Why work with me?

Individual approach

Are you looking for a careful, sensitive and thorough fiction editor who will take the time to understand your needs and work with you to make your book the very best it can be?

I will take care with your words to ensure your sentences are clear, correct and consistent, and I will help you make your sentences flow so they express your intended meaning while staying true to your authorship. But, I’ll also be gently honest. Where I think things could be improved, I’ll make suggestions on how you can revise. But, that’s just it. I’ll make suggestions – they’re your words, written in your voice, your style, and I will respect that.

I will work to your requirements, whether you’re looking for a light edit, a more involved line or copyedit, or an unbiased assessment of your novel as a whole.

 

MY MANUSCRIPT WAS VERY SAFE IN HER HANDS … MUCH STRONGER PIECE OF WORK THAN BEFORE

Louise was great to work with, provided quick feedback and was easy to communicate with. I felt my manuscript was very safe in her hands and it was returned to me as a much stronger piece of work than before. Her notes and comments were very helpful and I particularly enjoyed getting a little thumbs up on sections she enjoyed!
– K LYKKEBO, FANTASY WRITER

 

A fresh perspective

You’ve written a cracking story and you’re eager to share it with the world.

But no matter how many times you’ve read your manuscript, or how many drafts you’ve painstakingly put your novel through, there may be something you’ve missed. No one can be closer to your writing than you, after all it’s been your constant companion for months, maybe even years, but when it comes to editing that can be a disadvantage.

I’ll bring a fresh perspective to your manuscript: an objective view, if you like. I’m trained and experienced in spotting those inconsistencies and errors you won’t necessarily catch. Readers don’t pick up on consistency, but they will notice inconsistency that will jar them out of your fictional world.

 

REALLY COULDN’T ASK FOR BETTER

First class edit. Clear, helpful, really couldn’t ask for better.
– A SEGAL, CRIME WRITER

 

Transparent working

My preferred working method is Track Changes in Microsoft Word. This keeps everything transparent. You’ll see every edit I’ve made in the text which you can either accept or reject, leaving you with complete editorial control of your novel.

I believe novel editing is a collaboration between author and editor. I want to help you produce the best book possible, so where I think things need clarifying or could be rephrased for better effect, I’ll make suggestions for you to consider using the Comments facility.

Once you’ve gone through the edited manuscript and accepted or rejected the edits as desired, you can return your final version to me to make any last edits as a result of my suggestions and comments.

 

FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL SERVICE … COMMENTS WERE HELPFUL

Friendly and helpful service. It was especially nice to have a bit of feedback about my writing and the appropriateness to the target market, even though this was not expected. Comments were helpful – rather than making the change – so I had the choice whether to make the suggested change.
– JR-R, MIDDLE-GRADE AUTHOR

 

Making the right decision

Choosing the right editor for you and your manuscript is a big decision. Fiction editing is subjective and every editor will take a different approach. What one editor will argue as correct usage, another may well disagree. So how can you tell if my editing style is a good fit for you?

After an initial conversation about your project and the service you’re interested in, I will ask to see a representative sample of around 2000 words. If I think I could be a good fit for your manuscript, I will conduct a short sample edit free of charge so you can make an informed choice. And it’ll help me advise which level of edit would best suit your manuscript.

I edit a variety of genres and I particularly enjoy

• fantasy (epic fantasy, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, fantasy romance, sword and sorcery)
• science fiction and adventure
• mystery (murder mystery, cosy mystery, historical mystery including medieval mystery)
• thriller and suspense

 

YOUR CLOSE EYE TO DETAIL HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY APPRECIATED

Thank you, Louise for all your help on my novel. Your close eye to detail has been thoroughly appreciated and your comments have been received positively. I am confident in your ability to see what a writer like myself can so easily miss.
– S BAILEY, THRILLER WRITER

 

 

A little bit about me

I spent a previous life in the corporate sector writing, editing and proofreading a huge range of business documents.

After taking time away from work to bring up my two children (now young adults), I worked in schools for ten years teaching student focus groups in maths, reading and English language skills. I had a wonderful time and I loved working with the children, but my passion has always been to work with words.

So, I took an in-depth proofreading course with The Publishing Training Centre and became a proud member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP). I’ve undergone a lot of training and I’m committed to keeping my skills up to date with ongoing professional development. You can read more about my training and membership here.

I’m an obsessive reader and I’ve always got a novel on the go. Some of my favourite reads of recent times include:

• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
• Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
• If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding, and
• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell.

I live in the UK with my husband, two kids, Benjy our black Labrador, and Nala the cat. When I’m not reading, I’m usually stomping around our local tracks in the Surrey North Downs or indulging in a bit of photography. And when time allows, you can often find me exploring rural France with my family.

 

EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Your manner is calm and reassuring which is exactly what I needed. After working with one editor for a long time, I was incredibly nervous about working with a new one, but you quickly put me at my ease. The attention to detail was excellent with prompt replies to my queries, and the edit/comments were pertinent and clear. I felt as if nothing was too much trouble for you. Highly recommended.
– L HARGREAVES, FANTASY ROMANCE WRITER

 

So, how can I help? Have a look at my services to see which level of editing could be best for you.