The Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) is pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2025 Rosanne Fitzgibbon Editorial Award.
The shortlisted editors are:
- Kimberley Davis for Under the weather: A future forecast for New Zealand by James Renwick (HarperCollins New Zealand)
- Emma Hutchinson for Getting to know the birds in your neighbourhood by Darryl Jones (NewSouth Publishing)
- Emma Rafferty for 17 years later by J. P. Pomare (Hachette Australia)
Kristy Bushnell received an honourable mention for Love, death & other scenes by Nova Weetman (University of Queensland Press).
The Rosanne Fitzgibbon Editorial Award (the Rosie) recognises excellence in editing and is based on both the quality of the finished work and submissions from the editor, author and publisher about the editorial process and work of the editor.
CEO of IPEd Karen Lee and Chair of the IPEd Board Stephanie Holt AE congratulated the shortlisted editors.
“Your work showcases the power of expert editing in shaping compelling narratives and elevating authors’ voices. At IPEd, we celebrate the dedication and skill you bring to the profession, ensuring that great stories are not only told but refined to their fullest potential,” Karen said.
“The shortlisted projects show the many and varied ways a skilled editor and thoughtful editorial guidance can shape a publication for the benefit of its readers. Each editor has also admirably demonstrated that editorial intangible – the capacity to build a rapport with an author that fully supports their voice and vision,” Stephanie said.
IPEd thanks to the judges for generously giving their time to assess the entries and thanks the Copyright Agency for their generous support of the Rosie through their Cultural Fund.
The 2025 Rosie winner will be announced at the 2025 IPEd Conference. The conference will be held in Adelaide from July 23 to July 25 at the University of Adelaide. Registrations for the IPEd Conference are now open.
What the judges said
The judges’ comments below highlight how each editor demonstrated outstanding editorial capability in supporting their author to create the best publishing outcome.
- Kimberly Davis
- Under the weather: A future forecast for New Zealand by James Renwick
- (HarperCollins New Zealand)
Kimberley Davis’s work with James Renwick on Under the Weather transformed the book from a scientific account to a trade title with broad appeal. Working to a brief the publisher describes as “open and ambitious”, Davis drew together Renwick’s text as well as additions from a journalist and worked with the author to stitch them into a compelling narrative. This involved, among other interventions, devising a new structure, encouraging the author to add storytelling to frame the scientific content in an engaging way, recasting the introduction and suggesting edits to facilitate the smooth flow of ideas. Davis demonstrated a strong awareness of audience, with a clear understanding of the book’s aim, and her respect for the author’s ideas built rapport.
- Emma Hutchinson
- Getting to know the birds in your neighbourhood by Darryl Jones
- (NewSouth Publishing)
Emma Hutchinson’s passion for this project is evident from its conception through to publication. Reflecting a keen awareness of the target audience, her contributions helped to create a visually appealing bestseller with accessible content and an engaging expository style. Hutchinson adeptly assumed multiple roles as the project evolved, demonstrating a broad array of editorial skills, with interventions at various levels, including related to structure, tone and language use. The book benefitted from her expertise in image research and permissions, as well as her understanding of graphic design and production costs. She established a strong rapport with the author from the outset, encouraging him to pursue the project. She also advocated for the inclusion of an Indigenous perspective, which was thoughtfully realised through collaboration with a First Nations reader. Hutchinson’s impact on this work was so significant that Jones has declared at publicity events that her name should be featured on the cover alongside his.
- Emma Rafferty
- 17 years later by J. P. Pomare
- (Hachette Australia)
Emma Rafferty demonstrated strong editorial insight and rigour in her structural edits to address key issues of pacing, plotting and characterisation, transforming pivotal story elements in order to fit readers’ expectations of the genre while also preserving the author’s voice. Using tact and diplomacy, Rafferty was able to effectively communicate these proposed changes, instilling confidence in the author to take creative risks and push boundaries in order to elevate the text. A meticulous high-level line edit was also undertaken, showing attention to detail through comprehensive continuity checks and extensive fact-checking. This has resulted in a punchy, compelling novel and what critics have praised as the author’s best book yet.
Honourable mention to Kristy Bushnell for Love, death & other scenes by Nova Weetman (University of Queensland Press).
Kristy Bushnell’s structural editing expertise was pivotal in aligning the memoir’s title with its central themes. She renegotiated and improved upon the editorial brief, enhancing the work’s emotional resonance by crafting it into a non-linear narrative that guides the reader alongside the author through a journey of love and grief, towards eventual hope. Kristy expertly navigated her relationship with the author, challenging her with constructive suggestions for improvement while remaining sensitive to the emotions entangled with such a deeply personal project. The three-act structure she proposed also served as a poignant tribute to the author’s late husband.
About the Rosie
The Rosie honours the memory of Rosanne Fitzgibbon DE (1947–2012), a distinguished editor of literary fiction and non-fiction, as well as of scholarly work in literary studies, and the recipient of the inaugural Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellowship in 1992.
Rosie, as she was known, worked with well-known writers such as Thea Astley, Peter Carey, Kate Grenville and Janette Turner Hospital. She was renowned as an editor who devoted her time generously to both her authors and her profession, serving in many roles in many organisations.
Initiated by IPEd’s Editors Queensland branch, the Rosie was first awarded in 2017. The inaugural award was won by Jacqueline Blanchard for her editorial work on Matthew Condon’s novel All Fall Down (University of Queensland Press). The 2019 winner was Julia Carlomagno for her editorial work on Briohny Doyle’s narrative nonfiction book Adult Fantasy (Scribe). The 2021 winner was Johannes Jakob for his editorial work on Kyle Perry’s novel The Bluffs (Penguin Random House). The 2023 winner was Cathy Vallance for her editorial work on Zana Fraillon’s middle-grade verse novel The Way of Dog (University of Queensland Press).