiction, genre fiction.

 

Samantha Sainsbury

samanthasainsbury.com
samanthalsainsbury@gmail.com

I’m a freelance editor and publishing consultant with almost fifteen years experience in the book industry. I was Managing Editor at Penguin Random House and Senior Editor at Pan Macmillan Australia. I have edited a raft of best-selling and critically acclaimed books and worked with top-tier authors across the trade such as Liane Moriarty, Di Morrissey, Prof Kerryn Phelps, Mia Freedman and Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton. If you are looking to get published or to self-publish, I can help you achieve your goal of producing something special that gets attention.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental/structural, copy editing, mentoring and publishing consulting.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Commercial fiction, narrative non-fiction, memoir, health, business, younger readers and YA.

 

Emma Schwarcz

emma.schwarcz[at]hotmail.com

Emma has been a professional book editor for more than 12 years. She was senior editor at Hardie Grant Books, where she focused mostly on narrative non-fiction and memoir and worked with such authors as Shaun Micallef, Denise Scott, Dave O’Neil, James Halliday, Malcolm Knox and Barry Dickins. Since going freelance in 2010, she has found a greater balance between fiction and non-fiction, editing and proofreading books by J.M. Coetzee, Graeme Simsion, Fiona McIntosh and Angela Savage, among others. Her freelance clients include trade publishers such as Penguin, Text Publishing, Allen & Unwin, Hardie Grant, Random House and MUP, as well as literary journals, and individual writers looking to self-publish or polish their work for submission. She has taught writing at RMIT and has been on the literature panel for Arts Victoria.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, project management.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Narrative non-fiction, memoir, fiction (both literary and commercial), humour, YA fiction.

 

∗ Cecile Shanahan Editing and Proofreading

Cecile.Shanahan.editor[at]gmail.com
Cecileshanahaneditor.com

Cecile is an experienced editor with a background in education, communications and arts. She prides herself on her attention to detail and her ability to establish and maintain excellent working relationships with authors and publishers. Cecile has previously been a CBCA board member, taught secondary school English and Literature and edited and proofread magazines, anthologies, memoirs, educational resources and journals, creative non-fiction, mysteries, historical fiction and self-help books. She is a current member of SCBWI and is passionate about literature for children and young adults. Cecile is an IPEd member and holds qualifications in journalism, education and of course, editing.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Children’s and YA fiction and non-fiction; educational publishing; general fiction.

 

Deborah Singerman Writing Editing and Proofreading Consultancy

www.deborahsingerman.com.au
dsingcbeat[at]ozemail.com.au
@deborahsingerma
LinkedIn: Deborah Singerman

Deborah’s consultancy builds on her professional and personal experiences in Australia, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Her insatiable curiosity means she still enjoys writing and editing about issues before they become mainstream, contributing to their increasing acceptability. With degrees in economics and sociology (BSc from the London School of Economics and an MA in Australian Studies from the University of New South Wales), she helps creatives, solo authors, SMEs, start-ups, and not-for-profits get their message across to increase appreciation and understanding of their work. She also offers one-to-one collaborative consultations. Her current priorities are how we work and where we work, changing  nature if cities, non-pandemic healthcare and approaches to seniority. Member of Editors NSW, NSW Writers’ Centre, Architecture Association of Australia, War on Wasted Talent, and remote working, self-publishing and inner-west writing meetups.

TYPE OF EDITING: Development, structural and copy mainly for first-time authors covering expert professional stories and commentary, adaptations, commentary and updates of architectural features from 1960s and 1970s. One-to-one collaborative consultations in particular on healthcare. Editing/writing topical LinkedIn posts and articles, an ebook on lesbian marriage, memoir, essays.

AREAS OF INTEREST: City, culture, arts, socioeconomics, humanities,  architecture and design, creativity , sustainability, health and wellbeing and gender and sexuality.

 

Carly Tenille Slater

www.carlytenille.com
carly[at]carlytenille.com
@carlytenille

Carly began her career in health and education where she coordinated a writers program for academic content. From here she went on to become an in-house editor for a large international publishing company working on many titles from a wide range of subject areas including hospitality, business, management, education, health and trade services. Carly has also worked as a writer and editor for The Locavore Edition and Junkies Magazine, and has been published in a short story collection titled Dining Alone (Wakefield Press), and The Field Guide to NSW Produce (The Field Institute). As a qualified and experienced freelance editor, Carly now works with clients ranging from educational publishers, company directors and cookbook authors to emerging writers.

TYPE OF EDITING: Non-fiction and fiction structural editing, copy editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Commercial fiction, YA, memoir, craft, cookery, health, business publications, academic and education texts.

 

Jane Smith

www.janesmitheditor.com
janesmith66[at]live.com

As a published author and an experienced freelance editor, I understand what a writer needs from an editor. I treat authors with respect and manuscripts with sensitivity, and I understand the value of clear and positive communication. I will help you polish your manuscript while maintaining your unique style. I have experience in editing fiction and non-fiction for all ages, as well as picture books and university course materials. My clients have included publishers and indie authors. With my experience as an editor, author and librarian (in school, public and health libraries), I have a sound knowledge of the book industry from many perspectives. I am a professional member of the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd).

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessments, structural editing and copy editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Any fiction and commercial non-fiction, but with a particular interest in history (fiction and non-fiction) and children’s books. I am also interested in educational texts.

 

Kim Smith
Kim’s Editing Solutions

kimseditingsolutions.com.au
info@kimseditingsolutions.com.au

Kim has over 20 years’ experience in an editorial role – both in-house and, for the past six years, as a freelancer. She obtained a Graduate Certificate in Editing and Publishing in 2019 from USQ, and has professional memberships with both IPEd and the CIEP. Now semi-retired, she only takes on one book project at a time, but always has availability for small jobs. Her favourite genre is humorous sci-fi/fantasy, and she is a champion for Australian English.

TYPE OF EDITING: Manuscript assessment, line and copy editing. For self-publishers, she also offers a free proof-check (note: not a proofread) of the formatted (typeset) copy.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, humorous fiction, contemporary fiction, crime fiction, women’s fiction, and narrative non-fiction.

 

∗ Marja Stack
Clearlingo

www.clearlingo.co.nz
marja[at]clearlingo.co.nz
LinkedIn: Marja Stack

Marja loves turning complex writing into user-friendly content. She helps businesses and government organisations create clear content that is quick and easy to understand, and is especially interested in plain language editing. She works on reports, research articles, blogs and marketing content, style guides and general non-fiction. She also works with businesses and writers on non-fiction books that engage their readers with professional and polished writing, and makes navigating the complex publishing process easy and seamless.​​ Marja is an Accredited Editor through IPEd and an Advanced Professional Member of CIEP. She is based in New Zealand but works with clients from around the world. Marja founded Clearlingo in 2015 and has degrees in modern languages and speech and language therapy, and a diploma in editing and proofreading.

TYPE OF EDITING: Copy editing; proofreading; plain language editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Business/corporate and government content; technical editing; non-fiction books – business, agriculture, New Zealand, allied health, education, arts/music, travel, cookbooks, general.

 

∗ Candace Stuart

candacestuartedits@gmail.com

Candace has been working in the publishing industry for nearly 20 years. During a stint in the UK, she started as an editorial assistant at the Orion Publishing Group, before working her way up to become editorial manager for Orion Fiction. Since relocating back to Australia, she has held both in-house and freelance editorial positions at Pearson Australia, Scholastic, MultiLit and Walker Books Australia. Candace loves working with general fiction and all manner of children’s books, from picture books to YA, and also has experience in literacy and education. Candace is an IPEd accredited editor.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, editorial project management.

AREAS OF INTEREST: General fiction (including romance and fantasy), children’s, YA, education/literacy.

 

Shel Sweeney
A Worded Life

www.AWordedLife.com
shel.sweeney@gmail.com
@ShelSweeney

After working for McGraw-Hill Book Company, Penguin Books and Heinemann, and following time teaching in educational institutions, Shel now works as a freelance editor, mentor and writer. Shel has worked with educational, trade and academic publishers, indie authors, large and small businesses, national and international corporations. Recent: Early author mentoring and development editing – Black Cockatoo by Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler, published by Magabala Books, which won an Honorary award in the 2019 Children’s Book Council Awards.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural and copy editing; occasional proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction: picture books, middle grade, YA; non-fiction: creative non-fiction, memoir, history.

 

Kim Swivel

kim.swivel@bigpond.com

Kim is a freelance editor and ghost writer with over fifteen years’ industry experience working with the major Sydney publishers. She is also author of the novels Black Diamonds, This Red Earth and A Blue Mile under the name Kim Kelly.

TYPE OF EDITING: Author development/mentorship, and structural advice; copy editing for works contracted to publishers only.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Literary and genre fiction of all kinds, and narrative non-fiction, such as memoir, biography, history.

 

∗ Peter Symons Writing and Editing

www.petersymons.org
pete1symons [at] yahoo.com.au

Peter Symons has been a freelance editor since 2013, editing everything from an award-winning history to PhDs. He holds an Honours Degree in History from Melbourne University, a Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing from RMIT and a Master’s Degree in Public History from Monash University. He has experience in proofreading, copy editing, structural editing and obtaining copyright permissions. He prides himself in always completing work on time and on budget. He has published short stories in Overland, Island, The Victorian Writer and Pendulum Papers. He has also published a community history. He is a professional member of IPEd and member of the Professional Historians Association, and serves on their Committee of Management.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, layout and copyright permissions.

AREAS OF INTEREST: History, adult and children’s fiction, academia.

 

∗ Gail Tagarro
The Book Writing Coach

www.bookwritingcoach.com.au
gail[at]bookwritingcoach.com.au

I’ve been working with writers since 2005 on a broad range of editing projects. I’m a generalist editor, working with both fiction and non-fiction. A few years ago, I did freelance editing for Palgrave Macmillan on various textbooks. I’ve been an Accredited Editor (AE) with IPEd since 2008, have an MA Linguistics (1986) and a Dipl Journalism (1971).

TYPE OF EDITING: Fiction – all; non-fiction – all (except theses).

AREAS OF INTEREST: Historical fiction, sci fi, romance, YA. Non-fiction, memoir.

 

Cathie Tasker

www.cathietasker.com
cathie[at]cathietasker.com

Cathie Tasker began her professional life as a librarian, then worked in publishing for many years, creating about 700 books  ‒ at Scholastic, HarperCollins and Koala Books. As an editor and publisher she worked on both popular and award-winning titles, many of which are still in print. She is now in her third career as a creative writing teacher, mostly at the Australian Writers’ Centre. And she is also a freelance structural editor ‒ look at her website to see a list of people she has worked with. Cathie also enjoys judging literary awards ‒ currently for the Aurealis Awards and the CBCA Book of the Year Awards.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, manuscript development, manuscript assessment.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Speculative fiction, genre fiction, children’s & YA fiction.

 

∗ Russell Thomson
clear communications

www.clearcommunications.net.au
ruspet[at]bigpond.net.au

Russell qualified as an IPEd accredited editor and is a professional member of Society of Editors NSW. Two decades of experience as proofreader, editor, sub-editor and project manager have seen him work in-house for Scholastic Press, Little Hare Books, ABC Books, POL Corporate Publications, HarperCollinsPublishers and Hardie Grant Egmont and as a freelancer for Deakin University, Murdoch Books, Penguin Random House as well as many projects for government, corporate and private clients. Since March 2014 he has been part-time publications editor for the Reserve Bank of Australia and has proofread Good Reading magazine for over a decade.

TYPE OF EDITING: Extensive experience in all levels of editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Wide ranging – including picture books, YA, general fiction, non-fiction, recipe books, music, memoir, government reports, annual reports – anything to help with clear communication.

 

 

Gordana Trifunovic

gordana.trifunovic@gmail.com

Gordana has over 13 years’ experience as an editor. She worked inhouse as a managing editor at Hardie Grant Books. She has freelanced for Murdoch Books, Random House, Reader’s Digest, Weldon Owen, ACP, Pacific Publications and IMP. Gordana has worked with authors such as Margaret Fulton, Pete Evans, Greg Malouf, Jane Kennedy, Darcey Bussell, Martyn Thompson, and Jason Grant.

TYPE OF EDITING: Project management, manuscript assessment, structural editing, copy editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Illustrated non-fiction – interiors, gardening, craft, fashion, photography, cooking, lifestyle, travel and memoir.

 

Libby Turner

libbyturnereditorial[at]gmail.com

Libby has been working as an editor since 2007. Her clients include industry-leading publishers such as Hachette, Hardie Grant, HarperCollins, Pan Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. She also works with self-publishing authors, and authors seeking editorial feedback prior to submitting to a publisher. She is passionate about supporting aspiring authors on their writing journey.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental editing, structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessment, blurb writing and mentoring.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Commercial fiction, fantasy and sci-fi, health and wellbeing, historical fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction, romance and sport.

 

∗ Adam vanLangenberg
Fireside Editing

www.firesideediting.com.au
adam@firesideediting.com.au

With a diverse background spanning over two decades – including roles as a magician, musician, Santa photographer, maths teacher, child carer, tech support officer, woodworker, and writer – I’ve found my true calling in editing. I thrive on collaborating with both seasoned and emerging authors to help them refine their work to its fullest potential. As an experienced writing coach, I am committed to fostering writers’ growth, offering tailored online sessions to develop their unique voices and storytelling skills. I actively contribute to the literary community by leading creative writing initiatives, guiding the Phoenix Park Writers Group, and teaching novel and memoir writing classes at Prahran Place. Beyond editing and coaching, I am also available for a range of writing services.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction (general, fantasy, sci-fi, humour), narrative non-fiction, educational non-fiction.

 

∗ Maja Vatrić

vatric@proton.me

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript assessment.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Politics, current affairs, history, finance/economics, marketing.

 

Leanne Wickham
Red Pencil Proofreading and Editing Ltd

www.inredpencil.co.nz
leanne@inredpencil.co.nz

With a lifelong passion for the written word, Leanne has made her career around writing. In 2015 she achieved a Diploma of Proofreading and Editing through the New Zealand Institute of Business Studies. She is also a Professional Member of the Institute of Professional Editors. Leanne proofreads and edits work for new and established authors from New Zealand and overseas along with proofreading work for students at universities around New Zealand. She also works with businesses as a freelance proofreader checking their websites, financial reports, case studies and all written work that is being distributed to the public. Leanne is the founder of Red Pencil, which provides high quality editorial services personalised to her clients’ needs.

TYPE OF EDITING: Developmental editing, copy editing and proofreading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Fiction in all genres for adults, children and YA; non-fiction including self-help, textbooks and cookbooks and all types of business documents.

 

Marisa Wikramanayake

www.marisa.com.au
marisa[at]marisa.com.au
@mwikramanayake

I have been a freelance editor since 2008 and have edited work for award-winning authors such as Jane Rawson and Amanda Jay and for publishers Hardie Grant, Fremantle Press and Margaret River Press. I also have worked for organisations such as Curtin University and World Vision.

TYPE OF EDITING: Structural editing, copy editing, proofreading, mentoring, sensitivity reading.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Academic, fiction (any), non-fiction (any), corporate.