Matthew Bennett, Editor & Writer

My passion for bookmaking began in 2003 when I wrote, illustrated, and bound a novella for my undergraduate thesis. That early connection to storytelling and bookmaking inspired me to become a developmental, line, and copy editor. Today, I partner with writers as a coach and editor to guide their vision through concept, craft, revision, and even publication. 

My editing experience started in earnest in 2008 with an internship at Ronsdale Press, where I shepherded Sheila James’s In the Wake of Loss from first draft to publication. I later pivoted to academic work, copyediting A Political Biography of Samuel Johnson during my PhD.

In 2016, I cofounded Cascadia Editors Collective, where I spent a decade collaborating with novelists, memoirists, academics, and journalists to advance and polish their projects. In that time, I have written, ghostwritten, and edited dozens of books across a wide range of genres.

Based in Seattle, I have expanded my editing experience and knowledge of the publishing industry by reviewing manuscripts at the Hugo House and presenting my fiction at Elliott Bay Books. I also published with The South Seattle Emerald, Crosscut, and The Metropolitan Review (under the name M. D. Bennett).

Since 2020, I have taught developmental editing at the University of Washington, a role that brings me joy as I mentor students in the craft. My writing background also includes my own scholarly research, which was published in 2021 in Bloomsbury’s A Cultural History of Race.

I launched Breakwater Editorial to provide specialized guidance for novelists, memoirists, and writers of all stripes. Alongside my editorial work, I champion regional voices through Pickle Fork Press, an independent press that celebrates the unique stories of the Pacific Northwest.