Professional Book and Manuscript Editing Services
Every novel reaches a point where the writer can no longer see it clearly. You've read the same chapters so many times the words have stopped meaning anything, and you genuinely don't know if it's any good.
That's the point where an editor earns their fee.
I offer book editing, developmental editing, copy editing and proofreading for novelists at every stage, whether you're preparing to approach agents, getting ready to self-publish, or simply need an honest professional read before you decide what happens next.
I am passionate about writing, but editing is my obsession. I am here as an advocate, to champion your work and believe in you. Whatever your level of experience, I will support and encourage you to become the best writer you can be.
Editorial Services
Based in the south west, with 15 years of experience as; a published author, editor and creative writing tutor, my approach goes beyond a basic edit. I work collaboratively, developing your story, characters and setting, helping you to achieve your novel writing dreams. I provide manuscript editing services, copy editing, proofreading and mentoring for writers of all genres and experience levels.
Editing is a vital step in the novel-writing process. However, spotting issues in your own manuscript can be challenging. Whether it’s line editing, structural edits or final proofreading, a fresh and experienced perspective makes all the difference.
My writing journey has given me real world perspective on the realities of the commercial publishing world and what it takes to get your book published.
My goal is to help you refine your work, enhance clarity and flow and ensure your novel is ready for submission or self-publication.
Manuscript Editing
A complete manuscript edit involves a full line edit; revising your work to eliminate errors in punctuation, phrasing, spelling, grammar etc. I also take an in-depth look at the novel's structure, readability, tone, format and overall quality to better your chances of publication.
I provide tracked changes and contextual comments/feedback throughout your MS, alongside a separate overview document that details what’s working, what can be improved and how to go about doing it. Once I have completed your edit, I provide a 1 hour free-of-charge review session to discuss my feedback and answer any questions you might have.
To give you an idea, an 80,000 word manuscript would take between 25-35 hours approx. to complete @£45 per hour.
If you have any queries or need further information please do get in touch by phone or email, via my contact page.
From: £18 per 1,000 words.
Bespoke Editing
You don’t have to have finished your novel to benefit from an edit. I can tailor the edit to meet your needs, addressing specific issues, whilst also correcting the general errors.
I am happy to edit fiction of any genre, academic text or application submissions.
Get in touch - I’m here to help
Developmental editing
Also called a structural edit, this is the deepest level of editing and the one that changes books most.
I read the whole manuscript and assess how it works as a novel: whether the structure holds, whether the pacing drags in the middle, whether your protagonist's decisions make sense, whether the ending has been earned. You'll receive a detailed editorial report setting out what's working, what isn't, and most importantly, how to fix it.
Best for: writers with a complete draft who know something isn't right but can't identify what.
From: £18 per 1,000 words.
Copy editing
Once the structure is sound, copy editing works at sentence level, tightening prose, fixing repetition, smoothing awkward rhythm and checking continuity and consistency throughout.
This is careful, line-by-line work and the aim is always to make your writing sound more like you, not less.
Best for: writers whose story is settled and who want the prose to match it.
From: £15 per 1,000 words.
Proofreading
The final check before your manuscript goes out. Spelling, punctuation, grammar, formatting and the small inconsistencies that slip through however many times you've read it.
An agent won't reject a novel for one typo. But a manuscript littered with them signals a writer who isn't ready, and that's a signal you can't afford to send.
Best for: writers who are finished and about to submit or publish.
From: £10 per 1,000 words.
Manuscript assessment
Not sure which service you need? Start here. I'll read your manuscript and give you a straight editorial report on where it stands, how close it is to being submission-ready, and what I'd recommend doing next.
Best for: writers who want an honest professional opinion before committing to a full edit.
From: £400, for manuscripts up to 50,000 words.
How it works
1
Get in touch
Tell me about your novel: genre, length, whether it's complete or a work in progress.
2
Sample edit
Send me the first 5,000 to 10,000 words and I'll edit them in full, with a detailed report, so you can see exactly how I work before committing to anything.
3
Quote and dates
A fixed price and an agreed start date. I take a 10% deposit to hold the time in my diary.
4
The edit
I work through your manuscript personally, and return it within 14 days of the agreed start date.
5
Follow-up
A free one hour video call once you've read my feedback, to talk it all through.
Submitting to agents? Who edits your book matters
If you are preparing to submit to literary agents, this is worth knowing. A number of UK agencies now state they will not accept work that has been written or edited using AI, and some extend that to your cover letter and synopsis too.
Greene & Heaton, Blake Friedmann, RCW and A.M. Heath all rule out AI-edited submissions explicitly. Eve White and Madeleine Milburn rule out AI-written material. Greene & Heaton go further and explain why, warning that such tools "can really flatten your writing" and that using them may cost you the chance of representation.
Every edit I do is my own work. No tools, no models, no shortcuts. If you are submitting to agents, that is not a nice-to-have, it is a requirement.
Prices
Every manuscript is different, so I quote each project individually after reading a sample. You'll have a fixed price and an agreed delivery date before any work begins. No surprises at the end.
As a guide:
Developmental editing, from £18 per 1,000 words
Copy editing, from £15 per 1,000 words
Proofreading, from £10 per 1,000 words
Manuscript assessment, from £400 for manuscripts up to 50,000 words
Mentoring, £75 per hour
For a typical 80,000 word novel that works out at around £1,440 for a developmental edit, £1,200 for a copy edit, or £800 for a proofread.
Clare is a brilliant editor. She instinctively ‘gets’ the essence of a piece of writing. Her observations and suggestions are astute and clever. She is really skilful at helping writers to hone their prose, tighten their storylines, develop their characters. When I began writing my novel, Clare’s intuitive understanding of my protagonist, and the advice she gave me, were key in its development and eventual publication. I will be forever grateful for her wise words and encouragement. Any writer who works with Clare has lucked out! She is hugely talented (and also lovely), and I wholeheartedly recommend her editorial services.
Elizabeth Delo - Author
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Every manuscript is different, so I quote each project individually after reading a sample. You'll have a fixed price agreed before I start.
As a guide: developmental editing from £18 per 1,000 words, copy editing from £15 per 1,000 words, and proofreading from £10 per 1,000 words. A manuscript assessment starts at £400 for manuscripts up to 50,000 words, and mentoring is £75 per hour.
For a typical 80,000 word novel, that works out at around £1,440 for a developmental edit, £1,200 for a copy edit, or £800 for a proofread. I take a 10% deposit to hold the dates in my diary.
-
Developmental editing looks at the book as a whole: structure, pacing, character, plot. It asks whether the novel works.
Copy editing works line by line: prose, rhythm, repetition, consistency. It asks whether the writing works.
Proofreading is the final check for typos, punctuation and formatting before the manuscript goes out.
They happen in that order, and there is little point proofreading a book whose structure is about to change. If you are not sure where you are, a manuscript assessment will tell you.
-
Fourteen days from the agreed start date, which is quicker than most editors can offer.
We agree a date in advance, I take a 10% deposit to hold it in the diary, and your manuscript comes back to you within two weeks. If you need it sooner, a seven day turnaround is usually possible for an additional fee.
-
Yes. Send me the first 5,000 to 10,000 words and I'll edit them in full and write you a detailed report, so you can see exactly how I work and what my feedback looks like before committing to anything. It is charged at £35 per hour and usually takes two to four hours.
There is also a free one hour video call after I send your feedback, so we can talk it through properly.
-
If you have a complete draft that you are happy with, you are ready. It doesn't need to be polished, and it doesn't need to be perfect. Most of the manuscripts I work on are messy in places, and that is precisely the point.
I think knowing what you need is the key. If the book needs a read-through to check its structure before an edit, then that's what you need. I can help at every stage, I just need to know what stage you're at, so get in touch. I am flexible and approachable, and I understand that sending your work to a stranger is a big step.
-
No. That is the one thing I will not do.
My job is to understand your voice and maintain it throughout your novel. I will push you on clarity, on pace, on whether a scene is earning its place, but the voice is yours and it stays yours.