Editorial services

BOOK EDITING SERVICES for authors


My editing services are designed to be constructive, sharpening your prose and your story, and giving you the confidence to submit to literary agents or self-publish. I’m best suited to working with authors who take their craft seriously, have revised their manuscript as much as they can on their own, and are ready for a professional eye.

I’ve worked on over 200 books for publishing houses and writers in my nine-year career as an editor, including Audible, HarperCollins, Hachette, Scholastic, and Penguin Random House, and I have plenty of training and credentials.

As an author myself, I also understand the unique challenges of breaking into the industry. My first traditionally published book, Snowed In at the Cat Café, published by Hodder, has been translated into eight languages, and the series overall has sold worldwide.

You’ve worked hard to write and revise your book. Let’s get it ready for the next stage in your publishing journey.

  • Rachel Rowlands - Fiction editor and author
I will edit…

Fantasy and sci-fi, romance, YA, contemporary fiction, thrillers and mysteries, women’s fiction, and some historical fiction (depending on the time period).

I won’t edit…

Dark or taboo romance, horror, picture books, poetry, satire, political or espionage thrillers, Westerns, illustrated books, comics and graphic novels, books created or generated by AI, screenplays.

I work with authors from around the world

I quote in GBP, but international payments are accepted.

Full manuscript services

Premium submission package for authors submitting writing to literary agents

Manuscript assessment

A comprehensive editorial report to guide you in developing a stronger manuscript during revisions. We’ll focus on a range of big-picture elements, from the plot and structure to characterisation and world-building, so you can map out a structured revision plan. You’ll also receive targeted advice on how to position your book for the right market.

  • 10–20 page editorial report
  • Resource sheet tailored to you and your manuscript
  • A revision guide
  • A review of your revision plan
  • 30-minute consultation call or live-text chat (optional)

Authors with a completed draft who are ready for rigorous, in-depth big-picture feedback and structured guidance for their revisions.

A quote will be provided after reviewing your total word count and a sample of your manuscript.

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Mini assessment

A short diagnostic report covering my initial editorial impressions of your manuscript, with targeted critique on 1–3 key areas. I’ll also comment on the overall marketability of your manuscript. To conclude, I’ll offer advice on where to take the manuscript next – for example, whether it’s ready for submission or publication, or if further rewrites would be useful.

  • 3–5 page editorial report covering 1–3 key areas of targeted critique and marketability
  • Email follow-up for questions (optional)

Authors with a completed draft who are looking for general editorial impressions on their manuscript before deciding what to do next.

A quote will be provided after reviewing your total word count and a sample of your manuscript.

Copy and line editing

Sentence-level edits designed to refine and elevate your writing whilst retaining your voice. Copyediting is a detail-focused edit to catch errors, ensuring your book is accurate, consistent, and ready for publishing. Line editing is more stylistic, focusing on style, flow, and pacing, improving the execution of your prose.

You can choose to have a combined copy and line edit, or choose just one of these services.

  • An edited and annotated manuscript, marked up with the Track Changes feature
  • An editorial report to expand on the edit (line editing only)
  • Customised style sheet (copyediting only)
  • A review of any light changes made post-edit (copyediting only)

Copyediting is ideal for authors who are preparing to self-publish, with a focus on technical accuracy, consistency, and a final polish before publication.

Line editing is perfect for both self-publishing authors and authors seeking traditional publication, as it’s a stylistic edit to enhance your writing.

A quote will be provided after reviewing your total word count and a sample of your manuscript.

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Submission packages

for authors seeking traditional publication

Opening chapters

Flat fee: £450 (approx $620)

I’ll read your opening chapters (up to 10,000 words) and provide commentary on how you can strengthen them for submission to literary agents. My editorial notes will cover your hook, target market, plot and structure, characters, your setting, and any other broader details – so you can develop chapters that are more compelling.

  • 5–10 page editorial report with constructive, big-picture feedback, as well as advice on your target market
  • Marginal comments throughout your chapters
  • Resource sheet on where to find literary agents
  • Email follow-up for questions (optional)
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Opening chapters service for authors submitting writing to agents

Query letter edit

Flat fee: £140 (approx. $190)

I’ll provide you with a professional critique and edits on your query letter to make it more engaging. I’ll remove any redundancies and repetition to tighten up the letter, and will fix any errors in spelling and grammar. I may also suggest changes to your author bio and provide suggestions for comp titles. You’ll finish up with a polished, professionally edited letter.

  • Two rounds of editing on your query letter
  • Bio/comp suggestions if needed
  • Resource sheet on where to find literary agents
  • Email follow-up for questions (optional)
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Premium submission package

Flat fee: £499 (approx $670)


We’ll cover your complete set of submission materials so you can submit to literary agents with confidence. You’ll receive editorial notes on your opening chapters, two rounds of query letter editing, and an edit and notes on your synopsis. Synopsis-writing is a skill authors return to throughout their careers – I’ll provide notes on how to craft this effectively.

  • Everything in the opening chapters and query letter editing services
  • 1–3 page editorial report on your synopsis
  • Annotations on your synopsis
  • Edits on your synopsis marked up with Track Changes
  • Email follow-up for questions (optional)
  • Add an opening chapters line edit – £550 (approx. $740).
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Revise and resubmit: Image of a dry flower and a woman's hands writing in a notepad with a cup of coffee

FAQ

Not at all! I quote and issue invoices in British pounds, but I work with authors from across the world. Many of my clients are in the US. Any USD figures on my website are provided as a guide and may vary slightly depending on exchange rates.

Payments can be made easily by card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay – this is handled securely through my invoicing system.

No two manuscripts are the same, so for full-length book editing services, I will typically request your total word count, genre, and a short writing sample in order to provide a tailored quote. If you would like a rough idea before contacting me, my rates are informed by ranges and suggestions published by The Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), which are well-known organisations in the industry. You can view the EFA rate chart here, and the CIEP suggested minimums here.

For submission packages, I charge a flat rate as listed above. If you’d like to add extras to these services (such as another editing pass or a consultation call), an additional charge would be added.

I typically book full manuscript edits a few months in advance, so I suggest getting in touch with me as soon as possible to secure a slot. I often have room for partial manuscript services at shorter notice.

Yes! I charge an admin fee of £60 (approx $80) for a 2,000-word sample edit, which is deducted from the cost of your manuscript edit if you make a booking with me afterwards.

Sadly, a small number of authors have been known to send chapters out to lots of different editors in order to get a free book edit. This is why I charge an admin fee for samples. You can read more about this on my blog.

Sample edits aren’t typically carried out for services like manuscript assessments, as a small extract isn’t enough to give a meaningful idea of the work involved. I can provide some sample comments, but these will not be representative of the depth of a full editorial assessment. If you want a more effective taster of the depth of feedback involved, I recommend my opening chapters service.

Absolutely not. I have been editing professionally for almost a decade, and I rely on my expertise, professional training, and experience to edit manuscripts. All edits, notes, and comments are carried out and written by me. I never feed my client’s work into AI systems.

When carrying out copyedits, line edits, and proofreads, I use industry-standard tools such as macros to help speed up my editing process. These are coded computer programs local to my laptop and to Microsoft Word. They do not involve AI.

Unfortunately, AI is now being integrated into many search engines and their results pages. If I’m fact-checking, I do not rely on AI answers. I always refer to more legitimate sources.

As an author myself, I’m all too aware of the issues writers are facing when it comes to AI. You should have absolute control over your writing and where it goes, and I will always treat your work with care and respect.

I own and run a separate editorial practice dedicated to copyediting and proofreading trade non-fiction. If you have a non-fiction project you’d like help with, please visit my sister site, Eaves Editorial, to enquire.

No, sorry! I only work with authors over the age of eighteen.

Please visit my resource library and blog to see if your question is answered there. Due to time constraints, I can only answer writing/publishing questions if you are an existing editing client. Thanks for understanding!

If you are a client, I am absolutely on hand to answer your questions and support you as best I can.

No, sorry! I can’t do this because it’s a conflict of interest, and it’s also against the terms and conditions of many book retailers and websites.

  • 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.

    k.t. aNGLEHART
    Author of The Scottish Scrolls series
    Website

  • Rachel is absolutely wonderful! I’ve learned SO much working with her. She respects your author voice and is just a nice person to work with in every aspect. Thank you, Rachel!

    ERICA EASTON
    Romance author
    Website

  • After working with her, honestly… you just feel good. She was worth every penny. I would hire her again without a doubt.

    ean s. mills
    Fantasy author
    Website

  • If you are stuck in your writing process, take the plunge and get the leg-up you need from Rachel! You will walk away with great ideas and kind words of encouragement to inspire you.

    Linley b.
    Historical fiction author

  • I was blown away by Rachel’s thoughtful and thorough work. She is simply amazing. If you are a writer in search of professional editing services, you found them. End of search.

    Wes COOK
    Supernatural thriller author
    Website
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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.

    I only work on human-authored books. Was generative AI used to draft, structure, create, or generate content for any part of your manuscript?*