All about Carly

Carly began her publishing career in 2007 after graduating from Brunel University with a degree in Drama and Film & TV Studies with English Literature. Through her school years Carly had a passion for Art and her English Language A level opened her eyes to the joy of syntax. All these areas of interest laid the foundations for a career in children's editorial.

Starting as an editorial assistant at children’s book publisher Miles Kelly, Carly learned to mark up hard copy using BSI symbols and edited book files in QuarkXPress. It wasn't long before she was managing her own projects. One of the first was a tree-spotting handbook by Camilla de la Bedoyere (an author she would go on to work with throughout her career). Carly remembers visiting a National Trust site to take reference photos for rarer tree species – immersing herself in the topic from the start.

She spent six years at MKP, editing a wide range of nonfiction, preschool, novelty and classic fiction anthologies – from dinosaurs, the deep ocean and outer space to fairy tales and Bible stories. Carly gained a deep understanding of the editorial process, enjoying the precision of editing, the creativity of briefing artwork, and the structure of scheduling and budgeting.

In 2013, Carly moved to Chichester on the West Sussex coast to take the role of Senior Licensing Editor at Autumn Publishing (part of Bonnier Books UK). She enjoyed the new challenge of working with brands, delivering around 25 titles a year for licenses including Barbie, Power Rangers, Fisher Price and Hello Kitty – writing for many of them, including The Official Furby Boom Handbook. (A Furby lived in the top drawer of her desk for several months!)

After relocating with the company from Chichester to Dorking, Carly moved to sister publisher Templar Publishing as a senior managing editor. There, she led workflow and scheduling improvements, before becoming a senior commissioning editor and focusing on building Templar’s award-winning list. Over six years she was lead editor on titles including Ghostology, The Language of the Universe, Sometimes I feel... and the Gigantosaurus TV tie-ins. A highlight was travelling to Hollywood with Ology author Dug Steer to meet with Paramount Studios.

In early 2025, Carly began freelancing as a children’s book editor, writer and proofreader – fuelled by a growing desire to develop her own ideas. She completed a proofreading course and continues to expand her skills and professional development. She offers a range of services – from copyediting, planning and writing to project management and proofreading – and specialises in natural history, science and space. She also has experience across a wide range of other topics, including classical music, food and social-political issues, and is always excited to explore new subjects.