molly woodward

My role:

My role is helping creators realize their intentions. I’m a supportive behind-the-scenes listener, question asker, note taker, detail checker, synthesizer—attuning not just to what is being said, but also how it’s being said. I gravitate toward projects that build culture, challenge oppression, and cultivate wonder and joy.

Often, editing is associated with critiquing or correcting, but the word comes from the Latin edere, which means “to bring forth.” This is how I think of the editorial craft: as bringing forth the meaning and spirit of a project, facilitating a stronger relationship between writers and readers, or filmmakers and viewers.

Sometimes editing is about bringing forth deeper themes, connections between ideas, or emotional undercurrents within a project. Sometimes it’s about structure—finding a more effective or engaging way to organize chapters, scenes, or paragraphs. Sometimes it’s about bringing forth consistency or harmony. And sometimes it’s about checking for typos.

There’s a fine line to walk between enhancing someone else’s sentence (or story) and imposing on it. I walk that line with care, appreciating that everyone I work with has a unique voice, vision, and even syntax.

I think about language, whether verbal or visual, within a larger context of communicating with care across our differences and aspiring to bring forth a world that is more inclusive, just, safe, nourishing, and joyful for us all. Radical copyeditor and speaker Alex Kapitan articulates a beautiful framework for copyediting through this lens: “Language can harm or heal; it can further oppression or create liberation—the choice is ours.”

Editing is a craft based in relationship. I’ve found that having a good time is conducive to good work, and I love getting to know the people I work with!

My path:

As one might guess, my interest in editing is rooted in a deep love of language and stories. After studying the political dimensions of visual culture in college, I was drawn to children’s publishing and became a children’s book editor at Tricycle Press, an imprint of Ten Speed Press. Later, I joined the staff of Heyday, nonprofit catalyst of beauty and community, where I edited adult nonfiction and children’s books (here’s an interview about one of the wonderful projects I helped with).

For the last fifteen-plus years, I have consulted for a variety of publishers, organizations, and individuals, serving in editorial and communications roles. Most recently, I turned my storytelling lens to documentary filmmaking, serving as an associate producer and contributing writer of the film Counted Out: Math is Power.

I hope my work contributes to a thriving story ecosystem of many diverse voices, story forms, and channels for sharing them.

A descendent of settlers from many places in Europe, I grew up in Lenape land / Philly, PA, and today live in Karkin Ohlone land / Martinez, CA. At night I make art, and you can see some of it here.