Editor profile: Dola Basu Singh

Introducing: Dola Basu Singh, Associate Editor

I love stories. Give me a make-believe world and I will probe the foundation, inspect the interiors, pore over the façade, and help you tell your story the best you can.

I have been editing fiction since 2015—72 books and counting. I have helped many authors win publishing contracts and launched Indie writers into bestseller lists. Recently, two of my clients won the Amazon KDP Pen to Publish 2019 contest for short- and long-form. Another author won an honourable mention in 2017. I believe that editing is a crucial skill for all writers. In that regard, I have published a book, Editing Bootcamp (Part 1), to help writers self-edit their work, and I am currently writing the second part. Next in line is my fiction novel—a cozy mystery set in India.

I’ve volunteered as a Municipal Liaison of Asia (India) for NaNoWriMo until recently. I have also led the social media content team for a major political party in India in the past.

I’m a professionally trained fiction editor, and a member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), UK. I am proficient in four languages and live in Punjab, India, with my family and other animals—eight people and four dogs.

My tip for writers? We all read for pleasure, but learning to read like a writer will help you gauge what’s working in a story and what’s not, so keep a pencil and notebook handy the next time you pick up that bestseller.