Asterisk & Octopus
Editorial and creative services by Andrea O'Connor
01.
about
Hi, I’m Andrea. I’m an editor, project manager and writer based in Melbourne who specialises in producing beautiful illustrated books. Over the past 15+ years, I have worked in both Australia and the UK as a Senior Editor and Editor, specialising in food, lifestyle and gift titles, as well as narrative non-fiction books.
From the beginning, my work has always combined food with the written word in some way. My two main passions revealed themselves to me early on and, since then, I haven’t left them alone, whether that has been teaching how to fillet mackerel in Richard Bertinet’s cookery school while tutoring English Literature, writing restaurant reviews for some of London’s most exciting restaurants, or working closely with photographers on the food and props styling for various book projects. I didn’t know it at the time, but these early experiences really lit the way to my true vocation as an editor (and lover) of food and lifestyle books.
My experience working for publishers such as Hardie Grant, Macmillan, Parragon and Absolute Press (Bloomsbury) has given me a solid understanding of the specific challenges of illustrated book publishing, from the (often punishing) schedules and creative development, to the particular skills needed to produce books of distinctive quality.
I love working with chefs, authors and individuals to bring their creations to life, from the first spark of an idea, right through to holding the finished book. Some of the authors I have worked with here in Australia are George Calombaris (Just George), Luke Nguyen (Street Food Asia), Matt Evans (The Commons), Matt Wilkinson (Mr & Mrs Wilkinson’s How it is at Home), Emiko Davies (Acquacotta, Tortellini at Midnight & Cinnamon and Salt), Mat Pember and Dillon Seitchik-Reardon of Melbourne’s Little Veggie Patch Co. (Grow. Food. Anywhere.) and Annie Smithers (Annie’s Farmhouse Kitchen) to name a few. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with Atul Kochhar (Fish, Indian Style), Fiona Beckett (The Frugal Cook), Tom Norrington-Davies and Trish Hilferty (Game: A Cookbook), and Claire Clark (Indulge), among others, in the UK. Scroll down to Testimonials to read what some of them had to say.
I offer an approach to editing and project management that is thorough, collaborative and considerate, and takes into account the unique nature of every book and its author. I love making books that are authentic and memorable, and always aim to make the editorial and publishing process as streamlined and enjoyable as possible for everyone involved. Please scroll down to read more about the services that I offer.
With a wealth of experience in the whole publishing process, I can help you take your book from an idea to the finished product. You might have a concept you want to develop and take right through the publishing process to completion. You might have a manuscript and need someone to give it a good polish. Or you might be interested in self-publishing your own book. If you have a project you think I can help with, I would love to hear from you!
“Andrea is an absolute professional and filled us with confidence throughout the entire publishing process.”
02.
Services
developmental editing
Overall manuscript assessment and restructure (if necessary). Organising the content to ensure ‘macro’ ideas are clear and the pace and flow is coherent.
copy & line editing
A tighter edit looking at sentence structure and word choice as well as curating the text for its intended audience. Line editing for grammar, spelling, punctuation, consistency of style, terminology and information.
Project management
Managing every aspect of producing a book, including commissioning a team of expert contributors, selected for their suitability for the project. Includes creative briefing, developing and managing schedules, design development, planning and overseeing photoshoots, and guiding the author(s) through each stage of the publishing process.
proofreading
Proofreading of designed PDFs for illustrated and mono books, and finished manuscripts for fiction and non-fiction.
sensitivity reading
Performing a thorough review of a manuscript for unwanted or unintentional bias and giving detailed editorial feedback to a publisher to ensure the finished work is sensitively crafted for its audience. My particular focus is on LGBTQ+ themes.
writing
Originating copy for book blurbs and sales material, as well as incidental text for book internals.
Creating content for websites and blogs.
indexing
Compiling a thorough and comprehensive index for illustrated books.
book packaging
Managing some or all aspects of creating a book, including tasks such as editing, designing, typesetting and working with photographers. Delivering press-ready PDFs of the finished book back to a publisher.
self-publishing
Assisting authors with self-publishing projects.
recipe development & testing
Working with authors to develop and test recipes.
Creating recipes from scratch, including testing.
Editing
Editing is the workhorse behind any brilliant book. To develop a manuscript that feels effortless and interesting to read as well as being technically sound requires a unique set of skills. Along the way, it involves meticulous work and collaboration to make the words shine and to ensure they will work in harmony on the page with images and illustrations.
My experience as a project manager has afforded me a detailed understanding of what it takes to transform an idea from its creative inception to a printed book.
I have undertaken a broad range of editorial jobs, including working closely with authors to develop their manuscripts; flatplanning a book’s content; collaborating with designers on design and layout development; briefing photographers and stylists; extensive proofreading at various page stages; larger-scale developmental editing as well as line and copyediting; copywriting and indexing. I’ve managed multiple busy schedules for a combination of book projects at once, ensuring each is delivered on time and executed to the highest standard.
03.
portfolio
Here’s a look at some of the titles I have worked on.
“Andrea’s hard work, skill and dedication to
making a beautiful book was amazing.”
04.
Testimonials
'I'm one of those full-on authors who is quite demanding. I know what I want and I have this accent that I want to keep on the page (it also comes with horrific grammar and spelling), but Andrea seamlessly brought it all together. Her hard work, skill and dedication to making Mr & Mrs Wilkinson's How it is at Home a beautiful book was amazing.'
– Matt Wilkinson & Sharlee Gibb, Authors
'More than an editor, Andrea was a mentor and a friend to us from the moment we decided to write A Spot at the Bar to long after the book was published. The passion and enthusiasm that she showed our project from the very beginning helped drive us forward during the long and challenging writing process. Andrea was a reassuring and inspiring resource. Her unwavering positivity and hands-on approach was invaluable and we could not be more thrilled with the final result. Andrea was a true joy to work with and we are eternally grateful.'
– Michael Madrusan & Zara Young, Authors
'We loved working with Andrea on our book, Grow. Food. Anywhere. She is an absolute professional and filled us with confidence throughout the entire publishing process. Andrea never made us feel like something was too hard or complicated, and always fostered our good ideas while expertly steering us away from the bad ones. We are so happy with the book and would be thrilled to work with her again.'
– Mat Pember & Dillon Seitchik-Reardon, Authors
'Thank you Andrea for making my book Dalmatia a great success. Your talent and diligence made all the hard work look so easy. You are a great writer and a very talented editor with an eye for fine detail. I hope to work with you again in the future.'
– Ino Kuvacic, Author
'Working on Street Food Asia with Andrea was a real highlight. Her understanding of the book-making process and skill at managing collaborators made the whole project run so smoothly. Andrea's sensitive and informed feedback made it really easy and enjoyable to work with her.'
– Evi Oetomo, Designer
'Andrea is clever, efficient and meticulous, three valuable qualities in an editor. But best of all, she really cares.'
– Jane Willson, Publishing Director
'It was a joy to work with Andrea on our book, The Tivoli Road Baker. She showed so much care and love for every detail of making the book come together, while keeping a tight ship to meet the demands of the publishing schedule. It was a real pleasure and honour to have Andrea on our side from start to finish.'
– Michael James, Author
05.
say hello
If you have a project you think I can help with, or just want to say hello, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me directly at andreaoconnoreditor@gmail.com, or fill out the form below.