Independent Writing and Editing Professional
Greater New York City Area
- Current
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- Senior Editor (freelance) at Emerald Bay Books
- Senior Manuscript Editor (freelance) at OV Books
- Freelance Manuscript Editor at www.acparker.com
- Private Instructor for Writing at www.acparker.com (formerly Write Mind®)
- Past
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- Copy Editor and Proofreader (freelance) at Fordham University Press
- Assistant Editor (freelance) at Hourglass Books
- Copy Editor (freelance) at Columbia University/Digital Knowledge Ventures- DKV
- Registrar/Office Manager at Gotham Writers' Workshop
- Fiction Editor & Production Manager at Fish Stories/Workshirts Writing Center
- Presentations Writer at Chicago Sun-Times
- Travel & Tourism Division/Chicago at Edelman
- Education
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- Goddard College
- Bard College
- Recommended
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6 people have recommended Allison - Connections
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connections
- Industry
- Writing and Editing
- Websites
Allison Parker’s Summary
Allison Cay Parker is an independent editor for literary and academic publishers, for businesses, and for individual writers. She is also a published author, whose nonfiction work has appeared in: New York Restaurant Insider (2005); Deus Loci, the Journal of the International Lawrence Durrell Society (2005); and The Sun (2006). Her short fiction appears in The Same (2009).
A gentle but firm hand, Ms. Parker's sensitivity to the needs of diverse audiences--and her respect for the bottom-line concerns of business--stems from her MFA teacher-training coupled with prior work in high-profile Marketing/PR, where her experience covered such diverse industries as travel and tourism, healthcare, public education, technology, hospitality, food and beverage, and retail sales, among others.
A believer in sharing knowledge and mentoring others, Ms. Parker has designed and facilitated writing workshops for adults in New York and Connecticut. She has lectured and/or served on publishing panels at the following venues: Poets & Writers/Literary Horizons, SUNY Oswego/Living Writers series, Greenwich Arts Council/First Novel series, and Northwestern University College in Chicago.
Allison Parker’s Specialties:
Fiction, Nonfiction (Memoir, Personal Essay, Criticism); Academic Press; Print and Online Publishing; Culinary, Travel & Tourism Industries; French-to-English Translation. Style Guides: CMS, Associated Press, MLA.
Allison Parker’s Experience
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Senior Editor (freelance)
Emerald Bay Books
(Publishing industry)
December 2008 — Present (1 year 1 month)
Responsible for manuscript preparation (copyediting and page proofs); representation at publishing industry events, marketing support.
Titles include:
• Tetraktys, by Ari Juels (July 2009) -
Senior Manuscript Editor (freelance)
OV Books
(Publishing industry)
2005 — Present (4 years )
Titles include:
• Currency, by Zoe Zolbrod (in production)
• Other Resort Cities, by Tod Goldberg
• How to Hold a Woman, by Billy Lombardo
• Things That Pass for Love, by Allison Amend
• A Stranger Among Us, ed. Stacy Bierlein
• O Street, by Corrina Wycoff
• Simplify, by Tod Goldberg -
Freelance Manuscript Editor
www.acparker.com
(Writing and Editing industry)
2001 — Present (8 years )
Clients (past and present) include but are not limited to • African Heritage Press • American Sommelier Association • Columbia DKV • Emerald Bay Books • Fordham UP • Hourglass Books • Other Voices/OV Books
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Private Instructor for Writing
www.acparker.com (formerly Write Mind®)
(Writing and Editing industry)
January 1998 — Present (12 years )
Since 1998, Ms. Parker has made herself available to independent authors for manuscript consultations and private instruction in the craft of writing and revision, focusing primarily on short fiction, novels, and memoir. A single manuscript consultation provides a detailed analysis of points of craft, along with concrete suggestions for next steps. When creating educational programs, the approach is tailored to suit each writer's needs and specific goals. Instruction takes the form of a weekly workshop that incorporates on-site writing exercises, take-home assignments, and detailed written comments on works in progress. The aim here is to discover what the writer wants to accomplish--never to impose a uniform "house style"--and then to help him or her do that in the most effective way.
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Copy Editor and Proofreader (freelance)
Fordham University Press
(Publishing industry)
March 2006 — April 2006 (2 months)
Titles include:
• Aspects of Alterity: Levinas, Marcel, and the Contemporary Debate, by Brian Treanor
• Stanley Cavell's American Dream: Shakespeare, Philosophy, and Hollywood Movies, by Lawrence F. Rhu -
Assistant Editor (freelance)
Hourglass Books
(Publishing industry)
August 2003 — August 2004 (1 year 1 month)
Assistant Editor for the short-fiction anthology, Falling Backwards: Stories of Fathers and Daughters, edited by Gina Frangello.
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Copy Editor (freelance)
Columbia University/Digital Knowledge Ventures- DKV
(Education Management industry)
2001 — 2003 (2 years )
Copyedited content for online seminars--including, but not limited to, the following subjects:
• Israeli and Palestinian Nationalism: Debates Over Partition. Professor Naomi Weinberger.
• Intellectual and Cultural History of the United States, 1890-1945: The Crisis of Victorianism. Professor Casey Nelson Blake.
• Prostatectomy. Mitchell C. Benson, M.D. -
Registrar/Office Manager
Gotham Writers' Workshop
(Education Management industry)
February 2000 — January 2001 (1 year )
Managed office of New York’s largest private creative writing school, with online curriculum. Handled accounts receivable, payable, collections; enrollment and other reports. Responsible for office scheduling, inventory, and database management. Responsible for newsletter and many direct mail campaigns. Organized community events, with media relations; on-site coordinator for approximately 30 events per year.
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Fiction Editor & Production Manager
Fish Stories/Workshirts Writing Center
(Publishing industry)
October 1995 — June 1998 (2 years 9 months)
Editorial and production duties, including manuscript acquisitions, copyediting, and proofreading, for three of four literary anthologies (Collectives I-IV) published annually from 1995-1998 by Workshirts Writing Center, Chicago, IL. Publication now folded.
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Presentations Writer
Chicago Sun-Times
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Newspapers industry)
October 1995 — May 1997 (1 year 8 months)
Created custom advertising sales presentations for a national staff of 200+. Worked closely with market research to obtain relevant data; managed all aspects of production. Produced approximately 400 presentations during 1996 (+230% over prior writer in 1995). Presentations critical in attainment of new, increased, and/or exclusive display advertising schedules worth hundreds of thousands in ad revenue.
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Travel & Tourism Division/Chicago
Edelman
(Privately Held; Public Relations and Communications industry)
June 1994 — May 1995 (1 year )
Responsible for writing press releases and making media calls to gain favorable coverage for clients in the Travel & Tourism division. Organized familiarization tours to introduce journalists to attractions in Chicago and Illinois. Helped design and implement, as part of the T&T team, the Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism; involved in every aspect of conference planning for this highly successful event.
Allison Parker’s Education
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Goddard College
M.F.A. , Creative Writing , 1997 — 2000
Creative Thesis: original novel, currently unpublished.
Critical Thesis: Lawrence Durrell and Paul Cezanne: A Landscape of Art and Fiction
Teaching Practicum: Writing workshops designed and taught for the Greenwich YWCA and the Greenwich Department of Continuing Education -
Bard College
B.A. , Language & Literature , 1988 — 1992
Thesis: Translation into English of the French novel "Clair de femme" by Romain Gary, with introduction.
- Activities and Societies:
- Honor Roll, Literacy Volunteers of America
Additional Information
Allison Parker’s Websites:
Allison Parker’s Interests:
Literature, Cross-Cultural Identity and Culinary Traditions, Immigration, Foreign Language (especially French and Greek), Translation, Education, Food & Wine, Visual Arts (especially photography and painting), Active Listening, Positive Thought
Allison Parker’s Groups:
Member, Editorial Freelancers Association
Member, International Advisory Board of the International Preschools, NYC (appointed 2009)
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LinkEds & writers -
Bard College Alumni/ae Association -
Book Publishing Professionals -
Goddard College Alumni -
Bard College Connections -
Tools of Change for Publishing -
Yale Club of New York City -
Editorial Freelancers Association -
STET: Professional Copy Editors -
Ebooks, Ebook Readers, Digital Books and Digital Content Publishing -
Big Think -
Publishers Advertising and Marketing Association -
Chicago Sun-Times Alumni Group
Allison Parker’s Honors:
Books I have copyedited that have recently won awards:
- A Stranger Among Us (OV Books), gold medal IPPY
- Things That Pass for Love (OV Books), bronze medal IPPY
I am incredibly proud to work with such a great team of publishers/editors/writers at OV Books--thanks for having me!
Allison Parker’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- expertise requests
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
