Abbie Headon – Editor

My career in publishing has covered a wide range of genres, starting with popular science at Oxford University Press, progressing on to all kinds of general non-fiction at Summersdale Publishers, and focusing on humorous fiction at Farrago Books, an imprint of Duckworth Books.

Whatever project I'm working on, I always bring my full engagement and enthusiasm, and my greatest pleasure comes from working closely with authors. My role is that of a facilitator: my suggestions are based on over 20 years of publishing experience and market knowledge, and my goal is to help every book shine, in terms of structure, consistency, accuracy and tone of voice.

As well as being an editorial professional, I am also a published author, so I understand deeply how important communication is at every stage of the publishing process, and I know how tenderly manuscripts need to be looked after!

I offer Development Editing, Proofreading, Query Letter Review, Editorial Assessment and Book Coaching. If you have any questions about my services and areas of expertise, please do drop me a line. I'd love to hear from you.

Finally, here are some testimonials from authors and companies I've worked with:

‘Abbie made the process of editing my books not just painless, but actively pleasurable. She has a terrific eye for detail, an astonishing ability to choose exactly the right words, and impeccable judgment and tact when it comes to what should stay and what should be cut. She also has a fine sense of humour and is stunningly efficient. In short, she is easily the best editor I have ever worked with.’

Beth Miller, author

‘I know I've said this before, but Abbie Headon really is terrific. I never want anyone else to be the first person to read anything I write.’

Isabel Rogers, author

‘Abbie is a joy to work with and always provides a diligent and careful proofread. She has been patient and flexible with project timings, with a very fast turnaround for urgent projects. Abbie is one of my most reliable proofreaders and I highly recommend her.’

Emily Bedford, Senior Commissioning Editor, Canelo Books

‘Abbie is simply outstanding. She has a deep understanding of every aspect of the publishing process, from her unfailing instinct for the right tone for a tweet to an iron grip of schedules and budgets. It’s incredibly rare to find someone with her breadth of skills and experience who’s also creative and commercially savvy. (She’s also one of the world’s loveliest people, which is a bonus.)’

Alison Jones, Director, Practical Inspiration Publishing

‘We are so pleased to have Abbie on Team BookMachine. She is enthusiastic about everything relating to publishing; and has a great grasp on current trends and what the readership will be interested in. A great asset to a publishing team, with many skills – and definitely one to watch!’

Laura Summers, Co-Founder, BookMachine