Hey, Stop Right Here!
Looking for a First Class Freelance Editor?
Here’s an Editor Looking for New Writers!
It feels euphoric to finish the first draft of your book. However, after the excitement fades you may realise that more work is needed before you can begin the publication process. If you want to be successful in an increasingly competitive market, you need a professional manuscript editor. I can help you. Not only with the words, but with the correct formatting for your chosen publisher or agent. My name is Helen Sewell, and I’ve been working with words for most of my life.
I am UK born and bred, with a First Class Degree in English Language and Linguistics. I’m a naturally creative person who loves words, both their technical aspects and their artistic ones. I love writing, short stories, poems, song lyrics, teaching materials and more recently a novel. My proofreading and editing service for writers has run for over seven years and previous to this I was helping people out too. I have over twenty years of experience.
Get Your Work Ready for Submission!
“Helen’s feedback on my prose was helpful and appreciated. She pointed out some of my tendencies to overdescribe, and I recognised her professionalism in giving feedback as it mirrored the kind of feedback I’d got previously from my MA tutor.”
Debbie Taggio, Shortlisted for Primadonna Writer’s Award 2020
Will you be my next customer?
Whenever a new manuscript lands in my inbox, I feel a flurry of excitement. What will it be? What can I do to help the author make the most of all their hard work? I take on most genres, from children’s and young adult fiction, to crime, romance, literary fiction, science fiction and some forms of fantasy fiction. I’ve also edited non-fiction, including self-help books and Christian literature. Just as you want to choose the right editor for your precious project, I also want to make sure that it is a good fit for my expertise, preferences and style. I will take an honest look at your manuscript and let you know if I feel I’m not the best editor for your current work.
But it’s rare that happens. And don’t worry if your writing is lopsided, with poor grammar and structure, as it’s my job to make that seamless transition between your ideas on paper and the version that grabs a reader’s or publisher’s attention! Though I’m sure all editors enjoy an easy project, I in fact, take on many projects that other editors would bypass because of the amount of work involved. I love honing or expanding ideas, streamlining manuscripts where the writers have wonderful imaginations and concepts, but just don’t have the technical ability with language.
Some of my clients have had dyslexia or other communication difficulties, and I have extensive experience in working with both native British speakers and foreign nationals, as I have trained and worked as a teacher of English as a foreign language, which requires an in-depth knowledge of grammar. So for my customers where English is not your first language, or you struggle with aspects of the English language, don’t worry, you can trust me to have an eagle eye and get your grammar spot on. I can’t wait to see your manuscript! I can guarantee I will treat your work with sensitivity and care.
Whether you want high quality correction of spelling, grammar, vocabulary and punctuation, or constructive advice on how to develop your manuscript, or even a complete chop, change and reworking, you need look no further for a highly recommended service. Your work will be honed to read better, which helps to grab the attention of your readers. I will consult carefully with you, and the edit can be as basic or far-reaching as you like.
(Pssstt! By the way, if you’re looking for academic editing, find out more by clicking here.)
Looking for a Freelance Writing Service, Including Ghostwriting?
I do both academic and non-academic writing, of a very high standard. Fiction, non-fiction and biographical. If that’s what you’re after, just send me a message from the form below!
At a glance – Prices
New! Pay in Full Up Front Packages!
5000 words of proofreading for £70
10000 words of proofreading £130
5000 words of copyediting for £92.50
10000 words of copyediting for £180
Developmental Edit (Advice only option)
10000 words for £135
50000 words for £600
Developmental Edit (full edit option)
5000 words for £120
10000 words for £280
50000 words for £1350
50% Deposit Option Prices
Here you pay only 50% up front and the rest on document completion
£15/1000 words for a proofread
£20/1000 words for a copyedit
£30/1000 words for a full in-depth (developmental style) edit (a partial rewrite/reworking of your manuscript)
£15/1000 words for developmental style feedback on your book without changes made.* This generates in-text notes as well as several pages of notes, with similar values to the beta read offer below.
All deposit option services apart from beta reading qualify for a word count discount. This means you may pay as little as £ 13.90/1000 words. See the prices and terms page for full details.
*if taking up this offer, I will offer an overall ten percent discount on any future copyedit or proofread of the same work; (this will be instead of a word count discount but equates to better savings!).
Beta Reading – £2/1000 words. Generates approx. 1 page A4 advice/feedback on your novel or manuscript per 10,000 words. (1.5 spaced, 12 pt TNR text).
First Time Author?
If it’s your first time writing something for publication, you might feel particularly nervous. Don’t worry. I am well placed to help authors get their precious work ready for publication, and have worked with many first time and indie authors. I can also offer flexible payment options to suit most budgets. Contact me today!
What my Customers are Saying
“When selecting an editor, what every aspiring author needs is an objective wordsmith to hone their narrative to perfection, to eliminate redundancy and verbosity, focus on the cadence of the story and arouse the reader’s intrigue by maintaining the tension, so that turning the page is irresistible.
A good editor knows it is not just the logic of the plot or the shrewdly observed characterisations that create the successful story, but how the fabric is woven – the ability to use the best word, to conjure immediacy, create action, stay relentlessly on ‘message’ while gradually building to a climax.
Some professional editors make the process so brutal that motivation is stifled, the creative spirit quenched. This is why I so enjoy working with Helen. She will subtly sharpen your text by suggesting slight but clever edits. The improvement will inspire you, carry you forward to tackle the more basic challenges – strengthening characterisations, clarifying the plot, refining the dénouement – with greater determination and creativity.
On the practical side, she will give you a deadline, and stick to it. Her charges are reasonable, and she will discuss her recommendations. Thank you, Helen!”
Ian Joseph – Author Mazik Spark Books
“I am hugely impressed with Helen’s work and very lucky to have stumbled across her website. I am a complete novice in the writing world and also have dyslexia. I am grateful that, not only did she do the job fantastically, she offered advice and support along the way in relation to all areas of writing, editing, submitting. I have learnt a lot. Her constructive criticism was always kind and helpful but honest. I will definitely be using Helen for further work and look forward to doing so.
I was also hugely grateful for her payment options. As a single parent working alongside writing, employing an editor seemed like a pipedream. However, with Helen’s support and payment options I was able to get my novel finished and all my hard work did not go to waste. She approached the situation with kindness and the offer of genuine help. She understood the importance of my manuscrpt and I could be confident it was in safe hands with Helen. Huge Thanks and I look forward to working with you again.”
Natalie Faye – First Time Romance Author
What areas and elements might a UK book editor look at?
Fiction book editor
For a copy edit, she’ll check your grammar, spelling, punctuation and paragraph structure, using each for maximum effect. She’ll format your dialogue also. Beyond the technical issues of grammar, punctuation, and spelling, the editor can look at the punch and flow of your document. She’ll read for pace and logic and the entertainment factor, and check for repetition of vocabulary and concepts. She may suggest better word choices for your story or genre, to grab the reader’s attention.
Non-fiction book editor:
Besides making corrections and/or suggestions for the technical elements — spelling and punctuation, data and fact queries, numbering accuracy of footnotes and index — the editor of non-fiction will help a writer organise the manuscript for greatest impact, clarity, and readability. She will check the flow and rhythms of the manuscript. She will ensure that conclusions fit well with the whole and are well presented. She’ll look for variety in vocabulary and sentence construction and make suggestions where necessary.
She’ll make sure word choices match the intended audience in terms of knowledge and age appropriateness and suitability. She may suggest sections where an anecdote or other story might be appropriate. She’ll check to see that the style matches the subject matter. She’ll look for threads that connect chapters and sections so the manuscript reads as a cohesive whole.
On the other hand, the fiction editor will root out “saidisms”, as well as excess use of modifiers and descriptors, such as adjectives or adverbs, which can stem the flow of a document.
For a more in-depth developmental style edit, she’ll look for balance in setting and dialogue, action and exposition, and use dialogue to its best effect. She may also check scene and chapter beginnings, ending hooks and transitions, making sure the reader is engaged by each. She’ll help you to “show not tell” so that the reader stays engaged, and look at your characters’ depth and motivations.
Both the fiction editor and the editor of non-fiction bring that outsider’s eye to a manuscript. They notice when and where elements don’t fit. They see that something’s missing.
As a fiction and non-fiction editor, Helen Sewell offers a bespoke service, where she will offer as much or as little of the above input as you wish.