"No one should attempt a memoir without a great editor
and Jenn was the perfect match for me... I know it's a cliché, but I couldn't have done it without her."
- Filmmaker Fred Olen Ray
Jennifer Upton
Writer. Ghostwriter.
Member: The Society of Authors
Chartered Institute for Editing & Proofreading
Alliance of Independent Authors
Freelance Writing & Developmental Editing Services
My Story
An American (non-werewolf) in London
Memoirs are about journeys, whether they be personal, professional, or somewhere in between. We all start out in one place in life and end up somewhere else. I grew up in America in a small town in northern New York near the Canadian border renting horror and sci-fi films from my local video store during the long, cold winters. After working in local TV Production at WSTM in Syracuse, I headed west where I worked for 15 years in Los Angeles in the film and television industry in various roles at small production companies before finally settling at 20th Century Fox Broadcasting. I always had one foot in the writing world on the side but, it wasn’t until I finished my Master's Degree in London that I realized how important cultural understanding and historical research is to the writing process. I completed my dissertation on the films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa in 2012 and, after a brief stint back in Live TV operations, began working as a writer of memoirs in late 2016. I became a British Citizen in 2018 and now consider the UK my home where I enjoy the vibrant punk music scene.
Now with 5 years and more than 40 projects under my belt, my most valuable skill is adaptability. In my own essays, film, and book reviews, I strive to develop my own literary style. When approaching ghost and editorial projects, I research the background of the subject and write in the voice of the client. For editing projects and re-writes, I always consider the author's original intent and audience. I've worked with people from all walks of life ranging in age from 27 to 92 to help them create books both for private limited runs and commercial publication.
To find out more or to discuss a potential project, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Portfolio of Work
As Seen in GQ Magazine UK
Ghost Writer -
45+ clients (references available)
Gotham Ghostwriters
Association of Ghostwriters
2017 - Present
Ghostwriter/Editor
-
Film directors
-
Family Histories
-
Military Veterans
-
CEOs & Business Owners
-
Trauma Survivors
-
Immigration Stories
-
Artists & Musicians
2016 - Present
Contributing Writer
Film Reviews, Essays & Interviews
Women's Issues & Politics
Music Reviews, Essays & Interviews
Culture & Travel & Ex-pat Life
On Writing
Humour
Testimonials
"No one should attempt a memoir without a good editor and Jenn was the perfect match for me.
She kept me focused on the task and talked me down when I wanted to throw everything out and start over.
I wasn't aware of her work before we began my book, but I came to value and rely on her opinions and observations. I know it's a cliché, but I couldn't have done it without her!
Fred Olen Ray, filmmaker, screenwriter & author
"I would just like to say what a pleasure it was to have you interpret my ramblings into a very readable account of my journey through life. You were always patient and helpful. I will always be grateful for your guidance and expertise. Thank you."
John Woods, Retired Decorated British Army Officer
"...Jenn's professional approach is amazing, matched only by her attention to detail and natural gift as a writer. There is so much I wish to express about this wonderful lady. For a writing partner, look no further!"
Ray Atkinson, Founder & Chairman of ACS & The Atkinson Group
Writing Samples
The One
The December night air was chilly but I couldn’t feel it clothed in the warmth of my first
Christmas drink of the night. It didn’t take long for my downstairs neighbour’s door to
open after I knocked. Nell Dowles looked me up and down.
“Do you want to come upstairs? We’re having a party,” I said, dangling a
cigarette between my fingers on one hand, and clutching a beer in the other. It was
Christmas Day evening in East London, 1972 - the days of long hair, wide-collared shirts
in the shops, and Marc Bolan and Led Zeppelin on the radio. At 21, I was the height of
fashion as much as I could be for a working-class boy from Edinburgh. I must have been
quite the sight to Nell/ Nonetheless, she accepted my invitation. She and her daughters,
Rosemary and Jeanette, would attend our festive gathering. My life would never be the
same.
Earlier that day, my mother had convinced me to invite “the single mum and her
daughters” in the flat above us in our council building. Not because we knew them but so
they wouldn’t be angry about the noise. I pushed my way past some of our other guests
when the bell rang and answered the door. There stood Jeanette next to her mother. A 17-
year-old beauty with cropped Cilla Black light brunette hair and eyes that drew you in. I
know it sounds weird, but I swear, I saw an aura around her. I knew in that moment that
someday I would marry this girl.
Truth be told, I was no angel. My whole life at this point consisted of waking up,
going to work and having a pint at the pub after. I had no fixed relationships with women.
If I happened to meet a girl on a night out, it never lasted longer than one frenzied
encounter. Somehow, watching Jenny at that party, I knew she would be different. It took
me the better part of the evening (and a few more drinks) to muster the courage to
approach her. I not only feared our four-year age difference, which was considered large
at that time, but also that she was out of my league. Finally, I moved over to her side of
the room. She was shy and kept looking down. We chatted for a while and after I
suggested a date, I was sure she was going to give me the brush-off.
Until she said “… I’m free tomorrow night!” Our first date would happen on Boxing
Day. The rest, as they say, “is history.”
Eulogy for a Friend
We were 12 when we met and remained best friends until our late ‘30s. Rebels in a sea of conformity. Watching Evil Dead while everyone else watched Cosby. Listening to Dead Kennedys while everyone else listened to Night Ranger. Reading Oscar Wilde while everyone else read Nancy Drew. Writing sketches and jokes to crack each other up while others played sports.
She was my shadow and my light for more than 30 years. A better writer, smarter, prettier and wittier than I ever could be. Her own shadows were deeper and darker than anyone I have known and her light so brilliant as to transform a room full of people and leave all in its glance enamored. Perhaps it is apropos that hers was not a face to grow old and lose its luster. A light that never goes out in the grieving hearts of those who knew her.
Oscar Wilde wrote, “Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one's head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no tomorrow. To forget time, to forgive life, to be at peace.”
We are all better people for having known her, flawed and beautiful a woman as she was. Human as she was. Rest in Peace, my friend. I love you. Always.
Square Punk
Womanycom
A short essay on the state of punk rock music scene.
Review:
Naked Massacre (1976)
From the Series: Chilling Classics Month
bandsaboutmovies.com
A film review "that makes you want to watch the movie immediately." - Sam Panic, B&S About Movies
Editing Clients
Coming soon...
Contact
Greater London, United Kingdom
