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UNSHELTERED by CLARE MOLETA


’After two years of near-misses with agents in North America, England and Australia; two years of constructive, sometimes regretful, rejections and rewrites and growing despondency, I finally accepted there were problems with my manuscript that I lacked the perspective or skill to fix on my own.

Ali’s structural edit addressed big things and small things, theme and detail, questions of intent, clarity, character, the progression of emotion and story and ideas. She identified the points where I was losing my reader and offered precise and practical suggestions to keep them with me. She even caught typos. Most importantly, she asked the right questions, so that I could work out my own answers to problems I’d only suspected.

She followed up her detailed written feedback with discussion; offering honesty, further reflection and reassurance. Every interaction demonstrated how well she understood my writing and intentions. Her own writer’s sensibilities inform her editing but she brings no ego to the process. Nothing was imposed. There was never a moment in our exchanges when I felt as though someone else’s style or direction was being overlaid onto my work. Her only agenda was to make the book better.

A lot of people helped me to write this book but without Ali’s involvement, I don’t believe it would have been published. I can’t recommend her highly enough and I know already that I’ll be sending her my next manuscript.’

My role: structural editing, prior to Clare being taken on for representation by Jenny Darling & Associates.

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Graeme Simsion
Graeme Simsion

Alison Arnold spoke (eloquently and informatively) to the writing class where I was a student, suggested I send my manuscript for The Rosie Project to Text Publishing, and marshalled it right through to publication. As editor, she did a wonderful job of helping me achieve what I wanted: she was forthright, constructive and never sought to impose a different vision, even at the detailed level. For me, she is a model of what a good editor should do and be.

Winner, Australian Book Industry Awards, Book of the Year, 2014 award

Winner, Victorian Premier’s Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript, 2012

My role: project management, structural and line editing, blurb writing, marketing content.

Barbara Blackman
Barbara Blackman

I want to homage Alison Arnold for her patience and perspicacity in reading through the old and knitting up the unravelled threads (and a few dropped stitches), and suggesting I button it up with a few new ones.

My role: Prior to All My Januaries being beautifully edited and published by the University of Queensland Press, I worked with Barbara to choose the essays that should go into this extraordinary collection and then edit them. She had endless wisdom and humour and strong ideas, and I had access to her purple archive box, in which I found gems like 'All My Januaries' and 'Good Paper'.

JENNIFER SCOULLAR I have had the privilege of working with Alison on six novels now, several of them Penguin bestsellers. She has an instinct for seeing straight into the heart of a story. She combines precise attention to detail with a gentle a

JENNIFER SCOULLAR

I have had the privilege of working with Alison on six novels now, several of them Penguin bestsellers. She has an instinct for seeing straight into the heart of a story. She combines precise attention to detail with a gentle and wry sense of humour, that often makes me smile as I correct a timeline glitch or reconsider a character’s reaction. Problems always seem so clear when Alison points them out. I can’t recommend her highly enough.

My role: structural and line editing.

Paula Weston
Paula Weston

I love working with Ali. She’s insightful, empathetic and has a fantastic feel for what works structurally and on the line. She challenged me and helped make Shadows and Haze better than I could have ever hoped for. Her influence still inspires my writing and drives me to find new ways to craft beautiful sentences. 

My role: project management, structural and line editing, blurb writing, marketing content.

Raimond Gaita
Raimond Gaita

Alison and I worked together on After Romulus and on an extended ‘conversation’ (some 14,000 words between Anne Manne and me which formed the Afterword, of A Sense for Humanity: The Ethical Thought of Raimond Gaita edited by Craig Taylor and Melinda Graef. In both cases, I was struck by how quickly Ali became inward with my thinking and its expression, improving the latter considerably and, therefore, also the former. In the case of A Sense for Humanity, she worked very hard, under a punishing schedule. Indeed, she saved the day for the publisher whose patience with me was justifiably coming it an end. For that, I am very grateful. During the time we worked together I discovered that as well as being a fine editor, Ali is fine person.

My role: project management, line editing, blurb writing, marketing content.

A. J. Betts
A. J. Betts

Ali just got it. She shared my sense of tone and knew exactly how to bring out the best in my characters, and me. It was a privilege to work with someone with such sensitivity and empathy.

I envy any writer lucky enough to work with her.

Winner, NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature, 2014 award

My role: project management, structural and line editing, prior to a final copy edit undertaken by freelancer Davina Bell

 

Jessica Rudd
Jessica Rudd

Ali edited this manuscript with the skill of a surgeon and the bedside manner of a GP. She made it pump.

My role: project management, structural and line editing, blurb and marketing copy.

Leanne Hall
Leanne Hall

Winner, The Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Writing, 2009

My role: project management, structural and line editing, blurb writing, marketing content.

Sally Rippin
Sally Rippin

Shortlisted, NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Patricia Wrightson Prize, 2012

My role: project management, structural and line editing, blurb writing, marketing copy.

 

Ramona Koval
Ramona Koval

My role: project management, line editing, blurb writing, marketing content.

Rai Gaita
Rai Gaita

My role: In this excellent collection of essays concerning the ethical thought of moral philosopher Raimond Gaita, Rai asked me to edit the Afterword.

My struggle to write something worthwhile and honest took me to the point where either the book would be held up, or I would fail to deliver. To prevent the latter at a time when [the book's editors] Craig and Melinda were overwhelmed with work, I sought editorial help from Alison Arnold. She came to the rescue immediately. I am very grateful.

Leon Davidson
Leon Davidson

Winner, NZ Post Children’s Book Awards, Non-Fiction, New Zealand, 2011 award

Shortlisted, CBCA Eve Pownall Award for Information Books, 2011

My role: project management, structural and line editing, blurb writing, marketing content.

HEATHER WHITFORD ROCHE
HEATHER WHITFORD ROCHE

Indie-published fiction.
My role: Structural and copy editing, project management, blurb writing, securing cover design, proofreading, printing, and everything else needed (except digital publishing) to take Heather's book from manuscript to gorgeous paperback.

Jodie Allen
Jodie Allen

My role: Editing and project management

Caz Goodwin
Caz Goodwin

'Am dreaming of being like Roald Dahl and having (you as) my own, private editor.' 

My role: structural and copy editing of a few children's books manuscripts, one of which is now with an agent.

NICOLE KELLY
NICOLE KELLY

I worked with Alison when I was stuck with a manuscript that I liked, but didn't love, and was unsure where to go with it next. Ali was like a breath of fresh air! Her feedback was both constructive and kindly given, which was so appreciated. She was able to see structurally what was missing and help me to find a way through to the heart of the story. Her words gave me the courage to rip and rewrite it into a story I was proud to send out into the world.

Prior to Hawkeye Books picking up Lament, I worked with Nicole on the development of the manuscript. One of our questions was whether there was anything left to say about Ned Kelly. In Nicole’s hands, the answer was…yes, plenty.

Authors who’ve done a one-on-one workshop with me prior to submitting to publishers

 

I am overwhelmed by your talent and your generosity Alison.  It is amazing what you do.  I am encouraged, delighted and challenged (in a good way) by all that you have done and said.ANNE BRINSDEN

I am overwhelmed by your talent and your generosity Alison.  It is amazing what you do.  I am encouraged, delighted and challenged (in a good way) by all that you have done and said.

ANNE BRINSDEN

Ali provided highly pertinent insights into the central focus of my manuscript, as well as timely encouragement and support that gave me the courage to persist through numerous redrafts. Without her invaluable assistance, I would never have had the …

Ali provided highly pertinent insights into the central focus of my manuscript, as well as timely encouragement and support that gave me the courage to persist through numerous redrafts. Without her invaluable assistance, I would never have had the tenacity to continue with the writing of Mine. I am enormously grateful for her guidance and support.

SUSI FOX

Alison has deep insight, asks intelligent questions and makes arresting connections that help you understand your own work at a profound level. After Alison’s workshop I reworked my novel and was offered a two book deal on the strength of it.ERINA R…

Alison has deep insight, asks intelligent questions and makes arresting connections that help you understand your own work at a profound level. After Alison’s workshop I reworked my novel and was offered a two book deal on the strength of it.

ERINA REDDAN