Meet our member: Rali Chorbadzhiyska
Rali's story
The opening page: My favourite word
Linger – to stay in a place longer than necessary, often due to reluctance to leave, or to persist in a state (like a scent, feeling, or illness) for a long time.
There’s no sophisticated reason behind it, I like the way it feels in the mouth when you say it out loud. And as someone always on the go, I aspire to embrace it more.
Chapter 1. How it all began
Q: How did your career begin and what led you into the world of editorial work?
A: I came to the UK almost a decade ago to study, first English Literature at KCL and then a Masters in Publishing at UCL. But even before completing the MA, I was set on the publishing industry and did about eight different internships (at Africa Writes Festival, in the Comms department at Vintage Books, at literary agency A.M. Heath and others) before my first proper job. After the MA, I became a temporary rights assistant in the adult team at PRH, where I stayed for over two years before I moved into editorial as maternity cover in the Faber poetry department. The year at Faber was full of exciting projects with debut and established contemporary poets, I attended events such as the T.S. Eliot Prize and I worked with the literary estates of Sylvia Plath, Seamus Heaney, Ted Hughs and T.S. Eliot. Once the maternity cover was over, I secured a permanent role in the fiction team at Canongate, assisting Ellah Wakatama, occasionally Jamie Byng and eventually Leah Woodburn. At Canongate I found good friends on the team and within the authors I was working with as it was my dream list of literary fiction and narrative non-fiction. When I finally felt ready to take on more editorial responsibilities, I left traditional publishing to establish my own brand Rali Editorial and focus on working directly with authors and their texts.
Q: What early experiences or interests set you on this path?
A: When I was still in high school in Bulgaria, one of my literature teachers was Garrard Conley, author of Boy Erased and All the World Beside. Mr Conley was in the process of editing his debut memoir with an editor at PRH in the US and learning more about his experience convinced me I wanted to become an editor because I always enjoyed analytical reading and literary conversations. Inspired, I set out to pursue an editorial career and I’ve taken many creative writing classes for fiction, short stories and poetry in school and in university with the aim to learn early on what writers are being taught.
Chapter 2. What I do now
Q: What does your work look like today, and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: My editorial work now is exactly what I’ve always wanted – working closely with authors and their texts. Since my clients vary from independent to corporate publishers and self-published writers to those who seek representation, the services I offer to each vary too. I enjoy the deep focus work of a developmental edit, and I equally love the feeling of spotting a niche fact or inconsistency while copyediting or proofreading so I can ensure the manuscript in front of me is as spotless as can be. Apart from desk work, I’ve accomplished a long-term dream of mine to chair live literary conversations in bookshops such as Waterstones.
As a freelancer, I also build in time for self-promotion and networking in my days, which I do enjoy. But more on that below!
Q: How would you describe your niche or specialism – or are you happily broad?
A: My specialism is definitely fiction, and I have a lot of experience with literary within that space, but I’m happily broadening up my commercial fiction editorial portfolio as a freelancer. Working independently has freed me from adhering to the limitations of a publisher list, and I’ve been curious and excited to work on various fiction genres for publishers and for writers directly: crime, romance, women’s fiction, literary and even fantasy. I also really enjoy working with short stories and I read for a couple of prizes, for example the Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize. My narrative non-fiction clients are mostly memoirists, and I sometimes work on select children’s fiction projects too.
Chapter 3. My biggest challenges
Q: Self-promotion can sometimes feel tricky. How have you found ways to talk about your work that feel authentic and comfortable for you?
A: I do most of my self-promotion on social media at the moment. I have my Instagram account @rali.editorial where I build and maintain brand recognition without compromising a personal tone and touch. I’ve found multiple meaningful connections in the book community online and it makes keeping up a social media profile enjoyable and rewarding.
Through my career journey, I found that gaining confidence in myself has been key to forging an authentic way to talk about my work without being fake or arrogant. I am consistently learning about my strengths and weaknesses, but I also try to celebrate the wins because, as the popular saying goes, ‘if you don’t tell your story, someone else will’. I’d rather be in control of the narrative and tell people online what I get up to in a similar way to telling my friends who support me. Equally, I’m becoming a part of a bookish/editorial community and happily offer support for other people’s content too!
Chapter 4. My proudest moments
Q: Which achievements, publications or collaborations stand out as particularly meaningful to you?
A: I’ve been incredibly proud of Lara Haworth and her debut novel Monumenta, which I discovered while at Canongate and my recommendation was instrumental to its acquisition. Lara is a brilliant and hard-working author, and I also had the pleasure and honour to chair her paperback launch conversation with Han Smith in Waterstones Islington in 2025. Since then, I’ve collaborated with many (and hope to continue for a long time ahead) talented writers such as Farah Ali and David McGrath, to name a couple. Every project I work on as a freelancer feels meaningful to me as I’m much more involved than ever and I always do my best to support my clients beyond the edits by sharing suitable opportunities when I come across those. A recent example was recommending the Wasafiri writing prize to a Bulgarian translator client of mine, Dilyana Kodjamanova, who ended up on the shortlist for their translation of Ánne by Kamelia Panayotova.
Chapter 5. How I stay connected
Q: Editorial work can be quite solitary. How do you create connection and community alongside your work – formally or informally?
A: I enjoy interacting with book-loving people online and in person. My Instagram and LinkedIn activity helps with the former, and my London location helps with the latter. I love attending book launches and industry events such as showcases and book fairs. Because I previously worked in trade publishing, I come across friends on those occasions and I also like to make new ones, especially at events where I don’t know anyone. Nervousness makes me chatty, and that sometimes pays off!
I’ve also benefited from being part of the CIEP and attended the local group’s Christmas dinner last year, which was a lovely chance to connect with likeminded professionals and chat formally and informally all the same.
Chapter 6. My life beyond the desk
Q: What brings you joy outside of your editorial work?
A: My other passion in life, in addition to reading, is dancing. I went to dance school as a child and have tried multiple styles throughout the years, ranging from popping and locking to swing and contemporary. In the past four years I have been obsessed with bachata and even had a stint as a dance teacher before I set up my editorial freelancing.