Full book edit

***NB: I’m currently booked up for full edits until October 2023***

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 (NB: you will still need to either read through your MS once you’ve made changes, or ask someone else to do so!)

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. NB: This will rise to £19 per hour from April 1, 2023. However, if you book before that date for an edit during 2023, I’ll do it at my current price.

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.