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Chris Holifield

Spent whole working life in publishing; worked for eight publishers, two book club groups, a literary agency and a literary charity. Still think book publishing is about most enjoyable thing you can do – aside from running a writers’ website, of course!

Developmental editing

Our Developmental editing service

Writing is a continual learning process. The best authors develop their skills over time and constantly strive to improve. And there is a lot to learn: plotting; dialogue; action scenes and set pieces; character development; continuity and consistency; style, language and tone.  Read more

© Chris Holifield 2022-22

The Cutting Edit

Our Cutting Edit Service

So you have finished your book, but it is too long; how do you go about reducing the word count without losing important parts of your work?

We're here to help. Our experienced editors will work with you to reduce the word count of your book while preserving the main narrative elements and your individual style. This service is available for both fiction and non-fiction.  Read more

© Chris Holifield 2022-22

Copy Editing for the Children's Book Market

WritersServices offers a comprehensive range of editorial services for authors writing for the children's market. All our services guarantee a high standard of professional care, and offer competitive rates and excellent value for money.

You can find a full listing of our editorial services for the children's market here.  Read more

© Chris Holifield 2021-21

Copy editing services

Fri, 09/03/2018 - 4:01pm
Our Editing Services

Our 8 UK-based Copy editing services specialise in writers' needs, offering competitive rates and providing highly experienced professional editors.  Read more

Our Services for Writers

22 services to help you get your work ready for publication

We've been offering editing services for writers from our office in London since 2001 and have the widest and best-value range on the web. Get your work ready for publication or submission with the help of our team of skilled professional editors.

Work on your manuscript  Read more

© Chris Holifield 2017-22

Writer's Edit service

A top-level new service for writers who want line-editing as well as copy editing

The Writer's Edit is an enhanced editing package that offers you all the benefits of our expert copy editing service, plus an extra level of advice and support to help you take your writing to a new level.
  Read more

© Chris Holifield 2016-21

Diagram Prize 2004

Thu, 28/07/2016 - 9:40pm
The 2004 Diagram Prize for the Oddest Title of the Year

The prize this year goes to the quite barmy Bombproof Your Horse, which even in these troubling times would seem to be advocating taking things a bit far...  Read more

Diagram Prize 2005

Thu, 28/07/2016 - 9:40pm
The 2005 Diagram Prize for the Oddest Title of the Year

The shortlist for the 2005 prize was announced recently.  My favourite competition of the year is run by columnist Horace Bent in the Bookseller (the UK book trade weekly) with input from dedicated odd title hunters from all over the world.  Read more

Masterclass fiction - LBF 2006

Thu, 28/07/2016 - 9:39pm
A special report from the 2006 Masterclasses at the London Book Fair

In four packed sessions at the London Book Fair, the Daily Mail Masterclasses provided excellent coaching for aspiring writers. Our second report deals with writing fiction.  Read more

Masterclass children - LBF 2006

Thu, 28/07/2016 - 9:39pm
A special report from the 2006 Masterclasses at the London Book Fair

In four packed sessions at the London Book Fair, the Daily Mail Masterclasses provided excellent coaching for aspiring writers. Our third report deals with writing for children.  Read more

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'Go for broke'

30 January 2023

'Go for broke. Always try and do too much. Dispense with safety nets. Take a deep breath before you begin talking. Aim for the stars. Keep grinning. Be bloody-minded. Argue with the world.  Read more

'By the time I am nearing the end of a story, the first part will have been reread and altered and corrected at least one hundred and fifty times. I am suspicious of both facility and speed. Good writing is essentially rewriting. I am positive of this.'

— Roald Dahl

Worldbuilding 5: culture

Mon, 30/01/2023 - 6:28pm
Culture

Culture is a slippery concept; it's one of those terms we all know the meaning of until we actually think about it. For the writer, culture can be a two-edged sword: ignore it and your story lacks depth, colour and context; focus too much on it and you risk bamboozling - or worse, boring - your reader into putting the book down.  Read more

Primadonna Prize

Information

Closing date: 
13 March 2023
Entry: 
Unpublished authors 18 years old or over resident in the UK. Entry fee £8
Prize: 
Book contract with HQ with advance of £7,500 and agent representation

The Primadonna Prize for unsigned and un-agented authors will, for the first time, offer the winner a book contract with HQ with an advance of £7,500 for world English rights.  Read more

16 January 2023 - What's new

January 2023
  • ‘It's a big part of the job. Being able to put yourself in their shoes is really important. I'm not a writer, but I watch a lot of author content online and I read a lot of stuff from authors. Having that perspective is really important for me to be able to give my authors context. Their emotions are important. If they're disappointed we didn't sell, so am I.
  Read more