Editing by Amanda McMahon
Trusted and reliable professional editor
My career is based on working with and supporting writers – giving me a unique ability to take on your project, and help you transform your work into its best possible version.
My name is Amanda, I’m a Melbourne-based editor and a graduate of the Master of Publishing and Communications at the University of Melbourne. I edit across fiction, non-fiction, picture books, histories and business – often in tandem with publishing houses and collaborating with experts in their field.
My role varies for my Australia-wide network of clients, but I’m flexible and deadline-driven depending on their needs. My editing work ranges from giving new writers advice on their manuscripts, ensuring a manuscript aligns to its publishing proposal, to forming long-lasting relationships with experienced writers, becoming their second set of eyes.
I pride myself on my approachable services, that can be tailored to your exact situation – and trusting me with your work will ensure that you are connected to a great network, serving you and your project’s best interests. I understand how vulnerable and courageous it is to show your work to someone outside of your head, so just know: your manuscript is safe with me.
My credits
My recent editing work includes:
- The Marriage Gap Year by Yannick Thoraval, self-published by Further Publishing (2024)
- Banking on Community: The Community Bank Caulfield Park story 2004 – 2024 by Claire Levi (2024)
- Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching every Mom’s Superpower for Maximum Effect by Melissa Llarena, published by Unimaginable Publishing House (2023)
- Family Road Trip Games by Jack Hansleit, published by Hardie Grant Explore (2023)
My current work
Here’s what I am working through at the moment.
- Coaching an author in the development of an autobiographically based novel
- Developmental edit and submission to a publisher of a children’s book about a cat
- Editing a manuscript to move the point of view from first to third person
- Reviewing a YA manuscript to advise the author on target audience and possible revisions
- Learning more about self-publishing at Busybird Publishing
Life Blood
What’s it really like to be a cancer patient when you have a fear of needles and medical procedures? Although a serious topic Cathy Koning has written about the experience that nearly claimed her life with humour and warmth which makes Life Blood easy to read.
Originally a memoir with a straight-forward chronology the manuscript was restructured and rewritten as a text for medical practitioners and patients. This allowed key themes such as personality, fears, life in hospital and family to be fully explored.
Self-published by Silver Moon Press and available at selected booksellers, on demand from online booksellers or by order from your favourite bookseller.
Find out more about Cathy’s next book about a notorious American Con Man and download a copy of her debut novel Dainty Diva at https://cathykoningwriter.com/
Welcome to Bellevue
Harry wakes up on a ferry unsure where he is but soon discovers he has arrived in the mysterious town of Bellevue. No one can tell him how he can leave and some of the characters he meets seem to wax and wane in existence. Where does the seemingly abandoned cable car go and what lies on top of the mountain looming over the town?
The editing process of Seth’s novel included a complete re-write to fully capture the essence of the Noir voice central to the narrative; moving from third to first person point of view. We also worked on the sense of place.
Available online, at Readings Bookstores and from Grattan Street Press at sales@grattanstreetpress.com
You can follow Seth at SethRobinson.com.au and @sethrobinsonink
Eat, Play, Love your Dog
For every dog lover, regardless of whether you have owned a dog before or not, this informative guide helps you care for your dog. Lara Shannon, Dog Trainer, Creator of Pooches at Play and TV Host of the program of the same name, shares her knowledge about feeding, training and enjoying your dog.
Editing involved making sure the information Lara wanted to convey was done so clearly with effective visual navigation, using breakout boxes, subtitling and dot point lists as well as showcasing Lara’s authority in the field.
Published by Hardie Grant Books and available from all book stores.
You can follow Lara at https://poochesatplay.com and @poochesatplay
The Art of Being a Tourist at Home
What are we searching for when we travel? Experienced travel writer Jenny Herbert became disillusioned with the kind of travel which was overcrowded, unoriginal and disrespectful of our environment. Before the pandemic kept us all at home she recognised something had to change. The Art of Being a Tourist at Home is her response.
Ensuring Jenny’s wealth of experience and knowledge came through on the page was critical when editing her manuscript. The publishing proposal identified the intended audience as those in their 20s for whom travel has always been easily accessible. Therefore key aspects of the text needed to apply to them. At first pages the correct balance of white space and layout was carefully assessed to make sure the final design reflected Jenny and the Publisher’s vision for the book. Published by Hardie Grant Explore in 2021, The Art of Being a Tourist at Home is widely available in bookstores and online.
Silence! All Stand: A Memoir of Family Law in Cairns
Bev Reaston, a cairns-based Family Lawyer, reached out to historian Claire Levi to help her record her career, the careers of her colleagues and the significant Family Law developments in Cairns, FNQ and the Torres Strait Islands. Building on Bev’s preliminary research and interview transcripts, Claire drafted the manuscript in collaboration with Bev. Claire’s research added depth, fact checked and, she also oversaw the permissions process for quotes and images.
During the editing process an underlying assumption of presumed knowledge was identified. Family Law and the operation of its courts is complex therefore ensuring clarity for the reader was essential. A structural edit kept the chronology of the material in line with the manuscript’s plan.
To order your copy of Silence! All Stand, email silenceallstand@gmail.com or pre–order via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silenceallstand.
True Roo
Little Walla can smell the smoke from a bushfire but her mother is nowhere to be seen. Thank goodness they have a fire plan so she knows what to do. Follow the little wallaroo through the bush as she leads the frightened native animals to safety.
Professor Mary Crock is better known as a highly regarded academic and one of Australia’s pre-eminent immigration lawyers but her children’s picture book with her own beautiful illustrations is yet another string to her bow. Written before the Black Summer fires engulfed Australia the importance of her message has gained a greater urgency.
Editing True Roo involved ensuring the text was appropriate for its target age-group, it fitted the standard format and extent for early readers and aligned with the school fire safety curriculum. Self-published in 2021 by Miz Crakil Publishing copies are available from mizcrakilpublishing.com.au. A portion of proceeds is donated to Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action.
