writer · editor · tutor
Brief bio
Louis Greenberg is a Johannesburg-bred author, editor and tutor. He was a bookseller for several years, and has a Master’s degree in vampire fiction and a doctorate in post-religious apocalyptic fiction.
His first novel was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and he’s also the author of Green Valley and Exposure. As S.L. Grey, he co-wrote occasionally bestselling horror fiction with Sarah Lotz, including The Mall and The Apartment, which has been translated into over 15 languages.
Louis tutors creative writing and scriptwriting at Oxford University's Department for Continuing Education, and professional courses for the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading. He is a fan of art, food, puzzles, games, music, photography and travel. He lives in the middle of England.
Recent training
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Django for Everybody; University of Michigan / Coursera
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Google IT Automation Professional Certificate; Google / Coursera
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Python for Everybody; University of Michigan / Coursera
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UX Design Professional Certificate; Google / Coursera
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Responsive Website Design specialisation; University of London / Coursera
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Game Design and Development 1; Michigan State University / Coursera
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Writing Drama, Oxford University Department of Continuing Education (10-week course; as tutor)
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Copyediting 2; Society for Editors and Proofreaders
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Proofreading 2; Society for Editors and Proofreaders
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The Business of Film; FutureLearn / Open University
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Masterclass in theatre set design with Livi Vaughn; Punchdrunk
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An Introduction to Screenwriting; FutureLearn / University of East Anglia
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French cookery certificate; Yuppiechef
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Scriptwriting course, with distinction; SA Writers’ College
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PhD, English literature, University of the Witwatersrand
About me
Organised, creative, flexible
My work as a restaurant and grocery cashier got me through my English and History degree, but it was during my Master's degree that I found my first working love: bookselling at the flagship store of Exclusive Books, South Africa's premier bookselling chain. I quickly progressed from front-line bookseller to shift supervisor and then deputy manager of the store, before being seconded to the head office marketing department in 2001, where I designed and wrote all the in-house web and print publications.
I learned an incredible amount in my thirteen years at Exclusive Books: customer service, retail management, staffing, buying, inter-personal communication; graphic design with Adobe CS; HTML, CSS and PHP web design; and top-to-tail print production.
By 2009, with two small children at home and new writing opportunities beckoning, I started my own business, first designing websites for publishers, book distributors and authors, and building my editorial career with fiction, higher education and corporate clients. At the same time, I became half of S.L. Grey, writing five horror-thrillers with Sarah Lotz, which brought in the rent for a few years.
After finishing The Apartment, our fifth book, it was time to shake off the cobwebs again. My family and I moved to England, where I've been consolidating my editorial career, becoming an Advanced Professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofeading in 2018 and a member of their tutor panel in 2022. I've also been writing my own novels and screenplays, and tutoring creative writing and scriptwriting at Oxford University.
Alongside my amateur interesting in art, photography, music and food, I'm a puzzle and game enthusiast living in the gaming capital of the UK. At university in the mid 1990s, I unwittingly used up all the History department's bandwidth playing TrekMOO and LambdaMOO, and I'm one of the only two people in the world who worked out who killed Laura K.
I'm currently brushing up on user experience design, programming and full-stack web development to bring my existing skills up to date and combine new methods with my wide experience.
I've project managed, collaborated on and produced several books, a business, a doctorate and a global move (and co-produced a family!) I can share my creative and flexible organisational skills in any editorial, design or production role.
Check out the details of my career or get in touch at the links below.
Contact
I'm creative, flexible and organised and I'm always looking for stimulating work and creative collaborations. Based in Leamington Spa in the United Kingdom, I work with clients around the world. Let's connect.
