What kind of novels do you work on?

Everything! I love both literary and genre fiction, and have no restrictions on what kind of work I’ll take on. It’s worth noting that I am neither an historian nor a scientist, so if you need fact-checking for a historical or sci-fi novel, we can work together to find an appropriate expert. But in general I am delighted to work on everything from the Great American Novel to cowboys in space.

Do you have any areas of particular expertise?

My academic background is in law, and I was called to the Bar of England and Wales before heroically abandoning it for my first love: editing. So if your novel has a significant number of courtroom scenes or hinges on a complex legal argument, I am going to be bringing some actual experience to the table.

Will you edit my play/screenplay/poetry/short story?

Unfortunately, no - I just don’t have the depth of experience to be confident in those media, and I’d rather you spent your money on someone who will be able to give you the best help.

Will you edit my essay?

This one is a bit trickier. I have plenty of experience in academic writing, but as mentioned above, it’s all been in quite a specific direction - I have two law degrees, and am finishing a third. I’m more than happy to proofread essays, but I’m dangerously aware that schools and universities take a dim view of professional editors helping students, and the last thing I want is to get anyone in trouble.

Basically: if your essay is being written specifically for publication, feel free to get in contact; if your essay constitutes coursework for a qualification, I’d advise against.

Can you help me get an agent?

In the most straightforward sense, the answer is no - I don’t pass manuscripts to agents, and I have no affiliation with any agent or agency. On the other hand, having a professionally edited manuscript does strongly improve your chances of being taken on by an agent. I am also very happy to work with authors on writing their synopses and query letters to agents and publishers, and can walk first-time authors through the process of submission.

Do I need to be worried about sharing credit with you in any way?

Absolutely not. Everything we work on is your intellectual property, and my work on it is wholly yours from the moment you pay for it. Almost every published author has worked with an editor; those editors are delighted when they’re mentioned in the acknowledgements, but otherwise have no presence in the final book. I have absolutely no interest in claiming any credit for your work, because it’s yours! My work is helping you.

How quickly will you deal with my manuscript?

When I send you a quote, I will also include an estimated time of completion. If you need something done more urgently, I am usually happy to accelerate the process, but this approach does incur rush fees; there will also be some times when I am simply unable to work any faster due to existing commitments. But it’s always worth asking.

Do you work with self-published authors?

Absolutely! The self-published market is booming at the moment, and for good reason: plenty of authors who write in a niche that traditional publishers consider ‘uncommercial’ are finding that they nonetheless have droves of enthusiastic readers. Having a professionally edited manuscript is a great way for a self-published author to get some of the benefits of the traditional publishing process without losing their control over the project. If you’re intending to self-publish, do give me a heads-up - there are some changes I would recommend specifically to appeal to traditional publishers and agents, and I don’t want to waste your time!

Do you work with international clients?

I am more than happy to work with clients from anywhere in the world, as long as they write in English. Something to keep in mind is that I am based in London, in the UK - if you are in a dramatically different timezone, my working hours and yours might not sync up nicely if we need to have a consultation! But I don’t charge any extra for working at weird times, and I would love to receive a more diverse range of manuscripts.