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Mark Cortes Favis

📝 ✏️ 🚀

Editing, writing and publishing – minus the existential dread.

Cover of Eight Decades of British Design: Design Council: 1944 to Today

Eight Decades of British Design

Design Council

2025

Cover of Ai Weiwei: Making Sense, published by the Design Museum (2023)

Ai Weiwei: Making Sense

The Design Museum

2023

Exterior view of The Bartlett’s 2024 Fifteen Show, with window graphics and exhibition entrance

The Fifteen Show

The Bartlett School of Architecture

2024

Cover of Ferrari: Under the Skin, published by Phaidon and the Design Museum (2017)

Ferrari: Under the Skin

Phaidon x The Design Museum

2017

Cover of Waste Age: What Can Design Do? published by the Design Museum (2021)

Waste Age: What Can Design Do?

The Design Museum

2021

Cover of California: Designing Freedom, published by Phaidon and the Design Museum (2017)

California: Designing Freedom

Phaidon x The Design Museum

2017

About

Words matter. Let’s get them right.

Editing. Writing. Publishing strategy. If it involves words on a page (or screen), I make them clearer, sharper and worth reading. I help authors, publishers and cultural institutions transform unruly drafts into polished, engaging reads – without losing their soul (or their sanity). Whether it’s a book, an exhibition catalogue or an academic text in need of a glow-up, I bring structure and clarity, striking the perfect balance between encouragement and (gentle) ruthlessness.

Why work with me? 

I’ve worked with some of the UK’s leading cultural institutions, including the Design Museum, the Bartlett School of Architecture, the Design Council and the Jencks Foundation at the Cosmic House. My editorial projects have been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Economist, BBC Radio 4 and – most prestigiously – an in-flight magazine, possibly for United Airlines (lol). If you need a seasoned editor, project manager or publishing consultant who can bring out the best in your words (and isn’t afraid to wrestle a messy manuscript into submission), let’s talk.

What I do

Publishing & Editorial Consulting

Shaping strategies and creating books people actually want to read.

Editorial Project Management

Keeping writers, editors, designers and deadlines in sync.

Editing & Book Development

From structural overhauls to fine-tuned copyediting, I make words work harder.

 

Exhibition & Catalogue Editing

Making words work – from catalogues to exhibition panels and captions.

A deep-tissue massage for your manuscript • Sharpening stories & strengthening sentences • Stopping bad publishing decisions in their tracks • Good design deserves great words – and a publishing plan that won’t make you cry •

Publishing & Editorial Consulting
Helping organisations navigate the publishing world.

From content strategy to editorial planning, I help shape books people actually want to read.

Editorial Project Management
Keeping the editorial ship afloat – without the chaos.

Coordinating writers, editors, designers and printers to bring your publication to life.

Editing & Book Development
Transforming ideas into books worth reading.

From structural overhauls to fine-tuned copyediting, I make words work harder.

Exhibition & Catalogue Editing
Words that work in print and on the gallery wall.

From exhibition panels to catalogues, I make sure the text earns its keep.

Publishing & Editorial Consulting

From content strategy to editorial planning, I help shape books people actually want to read.

Editorial Project Management

Coordinating writers, editors, designers and printers to bring your publication to life.

Editing & Book Development

From structural overhauls to fine-tuned copyediting, I make words work harder.

Exhibition & Catalogue Editing

From exhibition panels to catalogues, I make sure the text earns its keep.

Work

A greatest hits collection – but for books • From manuscript mayhem to publishing perfection • Edited, polished, published – but never forgotten •

Eight Decades of British Design
2025
Editor, Contributing Author
Design Council

Editor and contributor for the Design Council’s landmark 80th anniversary book.

Ai Weiwei: Making Sense
2023
Project Editor, Art Direction
The Design Museum

Project editor and art direction for Ai Weiwei: Making Sense at the Design Museum.

The Fifteen Show
2024
Interpretation Editor
The Bartlett School of Architecture

Editorial and visual lead for The Bartlett School of Architecture’s Fifteen Show, spanning text and graphics.

Ferrari: Under the Skin
2017
Project Editor, Art Direction
Phaidon x The Design Museum

Editorial and art direction lead for the Design Museum’s Ferrari book, published with Phaidon.

Waste Age: What Can Design Do?
2021
Commissioning Editor
The Design Museum

Commissioning editor for the Design Museum’s 2021 book on design and waste culture.

California: Designing Freedom
2017
Project Editor
Phaidon x The Design Museum

Editorial lead for California: Designing Freedom, from content development to image strategy.

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