Allister Thompson
In 1989 as a teen I walked into my first job in publishing (part-time at a bookstore) and I've been in the industry ever since.
My first editing position came in 1997 with Napoleon & Company, a small publisher of fiction and children’s books. During my tenure the company expanded from six titles to fifteen a year. In that time I managed, laid out, edited and marketed every book in the list. Despite the small size of the company, we managed to start the careers of many of Canada’s leading crime novelists, such as Mary Jane Maffini, Barbara Fradkin, Lou Allin, R.J. Harlick, C.B. Forrest and Rick Blechta. Three novels I selected and edited won the Arthur Ellis Award for Canada’s best crime novel, and others received numerous shortlistings. We also published a small but high-quality number of literary fiction titles.
Our children’s list featured many authors whose books were shortlisted for awards, including John Wilson, Philippa Dowding and Peggy Dymond Leavey. I was even convinced to write a book for the company and was surprised when it was shortlisted for a Canadian children’s book award.
The company was sold to Dundurn Press in 2011 and I took a position as senior editor. Dundurn publishes a wide variety of fiction, history, culture, business and current events books with a list of over 100 titles a year. In June 2013 I recognized the growing need to support writers heading into the brave new world of self-publishing.
I made the decision to work solely for myself as a freelance editor and publishing consultant. I have worked on a number of large and complex non-fiction projects as well as countless novels. My clients also include businesses, government agencies, Historica Canada (The Canadian Encyclopedia), and publishers like Blue Moon Publishers.
I studied History and English at the University of Toronto, attended Ryerson University’s publishing program and am a member of the Editors Association of Canada.
I'm a happy member of Reedsy, a company that puts authors and editors/designers together to work in a safe and conducive online environment. They also offer helpful information about the process, like this article on the necessity of editing in fiction.
My first editing position came in 1997 with Napoleon & Company, a small publisher of fiction and children’s books. During my tenure the company expanded from six titles to fifteen a year. In that time I managed, laid out, edited and marketed every book in the list. Despite the small size of the company, we managed to start the careers of many of Canada’s leading crime novelists, such as Mary Jane Maffini, Barbara Fradkin, Lou Allin, R.J. Harlick, C.B. Forrest and Rick Blechta. Three novels I selected and edited won the Arthur Ellis Award for Canada’s best crime novel, and others received numerous shortlistings. We also published a small but high-quality number of literary fiction titles.
Our children’s list featured many authors whose books were shortlisted for awards, including John Wilson, Philippa Dowding and Peggy Dymond Leavey. I was even convinced to write a book for the company and was surprised when it was shortlisted for a Canadian children’s book award.
The company was sold to Dundurn Press in 2011 and I took a position as senior editor. Dundurn publishes a wide variety of fiction, history, culture, business and current events books with a list of over 100 titles a year. In June 2013 I recognized the growing need to support writers heading into the brave new world of self-publishing.
I made the decision to work solely for myself as a freelance editor and publishing consultant. I have worked on a number of large and complex non-fiction projects as well as countless novels. My clients also include businesses, government agencies, Historica Canada (The Canadian Encyclopedia), and publishers like Blue Moon Publishers.
I studied History and English at the University of Toronto, attended Ryerson University’s publishing program and am a member of the Editors Association of Canada.
I'm a happy member of Reedsy, a company that puts authors and editors/designers together to work in a safe and conducive online environment. They also offer helpful information about the process, like this article on the necessity of editing in fiction.
Some personal facts...
In addition to my work, I have been a semi-professional musician for twenty years, playing in numerous bands and composing my own music. A former obsessive music collector, I still can’t work without some kind of music on. Read my now defunct music blog at makeyourowntaste.com.
While enjoying my work and music, I also take time for pizza, the patting of cats and the beauty of nature. My reading tastes usually consist of literary fiction, science fiction and fantasy, philosophy, popular science, and history.
I still make music of my own. Find out about it at thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com.
AND, as of April 2021, I've put my money where my mouth is and self-published my own novel, The Music of the Spheres, an alternate history/crime/rock n' roll novel.
