In 2012, after working for seven years as an editor at Business Day, South Africa’s leading daily newspaper, I decided to focus on my passion for creative writing — working on my own projects and collaborating with others on theirs.

Over time, I became increasingly drawn to the field of developmental editing. I find this big-picture engagement with writers’ projects both trickier and more rewarding than line-by-line editing. I enjoy solving structural conundrums; thinking through big and small ideas; figuring out how style and tone can best serve the author’s intentions; and generally tackling all the fascinating questions long-form storytelling raises.

I have a decades-long interest in Buddhist philosophy and practice, and have taught meditation privately and in group settings. I believe the lessons of Buddhism — emphasising the importance of patience, forbearance, and compassion towards ourselves under all circumstances — can be extremely helpful to writers. The writing path, as we all know, is full of obstacles, but I’ve found that what frustrates a writer most is usually the key to opening the heart of their story.


Get in touch