Editorial services

BOOK EDITING SERVICES for authors

Your story deserves care – and that’s why my approach as an editor is to not only be honest, but kind. I want my edits to inspire and encourage you, not tear you down.

I’ve worked on over 200 books for publishing houses and writers in my nine-year career as an editor, including Audible, HarperCollins, Hachette, Scholastic, and Penguin Random House, and I have plenty of training and credentials. You can be sure you’re in safe hands!

My first traditionally published book, Snowed In at the Cat Café, published by Hodder, has been translated into eight languages, and the series overall has sold in numerous territories worldwide. I’ve self-published some books, too, so I understand both sides of publishing.

Any writing challenge you’ve been through, odds are, I’ve experienced it, too – from completing a first draft to fighting your way through the slush pile. I know exactly what it’s like to pour all your time, energy and love into a dream project, and to feel overwhelmed and nervous about what comes next.

This industry is hard, and that’s why every writer deserves to work with someone who is friendly, supportive and on their side.

You’ve done the hard part – writing the book. I can make the next step less daunting.

  • Rachel Rowlands - Editorial services for authors
i love to edit…

Fantasy, sci-fi, romance, YA, contemporary fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction (depending on the time period). I also copyedit general and creative non-fiction, including memoirs.

not a good fit for…

Dark/taboo romance, picture books, graphic horror, poetry, academic work, satire, illustrated books, comics, cookbooks, literary fiction, Westerns, books written or created by AI, scripts.

I work with authors from around the world!

I quote in GBP, but international payments are accepted.

Full manuscript services

Premium submission package for authors submitting writing to literary agents

Manuscript assessment

A comprehensive editorial report to help you strengthen your manuscript at a deeper level. We’ll focus on the big-picture elements, from the plot and structure to characterisation and world-building. I’ll also provide targeted advice on how to position your book for the right market. You’ll come away with a revision plan to help you carry out in-depth revisions.

  • 10–20 page editorial report filled with constructive feedback
  • Resource sheet tailored to your manuscript
  • Guide to revising your novel
  • A review of your revision plan
  • 30-minute consultation call

Authors with a completed draft who have revised as much as they can on their own and are ready for rigorous big-picture feedback and structured support for their revisions.

A quote will be provided after reviewing your total word count and a sample of your manuscript.

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not quite ready for a full manuscript assessment? try the…

Mini assessment

A short diagnostic report covering my initial editorial impressions of your manuscript, with feedback on 1–3 key areas. I’ll also comment on the overall marketability of your manuscript and offer advice on where to go from here – for example, carrying out further self-editing, rewrites, or additional targeted revisions.

  • 3–5 page editorial report covering 1–3 key areas of constructive feedback and suggested next steps
  • Email follow-up for questions

Authors with an early draft who want general editorial impressions on their story and concepts before deciding whether to revise or rewrite.

A quote will be provided after reviewing your total word count and a sample of your manuscript.

Developmental editing

An intensive, hands-on service to help you fully develop and strengthen your manuscript. Alongside an extensive written report, marginal comments will be added to your manuscript to highlight areas for improvement and what’s working well. This service zooms out to examine the major big-picture elements of your story, and also zooms in to assess plot, characterisation, world-building, and imagery and atmosphere at a scene and chapter level. This service equips you with everything you need to carry out a deeper structural edit.

  • 10–20 page editorial report filled with constructive feedback
  • Marginal comments and examples in every chapter
  • Resource sheet tailored to your manuscript
  • Guide to revising your novel
  • A review of your revision plan
  • 1-hour consultation call

Authors who are looking for a more intensive approach to developmental feedback and are ready to carry out substantial revisions.

Developmental editing works best when a manuscript is ready for deep structural revision, rather than exploratory or bare-bones drafts.

A quote will be provided after reviewing your total word count and a sample of your manuscript.

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Copy/line editing

Sentence-level edits designed to smooth and elevate your writing whilst retaining your voice. Copyediting is a detail-focused edit to catch errors, ensuring your book is accurate and consistent. Line editing is more stylistic, helping you to improve your writing craft skills.

You can choose to have a combined copy/line edit, or just one of these.

  • A fully edited and annotated manuscript, marked up with the Track Changes feature
  • An editorial report to expand on any annotations and guide you in your craft (line editing only)
  • Resource sheet tailored to your manuscript (line editing only)
  • Customised style sheet (copyedits only)
  • A review of any light changes made post-edit (copyediting only)

Copyediting is ideal for authors who are preparing to self-publish, with a focus on technical accuracy, consistency, and a final polish.

Line editing is perfect for both self-publishing authors and authors seeking traditional publication, as it’s a stylistic edit to smooth your writing.

A quote will be provided after reviewing your total word count and a sample of your manuscript.

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Submission packages

for authors seeking traditional publication

Opening chapters

Flat fee: £450 (approx $620)

I’ll assess your opening chapters (up to 10,000 words) and guide you in strengthening them for submission to literary agents. My editorial report will cover your hook, target market, plot, characters, your setting, and wider elements of writing craft – helping you shape chapters that are smooth, engaging, and compelling. We’ll focus on making sure your chapters are well-positioned to attract an agent’s attention.

  • 5–10 page editorial report with constructive, big-picture feedback, as well as advice on your target market
  • Marginal comments throughout your chapters
  • Resource sheet on where to find literary agents
  • Email follow-up for questions
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Opening chapters service for authors submitting writing to agents

Query letter editing

Flat fee: £140 (approx. $190)

I’ll provide you with professional feedback and edits on your query letter to make it more snappy and engaging, with a focus on your hook and building in a compelling, clear main plot. I’ll remove any redundancies and repetition to tighten up the letter, and fix any errors in spelling and grammar. I may also suggest changes to your author bio and provide ideas for comp titles. You’ll finish up with a polished, professionally edited letter.

  • Two rounds of editing on your query letter
  • Bio/comp suggestions if needed
  • Resource sheet on where to find literary agents
  • Email follow-up for questions
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Premium submission package

Flat fee: £499 (approx $670)

We’ll cover your complete set of submission materials so you can approach literary agents with confidence. You’ll receive feedback on your opening chapters, two rounds of query letter editing, and an edit and notes on your synopsis. Synopsis-writing is a skill many writers struggle with and is something you’ll return to throughout your writing career – I’ll guide you in shaping a clear and concise summary. You’ll be well-placed to start querying literary agents with a polished set of materials.

  • Everything in the opening chapters and query letter editing services
  • 1–3 page editorial report on your synopsis
  • Annotations on your synopsis
  • Edits on your synopsis marked up with Track Changes
  • Add an opening chapters line edit – £550 (approx. $740).
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Revise and resubmit: Image of a dry flower and a woman's hands writing in a notepad with a cup of coffee

Custom services

customised book editing services for authors

Sometimes, authors request editorial services that fall outside of my listed packages. This can include proofreading, support with an unfinished draft, feedback on an outline, or other editorial guidance. I’m more than happy to build custom services to suit you and your manuscript’s needs.

Fees vary depending on the work involved. Please do get in touch and we can chat about your requirements. I’ll let you know whether it’s something I can take on and provide a custom quote.

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FAQ

Not at all! I quote and issue invoices in British pounds, but I work with authors from across the world. Many of my clients are in the US. Any USD figures on my website are provided as a guide and may vary slightly depending on exchange rates.

Payments can be made easily by card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay – this is handled securely through my invoicing system.

No two manuscripts are the same, so for full-length book editing services, I will typically request your total word count, genre, and a short writing sample in order to provide a tailored quote. If you would like a rough idea before contacting me, my rates are informed by ranges and suggestions published by The Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), which are well-known organisations in the industry. You can view the EFA rate chart here, and the CIEP suggested minimums here.

For submission packages, I charge a flat rate as listed above. If you’d like to add extras to these services (such as another editing pass or a consultation call), an additional charge would be added.

I typically book full manuscript edits a few months in advance, so I suggest getting in touch with me as soon as possible to secure a slot. I often have room for partial manuscript services at shorter notice.

Query letters and small bespoke services can usually be taken on immediately.

Yes! I charge an admin fee of £60 (approx $80) for a 2,000-word sample edit, which is deducted from the cost of your manuscript edit if you make a booking with me afterwards.

Sadly, a small number of authors have been known to send chapters out to lots of different editors in order to get a free book edit. This is why I charge an admin fee for samples. You can read more about this on my blog.

Sample edits aren’t typically carried out for services like manuscript assessments, as a small extract isn’t enough to give a meaningful idea of the work involved. I can provide some sample comments, but these will not be representative of the depth of a full editorial assessment. If you want a more effective taster of the depth of feedback involved, I recommend my opening chapters service.

Absolutely not. I have been editing professionally for almost a decade, and I rely on my expertise, professional training, and experience to edit manuscripts. All edits, notes, and comments are carried out and written by me. I never feed my client’s work into AI systems.

When carrying out copyedits, line edits, and proofreads, I use industry-standard tools such as macros to help speed up my editing process. These are coded computer programs local to my laptop and to Microsoft Word. They do not involve AI.

Unfortunately, AI is now being integrated into many search engines and their results pages. If I’m fact-checking, I do not rely on AI answers. I always refer to more legitimate sources.

As an author myself, I’m all too aware of the issues writers are facing when it comes to AI. You should have absolute control over your writing and where it goes, and I will always treat your work with care and respect.

This will depend on your overall goals for the manuscript, your publication goals, and where you are in your writing journey.

You can refer to the following posts on my blog for more information on the different types of editing:

If you still aren’t sure, don’t worry. When you get in touch with me, we can talk about your goals and what type of editorial help you might need.

No, sorry! I only work with authors over the age of eighteen.

Please visit my resource library and blog to see if your question is answered there. Due to time constraints, I can only answer writing/publishing questions if you are an existing editing client. Thanks for understanding!

If you are a client, I am absolutely on hand to answer your questions and support you as best I can.

No, sorry! I can’t do this because it’s a conflict of interest, and it’s also against the terms and conditions of many book retailers and websites.

  • You are amazingly thorough. I love your process and your level of detail. And your enthusiasm for the story means everything. THANK YOU so, so much for levelling this manuscript up.

    k.t. aNGLEHART
    Author of The Scottish Scrolls series
    Website

  • Rachel is absolutely wonderful! I’ve learned SO much working with her. She respects your author voice and is just a nice person to work with in every aspect. Thank you, Rachel!

    ERICA EASTON
    Romance author
    Website

  • After working with her, honestly… you just feel good. She was worth every penny. I would hire her again without a doubt.

    ean s. mills
    Fantasy author
    Website

  • If you are stuck in your writing process, take the plunge and get the leg-up you need from Rachel! You will walk away with great ideas and kind words of encouragement to inspire you.

    Linley b.
    Historical fiction author

  • I was blown away by Rachel’s thoughtful and thorough work. She is simply amazing. If you are a writer in search of professional editing services, you found them. End of search.

    Wes COOK
    Supernatural thriller author
    Website
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Ready to get started?

If you’d like to work with me on your manuscript, please fill out the form below with details about your project.