Editing and proofreading for authors

I can help you prepare your manuscript for sending out into the world, whether that's to an agent or for self-publishing.

I offer all levels of editing, from development editing to make sure your plot and characters are coherent and the timeline makes sense, through copy-editing to ensure spelling, punctuation and grammar are correct and your words flow well, to proofreading, the final check that all is well before publishing. In what kind of editing do you need? you'll find more detail about these types of editing to help you decide what you want.

I enjoy working on all types of books, fiction and non-fiction, novels and short stories, and in many genres, including science fiction and fantasy and general fiction. I have also worked with a number of authors on autobiographical or semi-autobiographical books, helping them tell their tale in their own words.

I understand that getting your book edited is tough, so I always bear in mind that you have worked long and hard before your work reaches me, and I try to be as gentle as possible. Of course I correct errors and follow a standard style guide (or your preferred standard) to make sure that your work is consistent and free from embarrassing mistakes. But beyond that, I take my lead from you, and we will discuss what kind of editing you want, usually via a sample edit.

If you have just finished your first draft, then it can be helpful to leave your book for a while so that you can return to it fresh. You may find you spot errors and inconsistencies that you missed in the heat and excitement of writing.

It can also help to have a few pairs of friendly eyes read your book and give you some feedback (these are known as beta-readers).

It doesn't have to be perfect, or anything like, but editing isn't cheap and you’ll get the best value from any editor if you take it as far as you can before sending your work to them. Otherwise you are paying for the time of a skilled professional to perform the basic mechanics of writing, when you really ought to be paying for their higher-level editorial skills and judgement.