Annie Murphy

Annie Murphy – Editor

Publishing professional with 9+ years experience specialized in adult suspense, thrillers, upmarket commercial and literary fiction.

Overview

I'm a freelance editor based in London, and have worked in publishing ever since receiving my bachelor's degree in literature from Stockholm University in 2012. The following 5 years I spent at Bonnier Publishing, Sweden's largest publishing group, before joining Polaris Publishing in 2017. I started freelancing in 2020 and specialize in suspense, thrillers, upmarket commercial fiction, literary fiction and historical fiction. I have worked with authors such as Jeanette Winterson (in translation), Édouard Louis (in translation), Karin Smirnoff (bestselling author which I discovered in the slush pile) and Gustaf Skördeman (another slush pile find which sold to more than 15 countries before it was even published). I was responsible for editing Greta Thunberg's book Our House Is On Fire.

I also have commissioning experience, having focused on the English and French speaking markets, and throughout my career I've worked with the so called slush pile, that is sorting through manuscripts sent to publishing houses, reading and evaluating their publishing potential. I've had the pleasure of finding manuscript this way that have been nominated for different literary awards, reached the bestseller lists and sold to many different countries — you simply can't beat that feeling!

As a freelancer I mostly work with different publishing houses, but I also don't want to miss out on getting that first person look at a manuscript and helping it thrive, something I find very satisfying and rewarding. Publishing houses and agents receive thousands of manuscripts each year and the titles who make it all the way are few and far in between — but I know from experience what publishers are looking for and what catches their eye, and that is something I can help you with! I have a passion for the written word and a great eye for detail, and there's nothing I like more than discussing nit-picky nuance, character development, structure and storytelling.

I know from personal experience how valuable and important constructive criticism is, especially in the final stages before submitting a manuscript. I only take on editorial assessments in cases where I see potential and a willingness to go the extra mile, because that's what makes all the difference.

To give you an idea of what it's like working with me, to start with I always have a look at the manuscript in question before accepting a commission, so please attach your work when requesting a collaboration. Then I normally spend a few weeks reading and analyzing your work before writing my editorial assessment which you will receive as an editorial note in Microsoft Word (minimum 3 A4 pages). It of course depends on the manuscript, but I normally focus on such things as character development, structure, narrative drive and voice, plot development, and language. I dig deep and use plenty of examples to advise you on how to improve your storytelling. I always offer authors the opportunity for one follow-up consultation via email. I'm very flexible and easy to work with and a first-class reader.


Services
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Historical Fiction Mystery & Crime Thriller & Suspense
Languages
English (UK)

Work experience

Self-employed

Mar, 2020 — Present

Polaris Publishing

Jun, 2017 — Mar, 2020 (over 2 years)

Wahlström & Widstrand (Bonnier Publishing)

Aug, 2014 — May, 2017 (over 2 years)

Bonnier Publishing

Sep, 2012 — Jul, 2014 (almost 2 years)

Portfolio

Mischling

Affinity Konar

Longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award 2018It's 1944 when the twin sisters arrive at Auschwitz with their mother and grandfather. In their benighted new world, Pearl and Stasha Zagorski take refuge in their identical natures, comforting themselves with the p... read more
Geiger

Skördeman, Gustaf

My Brother

Smirnoff, Karin

The Paris Library: A Novel

Charles, Janet Skeslien

The Sight of You

Miller, Holly

Consent: A Memoir

Springora, Vanessa

The Passion

Winterson, Jeanette

History of Violence

Edouard Louis

The radical, urgent new novel from the author of The End of Eddy – a personal and powerful story of violence.I met Reda on Christmas Eve 2012, at around four in the morning. He approached me in the street, and finally I invited him up to my apartment. He told ... read more
The End of Eddy

Edouard Louis

‘A brilliant novel... courageous, necessary and deeply touching’ GuardianÉdouard Louis grew up in a village in northern France where many live below the poverty line. His bestselling debut novel about life there, The End of Eddy, has sparked debate on social i... read more
The Gap of Time

Jeanette Winterson

‘A shining delight of a novel’New York Times 'Clever and beautiful...it soars'Financial Times A baby girl is abandoned, banished from London to the storm-ravaged American city of New Bohemia. Her father has been driven mad by jealousy, her mother to exile by g... read more

Annie has 4 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

jimi A.

jimi A.

Apr, 2024

Working with Annie Murphy at Reedsy on my novel "In the Shadow of the Black Serpent" was incredibly beneficial. Her insightful review significantly enhanced the quality and depth of my manuscript.
Natalie S.

Natalie S.

Mar, 2022

Annie was easy to negotiate with during the quoting stage and she delivered the assessment on time. Her editorial assessment was extremely useful, it’s clear she has worked on a lot of manuscripts and knows specific techniques for enhancing novels. I really enjoyed getting her professional reading of my work and I feel I know how to improve it now. Thanks, Annie!
Nick W.

Nick W.

Mar, 2021

Annie is a fantastic person to work with. Her feedback is detailed, clear, and constructive. I can honestly say that I find myself to be in a better position with my manuscript because of her.
Ipsita D.

Ipsita D.

Mar, 2021

Annie’s assessment far exceeded my expectations! Her insights and suggestions instantly resonated with me and provided me with clear guidelines and a path to improving my novel. I felt very encouraged by our collaboration and grateful for how generous she was with her time in answering all my questions even after the assessment. Honestly, I can't recommend her highly enough!

Professionals similar to Annie

Get a range of offers by requesting quotes from multiple professionals.

Julianne Johnson

Julianne J.

Fiction and nonfiction editor with 5+ years experience | Working from Los Angeles | Excited to collaborate with you!

Los Angeles, CA, USA

100% reply rate

View profile
Victoria Zackheim

Victoria Z.

I edit fiction and nonfiction. Anne Perry, Caroline Leavitt, Robb Forman Dew are among my clients. I do not edit sci-fi or fantasy novels.

Oakland, CA, USA

100% reply rate

View profile
Katrina Diaz Arnold

Katrina D.

Experienced developmental and line editor, formerly of a Big Five publisher, who loves helping authors refine their work into its best self.

98% reply rate

View profile