BIOGRAPHY
Mensah Demary is an editor and writer based in Brooklyn, and the founder of Regular Genius, an independent editorial studio. For nearly fifteen years he has worked in literary publishing, editing hundreds of essays, stories, and poems and more than fifty books to market, guided by a belief that an editor works with humility toward the best version of a manuscript, refining and clarifying it according to the author's own voice and intention rather than imposing what he thinks is right.
As editor-in-chief of Soft Skull Press he built an acclaimed list of literary, independent, and international writers, acquiring books such as Canisia Lubrin's Carol Shields Prize-winning Code Noir, Colin Winnette's PEN/Faulkner finalist Users, and Hiromi Kawakami's Under the Eye of the Big Bird, shortlisted for the International Booker Prize; earlier, at Catapult, he acquired and developed literary fiction and nonfiction and commissioned essays across cultural criticism, personal narrative, and ideas.
He is the co-writer, with the artist and actor Common, of the New York Times bestselling memoir Let Love Have the Last Word (Atria Books, 2019). His own writing spans cultural criticism and literary nonfiction and memoir, informed by a sustained engagement with philosophy and religious thought, including Christian, Buddhist and West African traditions, an inquiry he is now formalizing in a philosophy degree at City College of New York. He is at work on his debut nonfiction book, Unbending Light: A Philosophy of Anti-gravitational Thought.
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Editor with nearly fifteen years in literary publishing—hundreds of essays, stories, and poems edited, and more than fifty books brought to market. A strong developmental and line editor who works with humility toward the best version of a manuscript, refining and clarifying it according to the author's voice and intention rather than imposing what he thinks is right. Skilled at commissioning original work, identifying fresh analytical takes, scouting contributors, and collaborating across art, copy, fact-checking, and audience teams. Co-writer of a New York Times bestselling memoir and an essayist in his own right. Deep network of writers, agents, and experts; equally effective working independently and in close partnership with fellow editors.
EDITORIAL EXPERIENCE
Founder — Regular Genius, New York, NY Jan 2025 – Present
• Provide full-cycle editorial services—developmental, structural, line, and copyediting—to strengthen manuscript impact, readability, and marketability for submission and publication.
• Consult on book proposals, crafting overviews, author bios, and sample chapters to pitch to publishers and literary agents.
• Ghostwrite and co-write books, articles, and speeches, conducting interviews and research to capture each client's voice; co-writer of the New York Times bestselling memoir Let Love Have the Last Word (Atria Books, 2019), with the artist and actor Common.
Distinguished Visiting Professor — Publishing Laboratory, UNC Wilmington Apr 2024
• Developed and taught a three-day course on the financial and market realities of independent publishing, best practices, and cross-field collaboration; mentored students following the course.
Editor-in-Chief — Soft Skull Press, New York, NY Feb 2021 – Nov 2024
• Acquired literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry—including works in translation—from debut, independent, and international writers.
• Built a diverse catalog of 12 new titles annually, driving a 70% increase in book sales revenue over three years through critically acclaimed and innovative titles.
• Created and managed P&Ls for all prospective titles; led acquisitions, auctions, and deal points to secure territory and audiobook rights.
• Oversaw jacket copy, title information sheets, marketing positioning, and cover design; identified hardcover titles for paperback conversion and backlist titles for reissue.
Editor, Books & Magazine — Catapult, New York, NY Aug 2015 – Feb 2021
• Acquired and developed frontlist titles, building P&Ls with internal and external comps; acquired 8 titles spanning literary fiction and nonfiction from independent and debut authors.
• Participated directly in auctions and deal points; enhanced market positioning and discoverability through title information sheets and descriptive jacket copy.
• Commissioned and edited essays on personal growth, self-help, and cultural criticism, plus short fiction and nonfiction from emerging and established writers.
• Shaped the editorial direction and voice of Catapult Magazine, increasing daily output to support traffic and readership targets; managed the editorial calendar to ensure timely daily publication.
Founder & Editor — Specter Magazine, New York, NY Jul 2011 – Dec 2016
• Founded and curated an independent online literary magazine publishing poetry, fiction, and narrative nonfiction across all forms, styles, and genres, with a commitment to writers regardless of race, gender, and sexual identity.
• Solicited, selected, and edited work from emerging and established writers; built and sustained the magazine's voice and contributor community across more than thirty issues.
SELECTED BOOKS
• Let Love Have the Last Word by Common (Atria Books, 2019) — New York Times bestselling memoir; co-writer.
In progress:
• Unbending Light: A Philosophy of Anti-gravitational Thought — debut nonfiction book, in progress.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Titles acquired and edited have been recognized with major literary honors, including:
• Code Noir by Canisia Lubrin — Winner, 2025 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction.
• Users by Colin Winnette — Finalist, 2024 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
• Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated by Asa Yoneda — Shortlisted, International Booker Prize 2025.
• The White Mosque by Sofia Samatar — Finalist, 2023 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Editorial: Acquisitions & commissioning · developmental & structural editing · line editing · copyediting · argument-driven analysis · editorial judgment · contributor scouting · deadline management.
Collaboration & operations: Cross-functional work with art, copy, fact-check, and audience teams · writer & agent relationships · P&L management · project management.
Writing & intellectual practice: Essay and cultural criticism · literary nonfiction and memoir · long-form argument · ghostwriting and co-writing full-length nonfiction book projects · voice capture · philosophy and religious thought, including Buddhist and West African traditional traditions, as critical frameworks.
Tools & standards: Chicago Manual of Style · Microsoft Office · Google Workspace · Slack · WordPress CMS · Teamwork · Trello · Adobe Acrobat (PDF markup) · Microsoft Word track changes · Zoom.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
• BA in Philosophy, City College of New York — Jan 2026 – Present
• Dual BA–MA Program, Independent Study in International Theory & Philosophy, The New School — 2025, Dean's List
• Disquiet International Literary Program, Lisbon, Portugal — 2024
• Yale Publishing Course — 2016
• Coursework toward BA in Journalism, Temple University — 1999–2001