Editing
 Editing manuscripts

My principal full-time work is editing books. I have looked after well over a thousand manuscripts, from memoirs, biographies, family histories and how-to-do-it guides to fiction and poetry. I’ll start by assessing your MS and advising you what work it needs, either by you as author or myself as editor (if you'd like a more detailed formal assessment before any editing, I can provide this for a modest fee). You may want to turn a rough draft into a polished manuscript, or perhaps just have a finished MS carefully checked for errors - the fee will depend on the length of the MS and the amount and type of work involved. 

Does your book really need a professional editor? 

Authors sometimes tell me they have a friend or relative who is good at English and is willing to check through their manuscript for them, so they don't need an editor. However, there is an enormous difference between the  work of a professional editor and that of someone who is just good at English, particularly if they are simply going through your manuscript as a favour. I sometimes have to break the news to an author that a book which has been 'edited' by the author's graduate daughter/author neighbour/schoolteacher friend etc still contains many hard errors and is not publishable as it stands. In fact I very rarely receive an MS which is ready to go to press, unless it has already been professionally edited (and sometimes not even then - not all those who trade as editors are properly skilled). A book that contains obvious errors of grammar, syntax, sentence construction etc runs the risk of getting picked on by amateur ‘reviewers’ or rival authors who are eager to find fault. This will do neither your reputation nor mine any good.  


Books with obvious mistakes reflect poorly on the author as well as the editor and publisher. Editing isn’t so critical if the book is for family and friends only, but it should still at least be checked for hard errors. 

The editing process

I will edit your manuscript by correcting and improving the text with attention to grammar, syntax, sentence structure, use of tenses, spelling, punctuation, spacing, choice of vocabulary, handling of direct speech etc and addressing any problems with narrative order, flow, repetition or redundancy, missing detail, contradiction or exposition (how the story is told and information is given). I will also (after checking) correct any apparent factual errors, such as the spellings of place names and geographical, historical or technical details. 

I will not make substantial cuts (except to obviously redundant or repetitive passages) without your agreement. I may suggest any additions which would benefit your book, such as an introduction, acknowledgements, dedication, bibliography etc. I will advise you if any passages appear defamatory or otherwise inadvisable. 

Fiction

I will edit a work of fiction by improving the text as above and making suggestions about other issues, such as narrative inconsistencies or plot  devices that do not work well or are not credible, missing description or inadequate characterisation. If there are more fundamental issues, eg with the story or characters, which may need further work by yourself before the MS can be finalised, I will advise you on this.

  
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