Hello there, I’m Hamza and I’m an Editor (Authenticity Reader née Sensitivity Reader) working in the book trade and academic publishing industries.
As an editor, I’ve worked with a plethora of renowned authors (across a multitude of Adults and Children’s and YA genres) within the past decade: from authors whose works have gone on to be staged at the National Theatre, to those who sought and obtained literary representation, as well as authors seeking literary (agent) representation.
My role as CEO of hamzajahanzeb.co.uk, a cultural (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion i.e. DEI, or EDI) consultancy website that offering companies – especially those in the Creative Industries – an insight into best practices when preparing documents, manuscripts and training for staff and clients. I also use this site to showcase the plethora of global majority artists around the world, spotlighting leaders in the Arts from cities in the USA (New York City’s “Broadway”, to Washington D.C.) as well as Shanghai, Beijing and London (“West End”).
I am a Trustee of Blaze Arts (Burnley, Lancashire) and am a Director of The Postal Museum, in (Farringdon, London) working on the Collections Sub-Committee group.
I’m also writer for hire, and my forthcoming book – The Rise and Rise of Chappell Roan – has sold to the US (Running Press, Hachette Book Group), UK (Cassell, Octopus Publishing Group, part of Hachette UK).
🌍: Rest of the world: Speak to your local bookshop
I have been reviewing theatre, arts & culture for over a decade, and have been published in The New York Times, BBC, The Author (Society of Author magazine) and more.
Moreover, as someone who grew up in the north of England, and being drawn to the storytelling world as I recall frequenting the Accrington library (with its stunning stain glass windows) as a child; I truly relished the chance to read – joining the Acorn Book Club and losing myself in the worlds of made by authors such as Jacqueline Wilson, Phillip Reeves, Jeremy Strong and Cathy Macphail. In return having seen the profound impact books (and words) had on me, it is my mission to also – when given the chance – to share my affection for storytelling to make those tomes reach an even wider global audience.
I have lived in capital cities (Beijing, Prague, London) and for the most of decade previous been based in West London and Kew, England. As part of my remit to bring audiences and storytellers together, I have also had the immense pleasure to have produced events for the British Library as part of the Jaipur Literature Festival’s International programme. This allowed me to marry my love of (musical) theatre with literature and is a prime example of the connectedness I seek to bring forth to the world, where possibilities are endless. I love to transcend the boundaries of the perceived and expected societal norms. For me, building pathways to a collective joy and new experiences in an unexpected context is what brings me total pleasure.
My work as an Authenticity Reader has given me a rolodex of over 1,000+ contacts and professionals for whom Publishers have been in awe of to make their manuscripts robust and pragmatical. From publishing houses in Sydney, to the U.S. or across the world, it is an industry that I have brought to fruition from the beginning seeking to better practices and editorial teams’ critical paths to avoid avoidable mistakes in the Publishing process.
I hope you’ll enjoy browsing my site.
Submit your creative brief, or consultancy form via: https://forms.gle/TuzKW3zg8BJD7L8j8
Or alternatively, you can email me directly on: hamza@hamzajahanzeb.co.uk
Look forward to connecting with you:
