Editorial Underwriters
More than 20 years ago, I launched my editorial freelance business on a full-time basis, primarily as a copy editor for university presses and literary publishers. I was able to do this with success for multiple reasons, and while the quality of my work certainly counts among them, I also acknowledge that social factors such as my racial identity and socio-economic status, especially my ability to launch a career without the burden of college debt, facilitated this freedom.
My desire to help clients achieve their unique writing, publishing, and career goals has powered every project I’ve accepted, but there is ample evidence within publishing that this is not enough. The publishing industry needs to give a leg up to writers from under-resourced and historically underrepresented backgrounds if we truly value all voices and want to see them in print; otherwise, we just pay lip service to the idea of diversity in literature and academia and miss out on important perspectives.
I am therefore committed to building an “Editorial Underwriters Program” in order to help address issues of equity as a sole proprietor, through more intentional management of my schedule, skills, and fees; and by sharing knowledge. This program, presently in development, will leverage my skills to subsidize editorial support (at all stages of development) for writers from first-gen or typically marginalized or oppressed backgrounds, so that their voices, ideas, and stories have the best chance of advancing along the pipeline.
Watch this space for details to come!