Fiction Editing Services

Let’s whip your novel into shape.

You’ve written and revised your novel to the best of your ability, and now you want guidance to help bring it to the next level. That’s where I come in.

How it works

Are you an author of speculative or literary fiction who wants to create worlds and share ideas through stories that leave echoes in people’s hearts?

And are you prepared to do what it takes to give yourself the best chance of achieving your creative and publishing goals?

Then you sound like just the kind of person I can help.

I’m an independent professional editor who works directly with authors. If you’re curious about working with me, here’s how it works:

Every project starts with a complimentary assessment. This way, we can figure out exactly what your book needs so you don’t waste time, money or effort on services that aren’t right for it.

The assessment will enable me to put together a custom package of editorial services that’s right for your goals. And if your book isn’t quite ready for editing yet or I don’t feel I’m the right editor for you, I’ll let you know and point you in a more appropriate direction.

As a writer, working with you has been the best thing that’s happened to me […] I want to add my relief and happiness that you ‘got’ what I was trying to do; you didn’t just edit the words; you understood the concepts and your feedback helped me to tighten everything up and make it so much better, both in terms of subtext and style.

Gina Maya

Services I provide

Developmental editing

A developmental edit is all about helping you identify and solve the big-picture storytelling issues in a completed draft of your book. Learn more about developmental editing.

Manuscript critique

A manuscript critique provides you with general guidance on the big-picture storytelling aspects of your novel. I’ll explain what is and isn’t working and highlight the areas that need the most attention. Learn more about manuscript critiques.

Line and copy-editing

This sentence-level editing checks your manuscript for errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling. As well as that, I’ll make sure readers don’t stumble over awkward sentences or misinterpret ambiguous phrases. Learn more about line and copy-editing.

Add-on: Proofreading

This is the very last thing that should be done to your text – it’s the final check for any lingering typographical errors. We’ll send your manuscript to someone else for this, as a fresh pair of eyes is of paramount importance at this stage.

Add-on: Submissions package guidance

If you’re planning to submit your novel to agents and publishers, I can help you create and refine your submissions package – that is, your query letter, synopsis and sample chapters.

Add-on: Blurb editing or writing

If you’re planning to independently publish, I can help you create and refine the back-cover blurb for your book, which is a crucial element of your marketing.

I’ve worked with Sophie on three full-length novels. She tries to maintain the author’s voice as much as possible and has a great eye for detail – she’s not afraid of pushing you to make the best of your writing. I really don’t know where I’d be without her guidance in shaping my stories, or sharpening up those rough edges!

Rexx Deane

Genres I work with

To provide you with the best feedback, I need to be familiar with your genre. I only critique manuscripts that fall under one of my specialism:

Fantasy

High fantasy, low fantasy, urban fantasy, supernatural ...

Science fiction

Post-apocalyptic, dystopian, soft sci-fi, steampunk ...

Speculative fiction

Parallel universe, magical realism, gothic fiction, weird fiction ...

Literary fiction

Especially that which blends with my other genre specialisms

Dan Hook – Displaced

Arron Owen – Children of the Glyph

Tony Faggioli – One Plus One

Lorna Reid – Darkwalkers

Lorna Reid – Rise of the Reaper

Aaron D. Key – Herai

Charles Maclean – Unforgettable

L. J. McIntyre – Social

Gwydion Roberts – Utopia in Danzig

Ian Rilke – The Emperor’s Gift

Philippa Comber – Ariadne’s Thread

Sean Adams – Darkness Falls

Alison Ingleby – Expendables

Rexx Deane – Synthesis:Weave Afterglow

Tash Bell – To Hell in a Hot Tub

Ben Ellis – In a Right State

Tony Faggioli – One Gray Day

Tony Faggioli – The Snow Globe

Frequently asked questions

This will depend on the service(s) I suggest for you, as well as the number of rounds we go through. To give you a rough idea, this could be anywhere from £600 if I think you just need some light creative guidance to £6000 if we go through multiple rounds of deep editing.

Again, this will depend on the service(s) I suggest, as well as the number of rounds we go through – and how many authors have booked me in. Because I can only work with a small number of authors at a time, please be aware there might be a bit of a wait before we can start work together. Typically, I spend three to six weeks on a manuscript at a time.

Yes, that’s not a problem. Creative feedback is generally universal, and I can adapt any sentence-level editing to suit the conventions of the country in which you intend to publish.

Not directly. Generally, I recommend you find a literary agent to help you with this, but I can provide you with some resources that might help you with your search. However, I can help you refine your materials for submission (your query letter, synopsis and sample chapters).

Not directly, but I can provide you with some general guidance and point you in the direction of any other service providers you might need (such as cover designers). I can also help you write your back-cover blurb – a crucial bit of marketing for your book!

I offer lots of free advice on my blog, so check that out. I also highly recommend you read Write to Be Published by Nicola Morgan.

Every edit starts with a complimentary assessment. This way, we can figure out exactly what your book needs.

I work only with authors I feel I can best help, so please first tell me a little bit about your novel and your goals. I aim to get back to you within a week.

Request an assessment

Services