Agatha Akonor-Mills has been addicted to reading ever since she could make sense of words on paper. While her academic experiences run the whole gamut of science, business and the arts, her passion for the printed word saw her settling on publishing as a career. She has spent more than thirty years in the profession. With in-depth knowledge about the publishing industry, her forte is in editing. She is a seasoned editor whose editorial credits span multiple genres—academic, fiction, children’s, theses and scientific/journal research publications.
The mother of three holds a BSc. Admin (Management) from University of Ghana, Legon (1979) and BA Book Industry (Publishing Studies) from KNUST, Kumasi (1992).
Agatha is highly proficient in both US and UK English. She approaches all editing with readiness to enhance and add her vast knowledge to improve the script.
Her taste in reading is catholic, making her very wide-read, something that shows in all scripts she handles and has garnered her grateful authors of all genres.
Apart from local publisher and individual clients, she has undertaken editorial jobs/consultancy services for:
- Hippo Books (Langham Partnership International, Canada/UK) — occasional;
- Bible League, Ghana Office, (2014-2016);
- Curriculum Research and Development Division (now National Council for Curriculum Assessment) joint project with USAID and UNESCO (adapting children’s story books promoting all-inclusiveness and tolerance for children with disabilities (Sept. 2015-March 2016);
- Friedrich Ebert Foundation (editing research reports, 2015, 2022)
- Oasis International Ltd., Kenya— occasional
Participated in:
- UNESCO/Heinemann Nigeria Workshop in Publishing Management, Ibadan, 1996
- ZIBF Marketing Workshop, Harare, Zimbabwe, 1997
- Science/Journal Editing Workshop, Accra, 1997
- Women Writing Africa Conference, Mali, 1998
- Principles & Practices of Publishing Management for Anglophone West Africa, Abuja, 2001
- Workshop on Print on Demand (POD), Oxford, UK, 2002
- Training of Trainers Workshop on Legal Aspects of Publishing, Ibadan, 2003
- Editors’ Workshop at Cape Town International Book Fair, July 2010;
- MAI & Step Publishers Editors’ Training Workshop, Accra, 23-25 August, 2011;
- MTI Magazine Publishing Training Workshop, Abokobi, Accra Nov. 13-17, 2022.
Member
- Ghana Publishers Association and Ghana Association of Book Editors,
- Editors’ Association of Earth (EAE) (an online editors’ platform).
- Women Writing Africa, West Africa Committee (erstwhile project in partnership with Feminist Press of the City University of New York (CUNY)1997-1999;
- CODE/Burt Literary Awards Jury (2012-2016)
- Technical Evaluation Equipment Committee (TEEC) of Ministry of Education/GES (2018)
Editorial Board member
- Ghana Book News of GPA;
- Mother Tongue Magazine of GILLBT
Naturally a gifted teacher, Agatha comes alive when sharing scripture and biblical insights. Much as she appreciates the ease and convenience of all mod cons of communication— computers, internet, mobile devices and e-library etc. her all-time preference is for the traditional print book and she sees herself in John Wilson’s poem, “Oh for a book and a shady nook… Where I may read at all my ease … For a jolly good book whereon to look is better to me than gold.”