Riley O'Connell
San Francisco–based book editor
It's been said: I'm an editor and writer, spreadsheeter, crossworder, project manager.
But of course, there's more: I love pilates and herby cocktails, Mary Oliver and crocheting, huge earrings and small algebra problems. My kitchen is full of various coffee machines and Stasher bags (not an ad but #sponsorme) and, to my cats' dismay, not my cats. I just bought a second bookcase so I can have one for poetry and one for fiction, and so each of my cats has their own bottom shelf to nestle into (to make up for the lack of kitchen privileges). My favorite color is green, my favorite water bottle is orange, and my favorite scone is blueberry lemon. I have strawberries tattooed on my arm.
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Before I moved to the SF Bay Area to pursue a BA in English and Communications at Santa Clara University, I grew up in Littleton, Colorado. I'm studying Editing at the University of Chicago. My poetry has been published worldwide, and you can read it here.
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See my resume below to catch what I've been up to before transitioning into book editing. And thank you for coming along for the ride!
Riley, what do you like to read?
Ugh, love this question, thank you for asking. My primary interests are poetry and fiction.
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For poetry, I love the conversational, deeply personal types of poems that deftly balance humor and the horrors™, joy and struggle. My favorites lean more toward the narrative than the abstract, and I'm moved by both political and spiritual work.
For fiction, I love crime (whodunits, legal and psychological thrillers), dark comedy and satire, and a classic coming-of-age. I don't read much if any science fiction, fantasy, or nonfiction. I love romance when it's mixed with the other genres I've listed here!
My favorites in fiction:
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Books:
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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
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Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers
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Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino
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The Holdout by Graham Moore
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The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Authors:
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Agatha Christie
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Alison Espach
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Kiley Reid
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Lisa Jewell
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Ruth Ware
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Sue Monk Kidd
My favorites in poetry:
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Books:
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Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency by Chen Chen
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Dog Songs by Mary Oliver
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Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay
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My Sentence Was a Thousand Years of Joy by Robert Bly
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Authors:
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Bob Hicok
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Chen Chen
- Diane Seuss
- Kim Addonizio
- Richard Siken
- sam sax
Currently, I'm reading Murder Bimbo by Rebecca Novack (fiction) and I Love Hearing Your Dreams by Matthew Zapruder (poetry).
Non-freelance work experience
May 2024–January 2026
February 2023–April 2024
May 2021–May 2022
July 2019–June 2021
June 2018–July 2019
April 2018–June 2019
Planisware | Content & Communications Manager
San Francisco, CA
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Led global content strategy, development, reporting, and advocacy
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Wrote all paid and organic messaging across NA digital channels and communities
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Copyedited, proofread, and QAed final Marketing and Sales assets
Sciforma | Content & Communications Manager
San Francisco, CA
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Led creation and brand alignment of earned, owned, and paid media
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Created and enforced adherence to buyer journey-aligned content matrix and gaps
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Managed, proofread, and researched strategies for on-page SEO
Playbook Digital | Operations Manager
San Francisco, CA
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Wrote and edited internal- and external-facing content and messaging for high-growth startup, including executive communications
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Ran marketing, brand awareness, and product launch campaigns
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Managed all marketing content, timelines, and tools
Fisher Investments | Marketing Projects & Operations Associate
San Mateo, CA
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Managed external, international content partnerships in collaboration with SMEs
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Liaised copyediting, translations, legal and compliance approvals, allocation, DAM storage, and all publisher communications
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Led internal rollout of tools and best practices for content workflows and auditing
Santa Clara University | Senior Editor & Content Strategist
Santa Clara, CA
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Wrote, edited, and marketed faculty- and student-focused stories
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Co-led comms team in collaboration with Director of Marketing and Communication
Santa Clara Review | Chief Editor
Santa Clara, CA
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Managed staff of 10 and quarterly rotation of editorial practicum board members
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Led curation, editing, publication, and all contributor communications for international bi-annual literary journal
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Partnered with University Relations to promote journal to alumni, donors, prospective families, and MFA and Creative Writing programs across the country
Related volunteer experience
2026–Present
2024
2022–2023
2018–2019
Iron Oak Editions | Poetry Submissions Reader
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Evaluating 5-7 poetry manuscripts per week
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Providing detailed editorial feedback in collaboration with other readers and editors
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Discussing publication potential of slush pile and strategy on upcoming releases in biweekly editorial meetings
The Passionfruit Review | "In Conversation" Final Judge
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Made final selections (top 3 + shortlist) for prizewinners of “In Conversation” poetry prize, in collaboration with magazine’s editors
Colossus Press | Editor, Colossus:Body
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Co-led editing, curation, marketing, and publication of Oakland-based Colossus:Body literary anthology, focused on reproductive justice and bodily autonomy in response to the Dobbs decision
Stanford / Lucile Packard Children's Hospital | Canterbury Fellow
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Designed and led creative writing workshops for LPCHS high school students navigating illness, to foster self-expression and storytelling
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Worked in close collaboration with Pediatric Palliative Care Program in the Division of Critical Care Medicine and Healing HeARTS literary and arts magazine
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Note: Canterbury Fellowship was provided through Santa Clara University, not Stanford University
2017–2018
Red Wheelbarrow | Submissions Reader
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Read and discussed merits of all submissions for De Anza College’s Red Wheelbarrow Poetry Prize, longlisting for final judge Ellen Bass