EDITORS UNEDITED: Naomi Jones

We love Naomi – from her solid grasp on the children’s book market to her in-depth, constructive criticism, she’s the editor you want on your side if you’re writing anything from picture books to YA. Here’s what she had to say:  

Q: So that we can learn a bit about you, tell us about one writing-related thing you’re proud of, and one non-writing related thing you’re proud of.  

I am really proud that my books are published to be honest! It’s been my dream since I was little and I still get a thrill seeing my published books. I’m also really proud of my two boys who are an endless source of inspiration for new stories. 

Q: What brought you to the world of writing? What keeps you writing?  

I have always loved stories both reading them and writing them. There is nothing quite like the feeling of losing yourself inside a good book… As for what keeps me writing, to be honest I can’t not write. 

Q: Tell me about what you’re currently working on.  

I have two new picture books publishing in 2023 – How to Make a Story which is possibly the most complicated text I’ve ever written, and Thunderboots which is about a girl with dyslexia so I’m working on the publicity for those books. I’m also writing more picture book texts and some young fiction too. 

Q: You’ve just received a new manuscript to critique: what’s the first thing you do? Walk us through your editing process.  

I read the manuscript on my kindle and make notes on a word document as I go. When I’ve finished reading the text, I’ll read through all the notes and look for themes before organising my notes into the basis for my editorial report. 

Q: How do you manage being on the other side of the editorial process – when your own writing is being edited? What should an author who is receiving critique for the first-time be aware of? 

That all aspects of publishing are subjective and that any editor or reader’s advice is just that, advice. I often find an editor will flag something I half knew but couldn’t put my finger on but I don’t always agree with their proposed solution for how to fix it and that’s ok too. I tend to read all my editorial feedback in one go and then need a bit of time to reflect on it and digest what I want to keep and what I want to change before I begin any actual edits. This is something that I advise all writers to do as having a little perspective can be incredibly helpful. 

Q: What writing do you get most excited about working as an editor on? What really makes you intrigued by a submission?  

I love stories that draw me in with characters I can root for and writing that carries me away. I am always excited to dive into an author’s manuscript, especially as I know how much time and energy it takes to write one in the first place! 

Q: What do you read for pleasure? Is this different to the writing you enjoy working on?  

I read lots of different things, literary fiction, poetry, non-fiction, children’s books and some very easy reading chic lit too! I normally have about six books on the go at any one time… 

Q: Finally, if you could only give one piece of advice to all aspiring authors, what would it be?  

Writing books is a marathon and not a sprint! 

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