The author/editor
Meet Rachel
My life is all about stories! I edit fiction for authors and traditional publishers. I also write fantasy and romance books.
I have a degree in English and Creative Writing, and I started out as a book editor in 2017, quickly going full-time with my freelance business. Since then, my clients have included Big 5 publishers such as Hachette, HarperCollins, and Penguin Random House. I also edit for Writers & Artists, one of the best industry platforms in the UK, run by Bloomsbury. I’ve worked on around two hundred books to date, including Amazon and New York Times bestsellers.
I’m also an author of fantasy and romance books myself. I’m represented by Thérèse Coen at Susanna Lea Associates.
I live in North West England with my husband and our two cats. When I’m not writing or editing, I’m usually playing video games, watching movies or Kdramas, or posting bookish things on Instagram.
The editorial assistants
Haru
Jesper
where i’ve been on the web
Guest posts and interviews
BBC News
interview
BBC feature in Working from home ‘has helped me make my career‘.
Pen to Published Series 4
podcast episode
Pen to Published interview on self-publishing versus traditional.
Pen to Published Series 5
podcast episode
Pen to Published interview on marketing yourself and your book.
The Publishing Post
interview
Featured in Upskilling Tips for Freelancing, talking about setting up a book editing business.
CIEP Meet the Members
interview
An interview with the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading about how I got started as an editor.
Dave Chats
interview
I discuss studying for a degree, how this helped me get into publishing, and balancing writing/editing.
editor life
Editing qualifications
Qualifications
- Copyediting 2: Headway (CIEP, 2021)
- Essential Proofreading (The Publishing Training Centre, 2018)
- Introduction to Fiction Editing (SfEP, 2017)
- Copyediting 1: Introduction (SfEP, 2017)
- Proofreading 1: Introduction (SfEP, 2017)
- BA (Hons) English and Creative Writing (2016)
Professional development
- Trauma-Informed Editing (FOLD Academy, 2022)
- Editing Memoir (Tanya Gold’s Courses for Editors, 2021)
- Comma Press virtual publishing conference (2021)
- Book Formatting Using Word Styles (Editors Canada, 2020)
- CIEP virtual annual conference (2020)
- Tolkien symposium on fantasy literature (2020)
- Inclusive Language Series (ACES, 2020)
- Editing for Young Readers (ACES, 2020)
- Sensitivity Reads: What You Need to Know (Editorial Freelancers Association, 2018)