Karl J. Weddington
Editor, Narrative Nonfiction
Seattle, WA · (561) 555 0166 · name@example.com · linkedin.com/in/karljweddington
Key Qualifications
EXPERIENCE
Eight years acquiring and editing trade nonfiction, 62 titles published
INDUSTRIES
Independent trade publishing, narrative nonfiction, science and reported books
SPECIALTIES
Acquisitions, profit and loss modeling, developmental letters, line editing, agent relationships
SYSTEMS
Biblio, Microsoft Word track changes, Adobe Acrobat, Klopotek, Airtable
CREDENTIALS
Graduate of the Denver Publishing Institute
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in history, Whitman College
Executive Summary
Acquiring and developmental editor with eight years on a narrative nonfiction list. Reads submissions from agents, builds the profit and loss model for each title, and takes the book from proposal through developmental letter, line edit and page proofs. Signs 9 to 11 books a year and publishes them on schedule.
Signature Achievements
- Acquired a reported book on regional water policy that sold 41,000 net units in its first year and earned out its advance in nine months.
- Built the profit and loss model behind 62 acquisitions, holding the list to an average contribution margin the publisher set at the start of each season.
- Signed four debut authors from unagented proposals, two of whom are now on second contracts with the house.
- Cut the time from delivered manuscript to composition from 22 weeks to 15 by sending the developmental letter within three weeks of delivery.
- Exercised option clauses on five authors, keeping three of them in house when larger publishers bid on the second book.
- Rewrote the submission response template so that agents get an answer within four weeks.
Professional Experience
Editor
Sound and Cedar Books, Seattle, WA 2021 to present
Independent trade publisher of 36 titles a year; runs a personal list of 10 narrative nonfiction acquisitions a season.
- Acquires from agents and direct proposals, writing the profit and loss model, print run assumption and advance recommendation for each board presentation.
- Delivers a developmental letter on every manuscript, then a line edit in Microsoft Word track changes before the book goes to copyediting.
- Holds authors and the production department to the season schedule and signs off on first and second pass page proofs.
- Briefs the publicity and sales teams at launch meeting and writes the catalog copy and jacket copy for each of her titles.
Associate Editor
Ravenna Hill Publishing, Seattle, WA 2017 to 2021
Trade house of 24 staff publishing history, memoir and outdoor writing.
- Read agented submissions and wrote reader reports for two senior editors.
- Edited four books a year of her own while managing the schedules for 20 more.
- Reviewed royalty statements with authors and answered questions about net units and reserves.
Licensure and Certification
Graduate member, Denver Publishing Institute alumni network
Education
Bachelor of Arts in history, Whitman College, 2016
Denver Publishing Institute, University of Denver, 2016
Core Skills
Acquisitions · Developmental editing · Line editing · Profit and loss modeling · Agent relationships · Option clauses · Catalog copy · Page proofs · Biblio · Season scheduling