James Smart

Writer and editor

United Kingdom

Hello! I'm a writer, editor and consultant.

I work for the biggest names in travel and culture and write awesome B2B/commercial content.

In the last few months I've been:
• commissioning and managing Lonely Planet's bestselling guides to Kyoto and Madagascar
• writing on networks (Riverbed), employment law (Rippling) and payment infrastructure (TNS)
• reviewing dystopian drama and the year's best graphic novels for the Guardian
• editing illustrated books for DK on African history and English as a foreign language

I also cover cybersecurity, travel, branding, tech, healthcare, education, music and history.

I'm a former Managing Editor and spokesperson at Lonely Planet and an award-winning arts critic.

Editing clients have described me as 'a true editor', 'incredibly thorough' and doing 'a perfect job'.

I'm available for work.

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Portfolio

Culture & travel writing

the Guardian
12/04/2023
Best graphic novels of 2023

Hip-hop history, real-world wishes and the forgotten watercolourist in Turner's shadow are among the subjects of this year's finest comics

Lonely Planet
When should you visit Croatia?

Whether you're after sun-drenched beaches or avoiding the crowds and braving the chill, we've got all you need to know about when to visit Croatia.

Culture Trip
Pizza's Newest Controversial Topping: Marmite

Pizza toppings can be controversial. Chocolate, clams and eggs are all used (and abused) on pizzas. Icelandic president Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson whipped up a storm when he said he would like to ban the pineapple-toting Hawaiian style. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promptly tweeted that he thought it "delicious".

Commercial writing

Mimecast
Securing Australia’s cyber future

This ghostwritten eBook accompanied a major cybersecurity conference, and was published as Australia reeled from a devastating series of cyberattacks.

Easyjet
Iceland Holidays 2023

Writing content for scores of destinations as part of the airline's relaunched digital portal.

HTN
Health Tech Newspaper

Writing articles based on keynote presentations on digital transformation in UK health.

Getcyberresilient
Get Cyber Resilient | Cyber Security News

Ghost-writing over 100 blog posts for leading cybersecurity company Mimecast. Topics include cyber news, ransomware, risk assessment, BEC, DNS, XDR, the rise of AI and government regulation.

Commissioning, editing & management

PenguinRandomhouse.com
Africa: The Definitive Visual History of a Continent

I made extensive edits on this major title, collaborating with leading academics. The book aims to help readers immerse themselves in the vast and intricate story of Africa and discover its true place in world history.

Reedsy
James Smart - Editor | Reedsy

Editing memoirs and guides for clients. Five-star rating: - 'Worked quickly and professionally and maintained great contact with me throughout the work. Highly recommend.' - 'Like a true editor he trimmed my manuscript to make it concise and easy to read... added value to my work and did it all in time beating even his own timeline!' - 'Incredibly thorough... Beyond this however, is his ability to make suggestions that stay consistent with the author's voice.'

Lonely Planet
England

Commissioning, budgeting and managing this bestselling relaunched guide to England, with over 600 pages, 100 maps and 10 authors.

dkbooks
The LGBTQ + History Book

Editing, writing and working with layouts on this book showcasing the breadth of LGBTQ+ experience. I was responsbile for around 50 spreads explaining ideas and events in LGBTQ+ history and culture, from Chinese emperors to contemporary activism.

Lonely Planet
Tanzania

Commissioning, budgeting and managing this extensive guide to Tanzania, which is powered by on-the-ground research from expert authors.