Editor
Author and co-director of Galley Beggar PressSam Jordison
Sam Jordison is an author and co-director at Galley Beggar Press, the award-winning indie press.
He has extensive editorial experience and knowledge of the book world – and has also been on the other side of the fence, having written several best-selling works of non-fiction, including the notorious Crap Towns series (Boxtree, Pan Macmillan), the best-selling I Spy for adults series, a book about Literary London (co-authored with Eloise Millar), political books like Enemies Of The People and The 10 Worst Of Everything.
As a journalist, he mainly writes for The Guardian, and mainly about books. He runs the Not The Booker Prize, and the Guardian’s online book club, The Reading Group. He has also taught about publishing on several Creative Writing university courses, as well as teaching a course on publishing at Greenwich University and journalism at UEA.
Find Sam on X here: @samjordison
If you’d like to work with Sam, get in touch with our Writer Support team; tell us about your book and what you’d like support with, and we’ll help you identify your next steps.
Every penny was really well spent
– Michael S.
Comprehensive
- Lachlan P.
Could hardly have been more helpful
– Annerose W.
Exactly what I need
- Joe B.
What I needed
- Irina G.
Manuscript Assessment
Published by Bonnier
Sam worked with Kate MacDougall on
London’s No. 1 Dog-Walking Agency. After completing this Manuscript Assessment, Kate went on to be published by Bonnier Books in a two-book deal.
Manuscript Assessment
Published by Daraja Press
Sam worked with Grant on Dark PR: How corporate disinformation harms our health and the environment. This went on to be published by Daraja Press.
Sam's specialties
Why we love Sam
Sam’s work with wide-ranging authors at Galley Beggar have proved him to be a talented editor who can work on a variety of genres from highbrow literary fiction to fantasy YA. He has a great sense of identifying what makes a novel unique and suggesting concrete ways to help authors make their manuscripts standout to publishers and agents. Premium Members can watch our In Conversation with Galley Beggar Press here.
What Sam says about editing
I have edited novels and non-fiction by some of the best writers alive today. They have variously been shortlisted for and won The Booker Prize, The Republic Of Consciousness Prize, The Goldsmiths Prize, The Desmond Elliott Prize, The Jan Michalski Prize, The Folio Prize, The Bollinger Wodehouse Prize For Comic Fiction, The Jhalak Prize, The Women’s Prize, The Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, and the Frank O’Connor Short Story Prize.
I also love to see work by people who are starting out on their careers and am curious both about fiction and non-fiction. I’ve been on both sides of the fence of the publishing process as both a writer and editor, so am well equipped to offer you the advice you need. And I’m also very sympathetic to the work you are doing. I know that writing books takes dedication and I am always keen to give your work the attention it deserves.
What Sam works on
By purchasing any of these products, you'll have the opportunity to express your interest in working with Sam.
Manuscript Assessment
Developmental Editing
Agent Submission Pack assessment
Post-editorial guidance
Opening Section Review
Mentoring
Sam's published books
