Anna Bowles – Editor

During my decade of experience as an in-house editor, I worked on top children's commercial fiction series such as Rainbow Magic and Beast Quest, becoming a commissioning editor at Hachette before going freelance in early 2015. Since then, as well as taking on individual clients, I have continued to copy-edit for Hachette, Penguin and HarperCollins amongst others, working on high-profile authors such as David Walliams, Babette Cole and Holly Smale. I've also been involved in the fiction publishing side of dozens of brands, from Winnie-the-Pooh to Wallace and Gromit, meaning that I can offer clients the benefit of my extensive experience in developing and working with characters.

I'm a published writer as well as an editor, and my first YA novel, Rapids, has been longlisted for the 2022 Branford Boase award. I've also ghostwritten for the Secret Kingdom and Agent Asha series. So I know what it's like on your side of the desk (or computer) as well as mine!

My fees for work on YA and Middle Grade manuscripts are variable. For any manuscript under 2,000 words I can offer an editorial assessment report covering plot, characterisation, language and market context for a flat fee of £160.

I have connections with Ukraine, and send 20% of my after-tax Reedsy earnings to a friend from Mariupol who looks after displaced teenagers now in Kyiv.

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Some recent testimonials from my Reedsy clients (see the reviews section for more):

Anna's keen eye for story structure and detail combined with her killer work ethic and human touch makes for a great editorial experience. I really feel I'm getting top-notch industry advice on my manuscripts when working with her. I couldn't recommend her more highly!
– Mez Blume, author of the Katie Watson series

Anna's insight into what publishers and readers are looking for, and also what makes a great story, is a powerful combination. Her ability to marry these priorities and make suggestions that may lead to improvements in both these areas would be a valuable asset to any writer, but was especially enlightening for an unpublished writer like myself. I cannot recommend Anna highly enough, she is like antivirus software for your manuscript.
– Tim Cove, author of the Riftgate series

I gained more in one Developmental Edit from Anna, than I have from many a Creative Writing course. Anna is straight to the point and very insightful. I wish I had paid for a service such as this years ago. This is the missing link for many writers who are yet to be published and looking for clear feedback on their work.
– Emma McGuire, pre-published Middle Grade author