The Book Editor
The Book Editor
Hey there. Name's Matthew.
I’m an enthusiastic reader, writer and book editor from Auckland, New Zealand.
The Book Editor project is my escape from the 9–5 life. I love hearing stories as much as I love telling them, so it’s exciting that I get to be a part of other people’s creative processes. And proofreading—what seems dull to others—I find fantastically strategic and a great source of satisfaction.
Away from the computer, I enjoy playing guitar (and a little drums), as well as sports like soccer, tennis, sailing, archery, and skiing. I’m also a black-belt in karate, an ex-firefighter, and a qualified marketing strategist.
In 2016, I had a life-changing experience in South East Asia. Having lived working in Thailand for five months, I decided to go solo, travelling through Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and Vietnam before my trip was cut short by a motorcycle accident.
In 2019 I put my backpack back on and took The Book Editor with me through Latin America for about a year before Covid stopped me in my tracks. Staying a further 7 months isolated in the hills of Guatemala, I eventually threw in the towel and returned to NZ to ride out the rest of the pandemic. I've been living in NZ the last two years, maintaining and developing TBE. And now, with the addition of Milica (see below), we're kicking things up a notch to try to get you the very most out of your editing experience.
I want to work with you to get your book published and sold, using my knowledge and experience in digital marketing to help get your book found online. I’m the supportive friend you can talk to about all your crazy ideas, I’m the optimist you need to get your book off the ground, and I’m here with your best interests at heart.
Please don’t hesitate to flick me an email if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers,
Matthew
P.S. Find me on LinkedIn, or check out The Book Editor NZ on Facebook.
Hiya, I'm Milica.
Six months of travel around Europe made me look differently at my day-to-day life in New Zealand. Deciding to stay abroad, I based myself in my hometown of Belgrade and launched my freelance editing career with The Book Editor.
Becoming fully bilingual is a big goal of mine. Acquiring vocabulary in a new language is so satisfying to me, as it feels like I’m unwrapping the layers of that culture. I take a similar approach when I edit, discovering the essence of the story by looking closely at the language.
Stories that I take special interest in include contemporary fiction, social psychology, and female protagonists.
I specialise in non-fiction editing, having worked for government content teams most of my professional life. It’s enjoyable work polishing a piece of writing to bring out the shiniest structure and grammar, that in turn attracts readers to its glossy finish.
As well as editing, I also teach English at a language school here in Serbia. It’s a lot of fun hearing the creative ways these kids use their newfound words!
In my down time, I practice yoga, go to dance classes, and sing in an academic choir that performs across Europe.
To see my work experience in further detail, you can find me on LinkedIn.
If you’d like to chat about how I can help you finesse your manuscript, brainstorm a story idea or just be a second pair of eyes for your writing, please get in touch at milica@thebookeditor.co.nz
