Skip to Content

Editing

Ask the editor 10: Writing your blurb or cover copy

Writing your blurb or cover copy

It's not a pretty word, 'blurb'; it smacks of nonsense, or slightly less than entirely honest marketing. Which is unfortunate, because a blurb is a useful and necessary thing; without it, your book is at risk of being a blank text, what you might call a closed book.  Read more

Ask the editor 9: Why do I need a report?

Why do I need a report?

Writing is, in some respects, an isolated and isolating occupation; but it doesn't have to be. Feedback, particularly if it comes from an informed, professional reader, is invaluable.  Read more

Ask the Editor 7: Researching for a book

Researching for a book

One could probably write a book about researching for a book. It's a big topic and it covers a lot of different subjects and approaches. However, whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, there are some general principles that are worth paying attention to. In this article, I'll explore some basic ground rules for research.  Read more

Ask the editor 8: How I assess a manuscript

How I assess a manuscript


Assessing a manuscript for editing is a skill all of its own. Individual editors may have different routines for assessing a text but we are all aiming for the same goal; a realistic grasp of the work that's required to bring a book up to a professional finish. In this article, I'll explain how I go about assessing editing jobs, and why.  Read more

Ask the Editor 6: Writing non-fiction

Writing non-fiction

Writing a non-fiction book is a very different project to writing a novel; the motivation, purpose, style and approach are quote distinct. ‘Non-fiction', of course, covers a wide range of genres and formats; however, there are some principles that apply across the board. In this article I will explore some of the basic requirements in writing a non-fiction book.  Read more

Ask the Editor 5: Non-fiction submissions

Non-fiction submissions

Submitting a non-fiction book for publication is a broadly similar process to a fiction submission, but there are differences, and those differences are important to understand. In this article, I will look at non-fiction submissions and how they differ from their fictional counterparts.
  Read more

Ask the Editor 4: Why do I need you?

Why do I need you?

Ask the Editor: Why do I need you?  Read more

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

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

So what’s wrong with PDFs?

An editor's take on using pdfs

 

So what's wrong with PDFs?  Read more

Syndicate content