Editorial Work

Clients and Collaborators Heyday, Beacon Press, Center for Humans and Nature, Chronicle Books, Yosemite Conservancy, Ten Speed Press, Creston Books, Random House Children’s Books, American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying, Weldon Owen, Center for Ecoliteracy, Beyond the Race to Nowhere

Testimonials

Strengths

synthesizing research
translating complex information and ideas into clear, relatable prose
unearthing connections between seemingly disparate ideas
surfacing beauty and emotion

What I Do
For the last two decades I have worked with a variety of publishers, organizations, and individuals, serving in editorial and communications roles and learning from an array of creative colleagues. I’ve project-managed publications; I’ve helped authors hone their ideas and structure their books; I’ve copyedited and proofread and fact-checked; I’ve written newsletters and op-eds; and I’ve helped organizations strategize about messaging. Most recently, I turned my storytelling lens to documentary filmmaking, serving as an associate producer and contributing writer for the film Counted Out: Math is Power. For more detail on wheres and whens, read my CV on LinkedIn.

How I See My Role
I’m a supportive behind-the-scenes listener, question asker, note taker, detail checker, synthesizer—attuning not just to what is being said, but also how it’s being said. My ultimate goal is to help creators realize their intentions.

Often, editing is associated with critiquing or correcting, but the word comes from the Latin edere, which means “to bring forth.” This is how I think of the editorial craft: as bringing forth the meaning and spirit of a project, facilitating a stronger relationship between writers and readers, or filmmakers and viewers.

Sometimes editing is about bringing forth deeper themes, connections between ideas, or emotional undercurrents within a project. Sometimes it’s about structure—finding a more effective or engaging way to organize chapters, scenes, or paragraphs. Sometimes it’s about bringing forth consistency or harmony. And sometimes it’s about checking for typos.

There’s a fine line to walk between enhancing someone else’s sentence (or story) and imposing on it. I walk that line with care, appreciating that everyone I work with has a unique voice, vision, and even syntax.

I think about language, whether verbal or visual, within a larger context of communicating with care across our differences and aspiring to bring forth a world that is more inclusive, just, safe, nourishing, and joyful for us all. Radical copyeditor and speaker Alex Kapitan articulates a beautiful framework for copyediting through this lens: “Language can harm or heal; it can further oppression or create liberation—the choice is ours.”

I hope to contribute to a thriving story ecosystem, with less gatekeeping and more voices, with less rigidity and more creative forms and avenues for sharing them.

Editing is a craft based in relationship. I’ve found that having a good time is conducive to good work, and I love getting to know the people I work with!

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Molly Woodward EDITORIAL WORK ARTWORK CONTACT

EDITORIAL WORK ARTWORK CONTACT

Molly Woodward
EDITORIAL WORK ARTWORK CONTACT