Adam Halwitz

Interests

Helping get good writing in front of the right audiences

I’m interested in and satisfied by editorial and production work of all kinds, and I’ve been doing it since I was a kid trying to make a camp newsletter look nice. The work I’ve done has ranged from picking poems out of slush piles to finalizing huge corporate proposals to organizing the development of anthologies.

Sub-elements of this interest include...

Friendly, usable, and compelling graphic design

My work has often combined design with editing, and I’ve found that the ability to understand both has been valuable in fast-paced environments where it’s helpful to have someone who can take care of both sides of that coin. I love seeing how visual design can show off text to its best effect, and I firmly believe in the value of an editorial eye on graphics. A nuanced understanding of typography also comes in handy.

The plain language movement

While I’m no stranger to the beauty and insight that verbally complex or experimental writing can convey (I did study continental philosophy!), clarity is important to me. The plain language movement informs my approach to editing. I believe that making nonfiction plainer is an incredibly strong tool for creating a more just world. It promotes wider access to valuable ideas, and it helps break down the (often deliberate) inaccessibility that makes life harder for all of us—especially for people facing various forms of systemic oppression.

A conscious editorial style (see the Conscious Style Guide)

I believe it’s an editor’s responsibility to stay thoughtful, curious, and humble about how text-related choices can empower, honor, and support people—and can also reflect bias, disrespect, needless rigidity, or overvaluation of “traditional” standards. Words can uplift or harm, and awareness of that fact is critical when you’re in the position of making decisions or suggestions about language.

Making mosaics

See my Mosaic page for photos. I’ve been interested in making visual art for a long time. Living a 20-minute bus ride from a mosaic studio has given me a chance to get involved in a form that can be practical (I like doing mirrors, trays, hook racks) and full of extravagant color and texture. I also like breaking glass with my hands.

Cooking and baking

I’m pretty good at making food. See my Recipes page for a signature recipe; more to come, maybe?

Other interests that are important to me include disability justice/neurodiversity, food gardening, and domestic history.