Mary Cunnane: Freelance Editing

Mary Cunnane has a finely tuned ear for the cadence of language and the rhythm of storytelling, unflinching honesty, and a rare gift for nourishing an author’s voice through however long it takes to deliver a manuscript into the world. Her insights, her grace, her humour, her gentle guidance, and her passion for the written word are qualities I treasured. As a literary midwife she is without doubt a writer’s dream.

Kate Legge,  journalist and novelist

With extensive experience at senior levels in the book-publishing industry in the United States and Australia, I provide a number of editorial services including:

• fine-tuning and optimising book proposals and submission letters;
• in-depth manuscript evaluation and development; and
• both structural and line editing.

I also conduct group workshops for prospective and emerging writers who wish to learn how the industry operates here and overseas, thus maximising the potential for the success of their projects with agents and publishers.

List-building, author relations, rights management and IP development are among the areas I consult in for publishers, cultural institutions, and universities.

I am the co-founder of a content-related initiative, ThoughtLines, a series of stimulating public presentations by university-associated experts offered in regional centres throughout Australia. Visit ThoughtLines on Facebook.