CopyRight Editing

Are you seeking an editor for your novel/non-fiction book?

Contact me for a chat and a free one-hour sample edit!

NB: I’m currently booking edits for autumn onwards, but I’m still happy to chat or to do a sample edit for you.

NEW SERVICE: Manuscript Development Report See below for details!

What I offer:

When I’m asked to edit other authors’ books, they generally ask for a ‘bit of everything’ edit – so that’s what I do. This includes:

Comments and suggestions on structure, character development, and areas which could be strengthened, e.g. chapter endings, use of direct rather than reported speech
Full copy-editing, covering spelling, grammar, word repetition, and inconsistencies in syntax
Line editing, looking at style, word choices, redundant sentences, tone, and inconsistencies in character/plot
Proofreading as I go

What I edit:

First of all, I edit in British English only, because that’s what I speak and write.

I specialise in mystery, crime, thriller, contemporary fiction, humorous fiction and non-fiction, since I read all these and consider I have a more complete knowledge of how they work. I also read and write Victorian historical fiction, so I’d be happy to edit that too. If you’re not sure whether your book fits within my editing scope, please do contact me for a chat.

What you can expect:

As I do an all-in-one type edit, I charge a flat rate of £18 per hour.

Once you’ve contacted me, and hopefully sent me the first few thousand words of your manuscript via email, I will do a 1-hour sample edit within the next few days. This will be done electronically in Word or Pages using Track Changes, so that you can see exactly what I’ve done and choose whether to accept or reject my amendments. I will also, on the basis of that hour’s work, provide an estimate of how many hours’ work it would take me to edit the whole manuscript, and the total cost.

If you decide to proceed with the edit, we’ll agree timescales and payment terms at that point. I only edit one book at a time so that I can focus on it properly, so my availability may depend on what else I have booked in. However, I would expect to turn a 80,000-word book around in 2-3 weeks. If you need an edit doing ASAP, I may be able to accommodate you. However, this will incur an additional charge.

NEW SERVICE: Manuscript Development Report

This service is aimed at newer authors, or those moving to a new genre. I’m offering it now because I’ve been asked for it by existing clients and it has worked well.

What does a Manuscript Development Report involve, and why might I want one?

Essentially, it’s a high-level edit which focuses on the big stuff: the structure and the pacing of the book, your plot and any holes in it, your characters’ development and their arcs through the story, any continuity issues, and whether your book meets the expectations of its genre. I’ll also suggest ways to strengthen how you write, such as handling dialogue, dealing with repetition, or building and maintaining tension. Basically, the report is intended to help you develop and improve your manuscript.

I’ll read your book (or part thereof), and then write you a report highlighting any issues, giving examples, and offering suggestions for improvement. As with a full edit, I charge a flat rate of £17 per hour (rising to £18 from April 2022). If you’re wondering what that means in practice, in February 2022 I read a partial manuscript of 32,000 words and wrote a 1,500-word high-level report on it, including recommendations, which in total took me slightly under 4 hours. NB: I can’t guarantee I’ll always be that quick – it depends how much you give me to read!

You may find a Manuscript Development Report useful if you’re a newer writer, or if you’re moving into a genre which is new to you. Perhaps you’ve become stuck part-way through your book, and you’re not quite sure how to proceed, or you know the book needs to be different but you aren’t sure how. The purpose of this report is to give you guidance and suggestions, so that you can return to your book with fresh eyes and improve the key elements – structure, pacing, plot and characters – before worrying about whether your commas are in the right place!

If you’d like to discuss whether this service is right for you, please contact me.

Why choose me to edit your book?

I’m very clear about what I do and don’t edit. I won’t take on an editing assignment outside my skillset, so if I do a sample edit for you and I don’t think I’m the right fit, I’ll be honest about it.
While I’m a nice person (of course), I’m also picky. I’m the sort of person who notices errors in traditionally published books. I WILL pick up typos, wrong words, anachronisms, clunky sentences, and inconsistencies.
I have gained experience not just through editing my own fiction, but also during my former career in the corporate side of the NHS. I was *that* person who proofed documents, double-checked newsletters, rewrote reports to get the main points into half the space…and now you can benefit from that!
As of January 2021, I’ve written and published fourteen novels and co-written six more, as well as novellas, novelettes, and short stories. I also read widely and have a degree in English Language and Literature and a master’s degree in Victorian Literature. I know about books!

Testimonials:

A really enjoyable process where Liz was encouraging (but not soft) and where my manuscript was made considerably less flabby through her judicious editing. It really helps to have someone who’s just not wedded to the novel like you are. Highly recommend.

– Sara Sartagne

Thorough, affordable, and great at catching historical details. So pleased I found this editor!

– Romy Kennedy

Liz did a fantastic job of editing my first novel, with plenty of insightful and helpful comments, including spotting a couple of continuity errors that were missed by every beta reader. The final cost was under the amount Liz originally quoted and she kept me informed of her progress throughout the process. I would happily use her services again and would highly recommend.

– Scott Englefield

Liz is a fantastic editor who was communicative, kept me up to date with her progress and did a fantastic job. I can’t recommend her enough.

– Julia Roebuck

I asked Liz to help me overhaul my entire Gaslamp Fantasy series. She has worked absolute wonders with my writing…I very much believe that her suggestions have encouraged me to be a better writer. I will most definitely be using her services again for book four.

– Rhen Garland

I worked with Liz on my first novel, and this was the first time I worked with an editor. I found her to be professional and friendly, and was extremely pleased with the editing work she did on my book. I would highly recommend her and plan to work with her again in the future. I also very much appreciated her encouragement and support, and she made what felt like quite a daunting process easy to navigate and left me feeling much more confident about my future as a writer.

– CP White

Liz is incredibly thorough and really helped me pick up on anything I had missed (especially continuity issues). I managed to get the work back much earlier than expected and was thrilled with the results. What I liked most is that Liz kept me updated throughout the entire process, so I always knew how things were progressing. A fantastic 5 star service! Highly recommend!

– Sim Sansford

Everything! Liz is not only friendly and approachable but kept me updated throughout the process. The edits she suggested enhanced my writing considerably.

– Eleanor Ball

I cannot recommend Liz enough. She is friendly, approachable and has helped my writing enormously, as well as giving me solid general advice about publishing as a whole. If you are looking for a new editor, then Copyright Editing is the place you should bring your work.

– Robert Needham

I would not hesitate to recommend Liz’s services. Following a sample edit, I had every confidence in her abilities, and I was delighted with the end result. As well as picking up grammatical and punctuation errors, Liz made many helpful suggestions and identified areas that simply didn’t make sense! Prompt, professional and good-humoured, I’m thrilled to call her my editor and look forward to working with Liz again.

– Audrey Cowie

Liz edited two of my books to a really high standard. She made useful, constructive observations and suggestions at a highly competitive price. I highly recommend her work.

– Paula Harmon

Many thanks to Liz Hedgecock for the professional and speedy edit which she did for me on my latest book.
Her ideas were excellent and have made the finished work polished and a more commercial product.
The edits were easy to see and correct. Very pleased with the service I had and would use her as an editor again in a heartbeat.

– Carol Bissett

Liz writes and edits to the highest standard of English of anyone I know, and I say this as someone who’s massively fussy. She knows fiction writing and she is, as she says, very approachable. Highly recommended.

Liz Hedgecock