Editorial services
for authors
My approach with my editorial services is to be kind, but honest. I’ve worked on over 200 books for publishing houses in my nine-year career as an editor, including HarperCollins, Hachette, and Penguin Random House, and I have plenty of training and credentials. My first traditionally published book, Snowed In at the Cat Café, published by Hodder, is being translated into eight languages. I’ve self-published some books, too, so I understand both sides of publishing.
Any writing challenge you’ve been through, odds are, I’ve experienced it, too – from completing a first draft to fighting your way through the slush pile. I know exactly what it’s like to pour all your time, energy and love into a dream project, and to feel overwhelmed and nervous about what comes next.
This industry is hard, and that’s why every writer deserves to work with someone who is friendly, supportive and on their side.
You’ve done the hard part – writing the book. I can make the next step less daunting.
i love to edit…
Fantasy, sci-fi, romance, YA, contemporary fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction (depending on the time period). I’m also happy to copyedit general and creative non-fiction.
not a good fit for…
Dark/taboo romance, picture books, graphic horror, poetry, academic work, satire, illustrated books, comics, cookbooks, literary fiction, Westerns, books written or created by AI, scripts.
I work with authors from around the world!
… it’s one of the perks of running my own business! I edit both US and UK English.
Full manuscript services
Manuscript assessment
A comprehensive and professional analysis, designed to help you strengthen your manuscript during revisions. The assessment focuses on the big-picture elements of your story, from the plot and structure to characterisation and world-building, with detailed notes on each element. You’ll also receive guidance on how to position your book for the right market.
Developmental editing
An intensive big-picture service with more hands-on editorial guidance. Alongside a written assessment of your book, marginal comments will be added to each chapter of your manuscript to highlight areas for improvement or adjustment throughout. This is a much deeper service, as it concentrates on the big picture but also zooms in to assess plot, characterisation, world-building, and imagery and atmosphere at a scene and chapter level.
Copy and line editing
These edits are designed to smooth and elevate your writing at a sentence level. Copyediting is a detail-focused edit to catch errors, ensuring your book is accurate and consistent. Line editing is more stylistic, helping you to improve your writing craft skills. You can choose to have a combined copy/line edit, or just one of these.
Submission packages
for authors seeking traditional publication
Opening chapters
I’ll assess your opening chapters (up to 10,000 words) and guide you in strengthening them for submission to agents. My notes will cover your hook, target market, plot, characters, your setting, and any strengths and weaknesses in relation to writing craft that you could work on. We’ll focus on making sure your chapters are compelling and that your work is well-positioned to attract an agent’s attention.
Query letter editing
I’ll provide you with detailed feedback and edits on your query letter to make it more snappy and engaging. I’ll remove redundancy and repetition, and fix any errors in spelling and grammar. I may also suggest changes to your author bio and give you ideas for comp titles. Depending on how rough your query letter is, heavier rewriting and restructuring may take place – you’ll finish up with a polished, improved letter.
Full submission package
This package covers your full set of submission materials. You benefit from both the query letter and the opening chapters services described above. In addition, I’ll take a look at your synopsis: a summary of your full novel. This is a document most authors are required to write, and will have to write again for the duration of their careers – I’ll help you develop that skill by providing in-depth feedback. With a full submission package, you’ll be well-placed to start querying agents right away.
Bespoke services
customised editorial services for authors
Sometimes, authors request editorial services that fall outside of my listed packages. This can include proofreading, outline reviews, or other editorial guidance. I’m more than happy to build custom services to suit you and your needs.
Fees vary depending on the work involved. Please do get in touch and we can chat about your requirements. I’ll let you know whether it’s something I can take on and provide a custom quote.
FAQ
Absolutely wonderful
Rachel is absolutely wonderful! Not only is she professional, thorough, and constructive, but her enthusiasm and the way she presents information with examples is helpful and informative. I’ve learned SO much working with her and look forward to working with her again on future books. She meets her deadlines and is genuinely interested in helping authors grow. She also respects your author voice and is just a nice person to work with in every aspect. Thank you, Rachel!
In capable hands
You are amazingly thorough. I love your process and your level of detail. And your enthusiasm for the story means everything. THANK YOU so, so much for levelling this manuscript up. I knew it was in capable hands. I don’t feel any anxiety around looking at these edits, and trust me that is an enormous feat.
Amazing
If you ever need an editor, Rachel is AMAZING. She’s so nice, professional, and understanding. Working with her has been great!
Worth every penny
After working with her, honestly… you just feel good. She’s genuinely interested in the work. She includes notes about what she likes and wants to know more about. These little tidbits of positivity really help when you’re up for long hours remaking your world.
Rachel was a wonderful addition to my team and in helping bring my book to life. I would recommend her, especially to new authors who need a helpful hand in cleaning up their work. She was worth every penny. I would hire her again without a doubt.
Get the leg-up you need
Rachel is an excellent editor, and I cannot recommend her services enough! With her developmental guidance, I have been able to transform my early manuscript draft into a much more powerful story. If you are stuck in your writing process, take the plunge and get the leg-up you need from Rachel! She takes her time to provide thoughtful, actionable suggestions, and you will walk away with great ideas and kind words of encouragement to inspire you.
A devoted editor
I am a new writer, and Rachel not only seemed very interested in my book, but she often communicated with me about the editing itself, which I was very new at. Rachel went over my monster of a manuscript and showed me parts that needed to be rewritten, fixed, and changed and I feel my manuscript will become better because of it. If you are a new writer, and would like a professional to go over your book, I believe Rachel is one of the most devoted to making your book the best it can be.
contact me
Ready to get started?
If you’d like to work with me on your manuscript, please fill out the form below with details about your project.
Note: I book full manuscript edits several months in advance. If you’re working to a very tight or imminent deadline, I may not be the right fit.