Editorial Services
How can I help you?
There are a lot of different types of editing, and the distinctions between them aren’t always clear. I use the following categories:
Editorial Assessment
If you’ve finished an early draft and want to know where to go from here, editorial assessment may be the best option. I’ll write a detailed report looking at big-picture issues like plot, characterisation and the suitability of language for your target readership. I can also advise on what agents and publishers are (and aren’t!) looking for in different genres and age categories.
Developmental Editing
This option includes a shorter version of the editorial assessment report, plus a complete paragraph-by-paragraph mark-up of your manuscript, homing in on issues such as pacing and character development. It’s suitable for authors who have a fairly polished draft of their novel but want expert input before undertaking further substantial revisions with an eye to preparing the book for submission to an agent, or for self-publishing.
Copy Editing
Copy editing fine-tunes your prose, fixing grammatical errors, cutting out waffle and making sure that Emily doesn’t have brown eyes on page 10 and blue eyes on page 100. As a freelancer for HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Bonnier and others, I’ve copy-edited some of the biggest names in YA and Middle Grade fiction, such as Alice Oseman, David Walliams, Holly Smale and Robert Muchamore.
You can either contact me direct, or find me on Reedsy. My trademark approach is a combination of no-nonsense honesty and constructive suggestions. One client described me as “antivirus software for your manuscript”.
Wondering who your target readership actually is? Age-appropriateness is the number one issue on any editor or agent’s mind when they’re assessing submissions. As a children’s author, you need to make sure your book is tailored to its market. To help with this, I’ve written a short, free course.
Testimonials
“Anna’s developmental edit was a writing masterclass for me and the book has come a long way over these two years thanks to her. I’m really proud of how it turned out, and thrilled it’s already received lots of positive reviews both on Netgalley/goodreads and from booktubers and trade reviews…. Thank you again so much for helping make my dream come true.”
– Nathalie Laine
“If you have a project that you’ve been working on, but haven’t been able to spot the plot pitfalls or weakness in your character development then you need Anna. Don’t spend another month rewriting and driving yourself mad. Spend the money, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. I have been writing my novel for five years and been to numerous conferences and belong to a writing group of course, but I never had this level of constructive criticism before.”
– Aimee DiPasqua
“Anna let no plot holes, character flaws, incorrect tone, or anything else escape her notice. She grounded her comments in helpful comparisons with other books in the genre, and her insights were well-worded, thoughtful, and extremely detailed. I have used several other editors in the past, but Anna’s insight, genre experience, meticulous work ethic, intelligence, and clarity of her comments put her in a league of her own.”
– Tyler Pike
“As a traditionally published author, albeit a long time ago, I was looking for an editor who knew the children’s genre and market. I found the report highly informative. Anna assessed my style and needs immediately… The report was so succinct that I haven’t stopped editing since then. It was exactly what I needed at this final draft stage.”
– Deborah Jackson
“I gained more in one Developmental Edit from Anna, than I have from many a Creative Writing course. Anna is straight to the point and very insightful. I wish I had paid for a service such as this years ago. This is the missing link for many writers who are yet to be published and looking for clear feedback on their work. Thanks Anna!”
– Emma McGuire
“I was lucky enough to have Anna as a developmental editor for my first attempt at an MG fantasy book -she certainly doesn’t beat around the bush – she tells you upfront exactly what you need to take your manuscript to the next level – she works fast and professionally and offers extensive creative feedback on all aspects. Thanks to her input, I now have a sound foundation on which to build my rewrite. This lady knows what she is doing!”
– Alexandra King
My Work
Some of the titles I’ve worked on for indie clients:
