Romance, Science Fiction and Fantasy Fiction Editing for Independent Authors
“Manda is the professional fiction editor you want by your side.”
Bring your novel to life with a human editor
Do you want to publish with confidence? I’m Manda, and I’m here to help you turn your manuscript into a published book you can be proud of. If you book my editing services you will be working directly with me, one-to-one. I can promise you a human touch at all times, free from subcontractors, agencies and AI.
Professional expertise
I have over 30 years’ editing experience, and I am an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading. I am trained to help you see the issues preventing your manuscript from reaching its full potential, and I will provide clear guidance to strengthen it – all while preserving your unique voice.
Genre specialist
You’ve written a fantasy, romance, or science fiction novel. I am a specialist editor in these genres, and you can be confident I know the tips and tricks to make your novel shine.
Make your words flow
I edit on a sentence level, reading and considering every single word. Your words will flow, your meaning will be clear, and nothing will stand in the way of your readers’ enjoyment.
Friendly, cheerful, kind editing
If you have concerns about handing over your manuscript, please don’t worry. I can promise you a friendly, non-judgemental, safe pair of hands
“Manda made my words flow like hot chocolate.”
“Manda’s work is superb. She is fast, thorough, communicative and professional.”
Genre specialisms: Romance, Fantasy, Romantasy, Science Fiction,
Young Adult, Middle Grade
My Editing Philosophy:
A good edit doesn’t rewrite your book. It strengthens what is already there. My role is to identify what’s working, diagnose what’s holding the story back, and help you create the strongest version of your novel while preserving your voice.
There is no judgement and I believe in being kind at all times.
This process is about building your confidence and building your strength as a writer.
AI Policy:
I do not use generative AI when I edit a book (because I’m the Human Editor).
I DO use other software (including MS Word tools, macros, PerfectIt) to maximise my efficiency.
If you have used AI to help you write your book, that’s fine – please just let me know how you’ve used it.
If you need an editor, Manda is your secret weapon.It’s simple. Hire Manda. I wouldn’t use anyone else. |
MW
Line-Editing
Sentence-level editing is recommended for all manuscripts. I combine mechanical copyediting (grammar, punctuation, spelling) with stylistic line-editing (tone, flow, readability) to enhance your prose while preserving your style and your voice.
Combining the two types of editing into one editorial pass keeps the costs down and is particularly good for indie authors and self-publishers.
Price: £20-£23/1,000 words*
* these prices are for full-length manuscripts (please contact me to discuss prices for short stories and children's books)
MW
10,000 Word Edit
For an even more more budget-conscious service, you can choose to have just the first 10,000 words of your manuscript edited at sentence level.
This editing works in exactly the same way as a full-length edit, and gives you insight and suggestions that you can apply to the rest of your novel if you so wish. It also provides a beautifully clean extract in preparation for agent submission.
Price: £400
MW
Proofreading
Once your manuscript has been professionally edited, proofreading catches last-minute errors.
This is the final (final!) step before you hit the publishing button, and ensures your manuscript is as clean as possible for your readers.
Please note that I do not proofread manuscripts that have not yet been professionally edited.
Price: £13-£16/1,000 words*
* these prices are for full-length manuscripts (please contact me to discuss prices for short stories and children's books)
MW
Manuscript Critique
Also known as developmental editing, substantive editing and structural editing, a manuscript critique reviews the big picture elements - plot, pace, structure, conflict, characterisation, point of view, tension, head-hopping, tentative language, filter words and voice.
Plot. Pace. Structure. Conflict. Tension. Voice.
As part of a manuscript critique, I do not make changes to your text - instead, I'll give you feedback during a 40-minute chat (on Zoom), after which I'll send a written report to support our discussion.
Price for full-length manuscripts up to 80,000 words: £1350
(for manuscripts over 80,000 words, there will be an additional charge of £10 per 1,000 words over 80,000)
Take a look at my most recent blog post:
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So what is developmental editing? The terminology used in editing a novel can be really (really) confusing. Ultimately what matters is what support YOUR manuscript needs, and what type of editing will benefit YOU most. It doesn’t really matter what the editing is called. But when you are… read more
MW
Unsure what type of editing you need?
It's not always easy for an author to know which type of editing will be best for their manuscript and their writing.
The huge majority of manuscripts which land on my desk need sentence-level editing (see under "line-editing" above). However, structural editing isn't always necessary, and sometimes it's difficult for an author to pick which level of editing will give them the most bang for their buck.
With this in mind, I offer a read-through service for a fixed fee of £300.
After reading your entire manuscript, I will let you know which level of editing will be of most benefit for you and your manuscript.
If there is one particular area of your book that you aren't sure about (for example, do the characters feel real, are there any plot holes, was I invested) then I will also feed back on this one area too.
All feedback will be in writing, via email.
