James Smart

Writer and editor

United Kingdom

Hello! I'm an award-winning writer, editor and consultant. Recent work:

• commissioning and project managing many of Lonely Planet's relaunched guidebooks, including England, Tanzania, Madagascar and Japan
• B2B articles on cybersecurity for Mimecast
• graphic novel and new fiction reviews for the Guardian
• editing illustrated books for DK including Africa and LGBTQ+ 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 also write about branding, design, music, travel, tech, healthcare and history. You can read some of it below.

I'm available for work.

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Portfolio

Culture & travel writing

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.

Lonely Planet
27 things you should know before visiting Edinburgh

With its grand castle and famous festival, Edinburgh is a tourist magnet. But Scotland 's capital isn't just a collection of big-ticket sights. Set on a series of extinct volcanoes, with chasm-like alleys and civic squares, Edinburgh is a stunner with substance.

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

Easyjet
Iceland Holidays 2023

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

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.

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.

Thermo Fisher Scientific
Clinical supply articles

Researching and writing blogs for this major healthcare equipment provider.

Commissioning & editing

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

Immerse yourself in the vast and intricate story of Africa and discover Africa's true place in world history. I made extensive edits on this major title, collaborating with leading academics and designers.

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

Discover the rich and complex history of LGBTQ+ people around the world - their struggles, triumphs, and cultural contributions.Exploring and explaining the most important ideas and events in LGBTQ+ history and culture, this book showcases the breadth of the LGBTQ+ experience. This diverse, global a...

Lonely Planet
Tanzania

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

dkbooks
How to be Good at English, Ages 7-14 (Key Stages 2-3)

Ideal for home learning, this simple and inspirational book has everything you need to get to grips with grammar and punctuation, and master essential reading and writing skills.Need help telling your adjectives from your adverbs? Struggling to work out what that poem is really about, or where to be...