Senior Editor

Quirk Books, an imprint of Andrews McMeel Publishing, is seeking a Senior Editor to develop, acquire, and manage Quirk’s unconventional list of commercial fiction and select nonfiction titles, while leading the strategic growth of Quirk’s signature fiction publishing program.

This creative role is made for an idea person–an experienced writer/editor who has strong creative instincts, sharp market awareness, and a demonstrated ability to both originate concepts and acquire outside projects, strengthening both along the way. The Senior Editor will oversee Quirk’s fiction list, including approximately 4–6 original titles annually in horror, mystery, and adjacent commercial genres distinguished by playful and humorous tones, high-concept hooks, reimaginations of pop-cultural tropes, inventive storytelling, and Quirk’s aim to live up to its name and publish cross-genre breakout books.

The ideal candidate is a strong creative collaborator, working closely with the in-house team as well as authors and creators to build projects from the ground up, in addition to acquiring and editing agented manuscripts. 

Key Responsibilities

Acquisitions & List Development

• Acquire approximately 8–10 titles annually across fiction and select nonfiction categories aligned with Quirk’s publishing strategy.
• Lead and manage Quirk’s fiction program, publishing 4–6 original fiction titles annually.
• Identify market opportunities in horror, mystery, suspense, humor, speculative, and crossover commercial fiction.
• Develop compelling P&Ls, acquisition memos, positioning rationale, and sales arguments for proposed titles.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with literary agents, authors, and entertainment/creative partners.

Concept Creation & Creator Collaboration

• Generate original book concepts rooted in Quirk’s brand strengths: playful twists, pop-cultural fluency, mash-ups, format innovation, and fresh takes on familiar genres or classics.
• Collaborate with writers, IP holders, illustrators, and creators to shape proposals and manuscripts from early stages.
• Pair clever concepts with talent and guide projects from ideation through publication.
• Identify opportunities for reimaginations of classic literature, pop cultural tropes, nostalgic formats, and genre conventions. Remember that sometimes a great title gets you halfway there.

Editorial Management

• Edit acquired manuscripts and proposals through all stages: developmental editing, line editing, copy preparation, and production handoff.
• Manage schedules, author communication, contracts coordination, and title progress against deadlines.
• Present projects effectively to internal stakeholders including sales, marketing, publicity, and design teams.
• Write jacket copy, positioning documents, metadata guidance, and launch materials as needed.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Marketing, Publicity, Design, Production, and Sales to maximize title performance.
• Help shape seasonal list balance and long-range publishing strategy.
• Mentor junior editorial staff or interns as assigned.
• Serve as a visible internal advocate for fiction publishing opportunities and trends.

Qualifications & Requirements

• 5+ years of book publishing editorial experience, with meaningful acquisitions responsibility.
• Proven track record acquiring and/or editing successful commercial fiction.
• Strong knowledge of horror, mystery, suspense, and adjacent genre fiction markets.
• Demonstrated ability to develop original concepts and collaborate creatively with authors.
• Experience working with literary agents and negotiating acquisitions internally.
• Excellent editorial skills, including developmental editing and manuscript shaping.
• Strong understanding of positioning, audience targeting, and marketplace trends.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with humor-forward or genre-blending fiction–ideas that “so crazy they just might work.”
• Proven experience in adaptation, licensing, and IP-driven publishing opportunities.
• A passion for pop-culture publishing and inventive concepts and formats.
• Existing relationships with agents representing commercial fiction.

Core Competencies

• Creative Development: Builds killer ideas into viable books through collaboration and iteration.
• Commercial Instinct: Understands audience demand, positioning, and breakout sales potential.
• Editorial Judgment: Identifies potentially strong concepts, talent, and marketable manuscripts and knows how to improve them.
• Relationship Management: Builds and retains trust with agents, authors, and internal partners.
• Project Management: Keeps multiple books moving on schedule and on budget.
• Communication: Clear, persuasive, professional, and positive across all settings.
• Initiative: Proactively generates opportunities
• Adaptability: Responds effectively to changing market conditions and priorities.

Salary Range: $70,000-90,000 annually

Status: Full-time, exempt

Work Model: Hybrid; on-site expectations based on team needs