Editorial Freelancers Association
Member Profile
Val M. Mathews
As a big-hearted, fun-loving editor and teacher, Val garnered 10+ years of relevant experience. She teaches courses in editing for the University of California Berkeley Extension, Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, and the Editorial Freelancers Association in New York City. Val also works as an editorial consultant for CRAFT Literary and Masters Review, two well-established online literary magazines, and freelances on the side. Previously, she edited for The Wild Rose Press, a small traditional publisher in New York.
Val earned an MA in Professional Writing from Kennesaw State University and a BFA from the University of Georgia. Fun fact about Val: She’s been an FAA-certified flight instructor for over twenty-five years, and in the past, she flew Lear jets for a living.
With a knack for seeing the big picture, she can figure out the steps writers need to take even when the draft looks impossible to navigate. However, she can also spot the fine details writers may have missed. Pushcart Prize-nominee Brenda Sutton Rose explains:
“With an expert’s eye for detail, Val caught redundancies and irrelevancies, mistakes that muddled the clarity and disrupted the rhythm of the story.”
You’ll find her easy to work with (no diva here!), professional, and fast. She’s accustomed to tight deadlines and swift turnarounds. On top of that, she used to be a commercial pilot, and like all pilots, she takes pride in being on time—old habits die hard!
INTERVIEWS
The Kill Zone: https://killzoneblog.com/2022/12/editor-interview-val-mathews.html
A Writer’s Exploration Podcast: tinyurl.com/3st2l2d9
The Chattahoochee Valley Writers Conference: outu.be/WBe1_ln-KxM
SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: twitter.com/EditorVMathews
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/editorvalmathews
Good Reads: goodreads.com/EditorValMathews
Instagram: instagram.com/val_mathews
CONTACT
Let’s chat about your novel or next project. Shoot an email to val@valmathews.com. For writer inspiration and craft talk, follow me on Twitter: @EditorVMathews. In the meantime, keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.
P.S. Here’s a little writer inspiration (and editor humor):
“Over and over I feel as if my characters know who they are, and what happens to them, and where they have been and where they will go, and what they are capable of doing, but they need me to write it down for them because their handwriting is so bad.” ― Anne Lamott
Athens, GA
US
Email: val@valmathews.com
Years in the field: 12
Years freelancing: 9
Val Mathews
As a big-hearted, fun-loving editor and teacher, Val garnered 10+ years of relevant experience. She teaches courses in editing for the University of California Berkeley Extension, Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, and the Editorial Freelancers Association in New York City. Val also works as an editorial consultant for CRAFT Literary and Masters Review, two well-established online literary magazines, and freelances on the side. Previously, she edited for The Wild Rose Press, a small traditional publisher in New York.
Val earned an MA in Professional Writing from Kennesaw State University and a BFA from the University of Georgia. Fun fact about Val: She’s been an FAA-certified flight instructor for over twenty-five years, and in the past, she flew Lear jets for a living.
With a knack for seeing the big picture, she can figure out the steps writers need to take even when the draft looks impossible to navigate. However, she can also spot the fine details writers may have missed. Pushcart Prize-nominee Brenda Sutton Rose explains:
“With an expert’s eye for detail, Val caught redundancies and irrelevancies, mistakes that muddled the clarity and disrupted the rhythm of the story.”
You’ll find her easy to work with (no diva here!), professional, and fast. She’s accustomed to tight deadlines and swift turnarounds. On top of that, she used to be a commercial pilot, and like all pilots, she takes pride in being on time—old habits die hard!
INTERVIEWS
The Kill Zone: https://killzoneblog.com/2022/12/editor-interview-val-mathews.html
A Writer’s Exploration Podcast: tinyurl.com/3st2l2d9
The Chattahoochee Valley Writers Conference: outu.be/WBe1_ln-KxM
SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: twitter.com/EditorVMathews
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/editorvalmathews
Good Reads: goodreads.com/EditorValMathews
Instagram: instagram.com/val_mathews
CONTACT
Let’s chat about your novel or next project. Shoot an email to val@valmathews.com. For writer inspiration and craft talk, follow me on Twitter: @EditorVMathews. In the meantime, keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.
P.S. Here’s a little writer inspiration (and editor humor):
“Over and over I feel as if my characters know who they are, and what happens to them, and where they have been and where they will go, and what they are capable of doing, but they need me to write it down for them because their handwriting is so bad.” ― Anne Lamott
