Garrick Jones is a prolific writer. From Australia he writes books packed with gay history: from Victorian London to 1950s Sydney. I have been privileged to work with Garrick on some of his latest works and I count myself lucky to be among the first people to read a new Garrick Jones book.
As February is LGBTQ+ History Month (in the UK), I spoke to Garrick about his passion for writing LGBTQ+ history novels, the challenges and the joys that it brings.
Okay, so I am very behind the times with this one! I know! This story has been one of the go-to gay YA books for some time and I have only just got round to reading it …
Not really a genre in its own right, what exactly is LGBTQ+ fiction? Does any book that features LGBTQ+ characters automatically make it a queer book? I’d argue not.
Anyone can be an editor. Anyone can be a proofreader. That’s why you need to check carefully to see if your chosen editor or proofreader has undertaken training.
It’s a new year so, of course, it’s time for the obligatory new year’s resolutions blog post. The past year has been fraught with difficulties, as we continue to navigate our way through lockdowns, restrictions and working from home (oh, wait, I do that anyway!).
Before I think about 2022, let’s reflect on the year gone by. Despite the obvious difficulties with Covid-19, I have still been fortunate to work with a wide range of clients. From students to screenwriters, and authors to global corporations, I’ve worked on nearly 100 separate projects, including 25 books.
I’ve also upgraded my CIEP membership from Entry-level member to Intermediate member, demonstrating the training I have completed and the experience I have gained since becoming a full-time editor and proofreader.
That was the year that was, now let’s look to the coming year. Here are a few things that I hope to achieve this year.
Blog more
I was very good at diligently blogging weekly. I loved it! Writing articles each week is excellent but I realised I was becoming a little unfocussed.
Having reviewed my activity (and thanks to a session at the CIEP’s 2021 conference), I decided to pause my blogging to get it more focussed. This year, expect more blogs about LGBTQ+ books and their editing, LGBTQ+ language and issues in publishing.
I would also like to interview more and include some guest bloggers. So, if you are a writer of LGBTQ+ books or are involved in publishing or self-publishing, do get in touch.
I am aiming to get back to my weekly publishing schedule, publishing new articles weekly on a Monday evening (UK time). Subscribe to get the latest posts direct to your inbox.
Professional development
Thanks to a very generous offer from the CIEP, I am booked onto a training course already! Further developing my proofreading skills, I am excited to be starting my first CIEP assessed course. I am currently undertaking Sophie Playle’s developmental editing course and will finish that soon and will be looking for further editing courses to continue keeping my skills up-to-date with the latest industry practice.
All being well, this should be the first year that I attend, in person, a CIEP conference. Any opportunity to meet with fellow editorial professionals is great. I have very much enjoyed working with other fiction editors, including chairing meetings, but doing it over Zoom is very different to doing it in the flesh!
Courses and publishing
Over the last few months, I have been working on some courses and material to support editors, writers and other organisations. Watch this space for more information but expect to see some courses looking at the specifics of LGBTQ+ writing and editing coming soon.
LGBTQ+ work
As always, I want to champion LGBTQ+ works. Whether that’s fiction or non-fiction, there are tales to be told and they have to be done well and authentically. Expect to see another Pride Parade of Books and far more championing of LGBTQ+ books and media more generally.
Our stories matter.
It’s always great to hear from you. What are your goals for 2022? Are you writing or publishing a book this year? Are you moving into a career in editorial work or looking to expand your current work?
Nick (he/him) is an editor and proofreader, specialising in LGBTQ+ writing. He is an Intermediate Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading and a member of PEN, the Professional Editors Network.
To find out more and to work with Nick, use the buttons above.
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We tell stories for many different reasons: to entertain our readers; to tell them something new about themselves; to record history in an accessible way. Why should LGBTQ+ stories be different? Why do they need telling?
Do you have to identify as LGBTQ+ to write stories? Can you tell an authentic tale without experience? In this blog post, we will look at who can tell stories, how we can do it authentically and how you can ensure you do no harm to the LGBTQ+ community.
Publicity is key when it comes to selling your self-published books. BookTubers, such as J.E. Cearlock, can provide a vital service when it comes to getting your book noticed.
You might like to read this blog post, part of the self-publishing skills series.
J.E. Cearlock is a YouTuber and author and I spoke to him about his work with self-publishing authors.
