Wondering how to get a book published?
Get inspired by my published author clients!
This page features some of my clients’ traditionally published books. Hover over a book to flip the image and read how I helped the writers get and agent or get published.
They’ve achieved the dream of becoming an author, with a little help from me. Can I help you?
Sharon approached me to get her manuscript and pitch ready for submission to publishers.
Frank asked me to review his first three chapters. I ended up introducing him to his publisher.
Referred to me by a literary agent, Anita and I developed her manuscript to a commercially publishable standard.
I was honoured to help eminent historian Dr Pybus develop her pitch and find the right publisher for this important book.
Under the expert care of Allen & Unwin in bringing the book to market, TRUGANINI has sold many thousands of copies and has been reprinted several times.
I love editing Lily Brett's fiction, which I have been doing since her novel TOO MANY MEN. We met when I worked in-house at Picador, an imprint of Macmillan.
LOLA BENSKY won the Prix Médicis Étranger, a prestigious French prize for translated works of fiction.
Guy approached me with the idea for this book. He'd written hardly any of the manuscript but had relevant expertise, and more importantly had identified a gap in the market.
We developed a proposal and detailed chapter outline, which landed him a publishing contract from HarperCollins. DOGS went on to become a bestselling history title in Australia.
When my friend Fiona Higgins approached me with the manuscript of her first novel, I was beyond excited to help develop and then sell at auction an outstanding story that became a bestselling commercial women's fiction title in Australia in its year of publication.
Fiona has gone on to write several more works of intelligent commercial fiction about contemporary Australia.
I was hired by Simon & Schuster to do a structural / developmental edit on the manuscript of the bestselling author's second novel.
The German edition of the award-winning LOLA BENSKY, which I edited.
Lily is a superstar in Germany, where she was born in a DP camp after WWII; and very popular in Australia, where she emigrated as a child.
The US and best edition of what many regard as Lily Brett's best novel. When her US publisher wanted her to cut 10,000 words, Lily asked me to help. Having edited the original edition I was the person closest to the material.
I am proud to have discovered Jenny Ackland. This is the second novel she wrote, inspired by her years living in Turkey among other things; but the first one that was published. A more common scenario for debut authors than you might think.
The co-authors, practising psychiatrists, asked me first to assess their manuscript, then for help in increasing its commercial viability. I developed a pitch and related materials, and eventually helped them land a deal with Macmillan.
I loved editing this book for David, who I’ve known personally for a long time. The book collects catalogue and other essays by the esteemed late art critic Dore Ashton as well as featuring a first-person narrative that David and I created through a series of conversations.
Never did I image I'd ever be the dedicatee of a book, but that's what happened here. One of Lily's funniest novels, about the irrepressible Holocaust survivor Edek Rothwax and his adventures in New York. A great pleasure to edit.
Never did I image I'd ever be the dedicatee of a book, but that's what happened here. One of Lily's funniest novels, about the irrepressible Holocaust survivor Edek Rothwax and his adventures in New York. A great pleasure to edit.
I was honoured to edit this substantial essay collection by one of Australia's favourite writers.
I met author Jamie Brisick at a writing retreat, where he was working on this fabulous book about Australian surfer Peter Druyen. I advised Jamie on publishing strategy and helped him get published in Australia through Allen & Unwin.
The first book of Lily's that I edited. Lily told me she could not read my handwritten notes, which tells you how long ago that was.
Author Tracy Crisp engaged me to undertake a structural edit and a subsequent assessment of a revised edition of this absorbing novel, which was published by Wakefield Press.
I helped the author develop this manuscript to a commercially publishable standard and introduced her to her eventual publisher, Pan Macmillan Australia.
A brilliant tribute to the author's father, which grew from an article in Good Weekend magazine and was the subject of an intense bidding war. I was Tim's agent for this book.
I worked with the author to develop the chapter outline and a few sample chapters for submission to publishers. This book was the result.
Ashley Hay's publisher engaged me to do a structural edit of the author's third novel, the follow-up to the international bestseller The Railwayman's Wife.
Fiona Higgins's gripping tale, told by a mother and her son in alternating chapters, of life with a neuro-diverse child after an event at his school sends shockwaves through the local community. I was honoured to be an early reader of the manuscript in draft, and wrote a piece about its "unusual" path to publication.
Dog behaviourist and flora and fauna researcher extraordinaire Guy Hull's follow up to his bestselling THE DOGS THAT MADE AUSTRALIA. As with his first book, we worked together on revising a draft chapter outline before he started writing in earnest.
Novelist Fiona Higgins's first book. I encouraged Fiona to take some long emails describing her life on a farm in outback Queensland and helped her develop and sell this book-length manuscript about love and sustainable farming during drought.
Entrepreneur Nick Bennett's wild ride through the highs and lows of making and losing a fortune. Referred to me by his literary agent, Nick and I worked closely on a detailed chapter outline and sample chapters.
I love Fiona's second novel for putting a loving father-daughter relationship at the centre of an adventure across the Australian outback. As with Fiona's previous books I was an early reader, structural editor, as well as her literary agent.
Award-winning novel from David Kowalski that posits an alternative history in which the Titanic did not sink. Epic in every sense, this was the first book I sold as an agent.
HarperCollins Australia engaged me to work with former Queensland Premier (equivalent to US State Governor) Anna Bligh to ensure she delivered a publishable manuscript on time.
Referred by a mutual acquaintance, ABC TV journalist Jane Hutcheon wanted constructive feedback on her complete draft manuscript, prior to her contracted delivery date. (NB I no longer do structural edit/reports on full manuscripts.)
First novel by the author of Almost a Mirror. Kirsten asked me to review her contract and advise her during negotiation.
I sold this tale of international tennis trading to Black Inc Books with a partial manuscript, working with Brad on story structure, chapter outline, and comparison titles among other key elements of the complete proposal.
HarperCollins asked me to do a structural edit of this lovely memoir by a lifelong Francophile Australian. The launch party was at the French Consul-General's residence looking over Sydney Harbour; exquisite.
I provided constructive editorial advice on draft submission materials for Caroline's memoir about her husband's death, which she used to approach her eventual publisher.
Structural edit for publisher Allen & Unwin of this novel about a missing teenager and the unexpected effects of her return on family and community life.
My own first book, which started life as a play, then turned into a memoir about grief that was dubbed "unputdownable". I lived it, wrote it, and agented it myself.
Structural edit for Simon & Schuster of this narrative nonfiction account of the life of the author's father in law, a Jewish soldier who undertook a remarkable journey during WWII trying to return to his wife and son in occupied Poland.
I helped Dr Lin to write a book proposal and sample chapters. We developed a chapter outline and he responded thoughtfully to my editorial feedback and suggestions. His proposal led to representation by a US agent who sold the book to Hay House.
Weaver extraordinaire Marianne Moody asked me to review and advise on her contract with a major US publisher for this book of her artwork and technique.
I conducted a structural edit for the publisher Simon & Schuster of this romp through the history of the Australian tabloid newspaper known for salacious gossip and gross neglect of the facts.
Referred by another client, the co-authors engaged me to provide a structural edit on a complete draft of this biography of the late revered microfinance expert and philanthropist Guy Winship, published by Ginninderra Press.
I met author Jamie Brisick at a writing retreat, where he was working on this fabulous book about Australian surfer Peter Druyen. I advised Jamie on publishing strategy and helped him get published in Australia through Allen & Unwin.
I worked with the author to develop the chapter outline and a few sample chapters for submission to publishers. This book was the result.
My own first book, which started life as a play, then turned into a memoir about grief that was dubbed "unputdownable". I lived it, wrote it, and agented it myself.
I worked with Kellie to develop her idea for a book based on her experiences into a chapter outline and partial manuscript that I sold to Hachette.
Ashley Hay's publisher engaged me to do a structural edit of the author's third novel, the follow-up to the international bestseller The Railwayman's Wife.
HarperCollins Australia engaged me to work with former Queensland Premier (equivalent to US State Governor) Anna Bligh to ensure she delivered a publishable manuscript on time.
I'm very proud of my second book, which is a hybrid literary memoir telling several stories across generations, incorporating some fictionalised material. It took forever but opened a lot of doors professionally.
Weaver extraordinaire Marianne Moody asked me to review and advise on her contract with a major US publisher for this book of her artwork and technique.