Fiction Editing by Alice Day

Alice Day

Alice Day has been an editor since 1988. After earning a graduate degree in creative writing at Brown University, she has worked at the book publishers Henry Holt and Company and Carroll & Graf Publishers. Writer Don Smith, whose awards include 19 regional Emmys, said of Alice Day, "She's the kind of editor every writer should be so lucky to have." Alice Day is an award-winning poet with four collections of poetry that have been published by nationally-recognized publishing houses. Kathleen Wakefield, whose novella won the 2008 Cleveland State University novella contest, said "that [Alice] has been an editor at a major New York publishing house gives her insight into that complicated world; that she is a poet, I believe, gives her the sensitivity to find the beauty of a writer's individual work." Alice Day has the skill and experience to focus on a writer's vision and help the writer realize it. She's a hands-on editor who's not afraid to cut words and offer insights. And she has a poet's sensitivity to language.

Alice Day's specialty is fiction editing. She has worked with numerous award-winning authors (authors who have won the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award, as well as first-time novelists) She does detailed manuscript evaluations, as well as developmental/substantive editing. She is also a skilled copy editor.

Her fiction specialties include short stories, novellas, literary fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, chick lit, thrillers, mysteries, and detective/crime novels.

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT

May 2001-present	Freelance Manuscript Editor and Writer: Responsibilities include editing full-length manuscripts for authors and/or their agents, and/or publishing houses. Both fiction and nonfiction.
1988-present	Faculty: The Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts, Rutgers University, The Writer’s Voice, Hunter College, New York University, Hofstra University, Brown University: Teach courses such as poetry and fiction workshops, American literature, expository writing.
October 2000-April 2001	Managing Editor and Writer, Cambridge Technology Partners, UX Design: Edited and wrote online text for a variety of sites including GMAC real estate and Fleet Capital Leasing. Managed content developers. Responsible for maintaining editorial standards, including proofreading and copyediting.
August 2000-Sept.	Content Developer, Angryman.com: Developed content for Internet entertainment and polling site. Developed, researched, and wrote essays and opinion polls for the following categories: the arts, politics, current events, jobs and money, spirituality, education, health, and lifestyle. Proofed and copyedited all text.
April 2000-July	Editor, Umagic.com: Nutrition and diet artificial intelligence (AI) self-help Internet site. Directed and managed house writers. Developed and edited site content. Proofed and copyedited all text.
1998-2000	Managing & Acquisitions Editor, Carroll & Graf Publishers: Responsibilities include scheduling, budgeting, and managing the production of books; hiring and managing editorial freelancers and jacket designers; acquiring and editing books. Edited books in a variety of categories including fiction, film history, and lifestyle.
1988-2003	Senior Editor, CONJUNCTIONS (literary journal): Responsibilities include project development, acquisitions, editing, copyediting and proofreading. Contributing writers include Russell Banks, Paul West, William Gass, Juan Goytisolo, Leslie Marmon Silko, Rick Moody, and Valerie Martin. Proofed all text.
1997	Editor, CONJUNCTIONS "Tributes": An anthology of essays celebrating literary predecessors. Responsibilities include project development, acquisitions, editing, copyediting and proofreading. Contributors include John Sayles, Joyce Carol Oates, Peter Straub, Ana Castillo, Sven Birkerts, and Maureen Howard.
1996-1998	Assistant Editor, Henry Holt and Company: Responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of editing through manuscript transmission, writing flap and catalog copy, and liaison to production, design, marketing, and sales.

EDUCATION

Summer 1997

Manuscript editing New York University

1986-1988

MA, Creative Writing Brown University

1984-1986

BA, English/Art History Hunter College

Summa Cum Laude

BOOKS PUBLISHED

2006	Further Adventure of the Monkey God. Brooklyn: Spuyten Duyvil,
2005	Malka’s Secret Delivery. Bainbridge Island: G-O-N-G Press.
2005	NYC Stories. New York: Belladonna
2002	Magic Musée. Frauenfeld: Verlag im Waldgut.
2001	The Vulnerability of Order. Port Townsend: Copper Canyon Press.
1999	Tales of Murasaki and Other Poems. Los Angeles: Sun & Moon Press.
1996	Ten Greek Poems. New York: Dim Gray Bar Press.
1991	Places People Dare Not Enter. Elmwood: Potes & Poets Press.

MISCELLANEOUS

Poets Translate Poets, September 2002 — Reading and workshop focusing on German translation of my poetry. Gottlieben, Switzerland.

Ovidiana, May 1997. Temple University and Dicapo Opera Theater — Wrote libretto for opera based on Ovid's Metamorphoses. Music by Matthew Greenbaum.

Unspeakable Practices: Fiction Conference, October 1996, Brown University — Participant in symposium, "Sticks & Stones."

Poetry Talks, March 1996, New York University — Paper presented on "Poetry and Collaboration."

Writing from the New Coast, March 1993, State University of New York at Buffalo — Paperpresented on "Spirit and the Practice of Poetry."

AWARDS, DISTINCTIONS, AND HONORS

Residency at the Rockefeller Foundation at Bellagio, Italy. Aug. 2006.

Contributing Editor, Conjunctions. Present.

Judge, AWP Intro Award, University of Massachusetts. 2001.

National Poetry Series Award, Winner. 1997.

Featured poet on Web del Sol (webdelsol.com/LITARTS/bellen).

Fund for Poetry Fellowship, 1994.

New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, 1991.

American Academy of Poets Award, 1988.

Feedback

As a novice, writing my first novel, I was amazed by Alice's ability to visualize my entire novel and make succinct comments that were specific to a particular sentence while referring to the structure and narrative of the entire work.
--Erik R. Brown, first-time novelist

Alice Day is a clever, intelligent, thoughtful, and thorough editor. She is nurturing yet highly professional, with keen eyes and ears. She hones in on the heart and matter and delivers the goods…a goldmine for any writer.
--Taylor Barton, author of Hotheaded Saints and lyricist

Alice Day is a joy to work with and someone I recommend most highly to other writers. She is a skillful, sensitive editor with excellent judgment and tremendous respect for an author's voice. Whether she's commenting on the overall arc of a story or zeroing in on a specific phrase or line of dialogue, her comments are always insightful and instructive.
--Amanda Filipacchi, author of Nude Men and Vapor

Submission

Please fill out this form to request a quote

Cut and paste the questions and answers into an e-mail:

2008@book-editing.com

Required:
Submit a sample of your book manuscript or story (Word/DOC or RTF attachment preferred). The sample should be 5-50 pages. Large files should be zipped. Attachment not required if writing has not started (e.g., because you're looking for a ghostwriter).

Along with a sample, the following information is required. Ignore questions that do not apply to your project (e.g., footnotes).

(01) Word count of complete project (under "Tools" in MS Word):

(02) Put your 100-word (approx) synopsis/description here (or attach):

(03) Describe your genre and topic (e.g., nonfiction/self-help, science fiction, horror, romance, mystery, Western, young adult, children, poetry, Christian, creative nonfiction, literary):

(04) Deadline date, if any, for return of complete project. (Please be realistic. Remember that professional editors usually have a project in process.):

(05) If you have no immediate deadline, when do you want to start the editing process?: (For instance: within 30 days, within 60 days, within 90 days, 4-12 months)

(06) Level of editing desired/expected --

Copyediting / Proofreading / Line Editing (e.g., English corrections, typos, paragraph and sentence structure, word use)
Developmental (e.g., help with the big picture, such as flow/pacing, telling the story, characterization, structure, style)
Rewriting / Ghostwriting
Critique / Evaluation

(07) Number of charts/tables/pictures (if any):

(08) Writing style/format manual (e.g., Chicago Manual, APA, MLA), if applicable:

(09) Number of footnotes/references:

(10) Do you have a contract with an agent or publisher?:

(11) Do you plan to self-publish?:

(12) What is your budget for the entire project? $ ________________

(13) Your name:

(14) E-mail addresses:

(15) Day/evening phone numbers (required -- in case the response to your e-mail bounces or the editors need clarification regarding the scope of service needed, deadline, etc.):

(16) City, State, Country (or time zone):

(17) The name(s) of the editor(s)/writer(s) you'd like to contact.
(If no names are selected, your e-mail will be sent to several consultants chosen by the coordinator):

(18) How did you learn about our service?:

(19) Attach writing sample(s) (e.g., prologue, chapter 1, proposal, query)

Notes:

No hidden charges
We won't quote you one price and charge you another. When possible, we'll provide you with a per-word or per-page rate so you'll know up front exactly how much your project will cost. (Of course, we ask that you fairly represent the scope of your project.)

To learn more about the rates charged by professional editors, please see: Editorial Freelancers Association

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