Ben Way – Editor

Kind words from clients and colleagues, past and present:

I cannot stress enough how amazing Ben is with his approach to your project, his thoughtfulness and intricate interaction. He isn't just editing for grammatical sakes; he very much becomes an integral part of your work to ensure it is the best it can possibly be.

Absolute 5-star material in every sense of the phrase.

Thanks, Ben, for the outstanding work you have done, and will do in the future for me.



Ben was an absolute professional delight. Thorough, considerate patience describe Ben’s bedside manner of editing. Being my first time to use Reedsy, Ben was a pleasant asset to discover.



If only Reedsy would let me give six stars! This has been my second time working with Ben, and even though I thought he couldn’t do any better last time he’s managed to surpass my expectations once again. Ben is like an encyclopedia: he knew things about swords, architecture, and language that blew my mind. The guy’s like a never ending bag of snapple facts! For example, he knew the types of steel that were used to construct swords, the types of grips used to handle knives, where certain terms originate from (and therefore wouldn’t be applicable in my fantasy setting) and much more.

I think my absolute favorite change by Ben was on my first project with him, where a character was handcuffed and I wrote a simple “click”. Ben changed it to “click click” because, duh, handcuffs have two rings. I’ve worked security for years, and have put more people in handcuffs than I care to remember, and Ben managed to point it out. This is the level of detail we’re working with!

And let’s not forget about word flow! Ben knows just where to add and cut to make the sentences flow together like a river (and if he edited this review he’d probably make that metaphor better too!) The words really come together to create a product that’s hard to put down even for me, and I’ve read through the dang thing for editing purposes over eight times!

Ben took my manuscript and made it something I can be really proud of. I’m a self published author, but Ben’s hard work has made it read and feel like I’ve worked with a major publisher. I can not recommend Ben Way enough for all of your editing needs.


Thomas Kel
Author, Coal and a Bullet (via reedsy.com)
Easy to work with, on time, courteous and professional.


Benson Hsu
Author, Verse Aeya: Brotherhood (via reedsy.com)
Really helpful and dedicated to the editing process. Provided further review even though he was done with the two agreed revision. Fixed a lot of errors and improved sentence structure. Would definitely recommend him for copyediting.


Sid James
Author, Reticulated Pythons – A Complete Guide to Care and Husbandry (via reedsy.com)
Ben was really helpful and professional and exceeded my expectations, through my first effort at writing a book. The subject was specialist non-fiction and Ben went out of his way to research the subject and challenge some of the content.


Mike Mendes
Author, Dawn’s Early Light (via reedsy.com)
Ben is an incredible master of his craft. His attention to detail and his communication with the author is absolutely first class. He gives honest opinions; makes very crisp edits; and has a profound understanding of ensuring that manuscripts have a personality. I fully intend on working with Ben with many of my future projects. I highly recommend going with his services. You will surely not be disappointed.


Sara Bussandri
Author, The Complete Guide to Recovery
from a Broken Tibia and an Intramedullary Nail (via reedsy.com)
I don’t think I could have picked a better editor for this project. Ben was an absolute pleasure to work with. He’s extremely professional and experienced, and he definitely went above and beyond helping me and advising me with my book. I would definitely recommend Ben and hope to work with him again in the future!


Steve Bennett
Author, Primal Cure (via reedsy.com)
Ben was an ABSOLUTE DELIGHT TO WORK WITH. He was more than happy not to just make grammar changes, but also challenge some of my claims (I wrote quite a technical health book). Would 110% recommend Ben to anyone wanting honesty and open feedback that will ultimately enhance your end product.


Justin Kleinle
Author, Sol Book One: Void (via reedsy.com)
Mr Way was incredibly professional and did an excellent job. He took the time to get to know my characters, and was capable of writing dialogue that kept each individual character’s unique personality and voice in tact. He also had a crazy attention to detail, being able to recognize minor things that I would have never noticed, such as whether or not a sword needed to be pulled out of its sheath or if it was already out. Mr Way was also always punctual and never missed a deadline and went above what he needed to do for the project, helping me with my book’s blurb and continuing to help me until I was completely satisfied. I highly recommend Ben Way for all your editing needs.


Stephen Joy
Author, The Answer (via reedsy.com)
I would like to acknowledge my editor Ben Way for the time and effort he put in to make The Answer all it could be. Sometimes you find yourself at a juncture in life where you need something to happen but have no clue as to how to go about achieving it and then just the right person comes along. For me, Ben was such a person. His editing work speaks for itself – it’s immaculate. You’ll find no awkward phrasing, confusing non sequiturs, or inaccurate technical details in The Answer because in his capable hands all i’s were dotted and t’s crossed. He met and exceeded every expectation I had and a few I didn’t. His questions, comments, and suggestions helped me safely navigate the tricky passage of turning a giant pile of words into a book. From start to finish he was professional, thorough, and precise. I felt like he treated the book as if it were his own. I hope to do at least one more with him before the world catches on to what a fantastic editor he is at which point he’ll no doubt raise his rates and I won’t be able to afford him anymore. Doh!


Kate Lockhart
Author, True Tonic (via reedsy.com)
Collaborating with Ben was a true delight. He is incredibly responsive, fully addresses each question/concern, comes in before deadline and stays in contact throughout the project. My nonfiction project was full of research and footnotes, and not only did he go above and beyond with fact-checking each tiny detail, he offered up other relevant sources and formatted the extensive footnotes in Word so that I had a clean manuscript for the interior designer (who commented that she had never worked with such a clean manuscript in her life!).

Ben also has a very professional but warm and friendly demeanor that makes working with him a lot of fun. He most certainly plays the devil’s advocate, but clearly to make the work the best it can possibly be (and not to prove a point or be contrary, like some ) I felt like he really cared about and was interested in the work and I think we both came out of it with a deeper understanding of the subject matter because of our conversations.

I will seek out his services again, and highly recommend him!


Keith Walsh
Author, Protector’s Curse
I hired Ben to help me with my first novel Protector’s Curse and I have to say I couldn’t be happier with the result. A sentiment emulated by my test readers who felt Ben had streamlined the novel to expert level. A level I can only aspire to.

Being a first timer, I lacked a lot of knowledge in the processes of working with an editor and I am sure to some this would have been an issue but Ben remained patient and professional throughout. Not only extending the deadline but also taking the time to add internet links to information on anything I found confusing. He helped educate me on lots of little grammatical things that I was suffering with too.

His process of adding comments to any changes he made or areas of the story he felt could use more explanation worked brilliantly and allowed for a great back and forth rapport. Did I mention he is patient, I know I did but I wanted to add it again because I am not an easy person to work with but Ben never made me feel such. I challenged him a lot and he simply told me he wouldn’t expect anything less from a writer passionate about their work.

However once my trust in Ben grew I allowed him complete freedom over my book and he edited it perfectly. Never stealing my voice but yet managing to make the whole novel read and look better.

He was also the only editor out of the ones I queried to actually send me a sample edit based on the 3k submission the site allows, something I felt was essential for me to be able to judge if an editor is right for me yet Ben was the only one willing to make that effort.

I simply cannot heap enough praise on Ben and I would highly recommend him to any first time novelist. The experienced ones are most likely already working with him and if they are not, they should be! Thank you Ben for all your wise words, patience, guidance and expertise.

Hire him!


Peter Oxley
Author, The Demon Inside (via reedsy.com)
Really enjoyed working with Ben – I really feel that he “got” my vision and the requirements, and the manuscript is considerably improved thanks to the value he’s added. Great communication, and he went the extra mile in researching some obscure facts and slang to ensure what was written was in line with the period in which it’s written. Will definitely engage Ben again.


Jack Serong
Editor, Great Ocean Quarterly (Australia)
Ben is the duck’s nuts – very, very accurate and tough on the lazy stuff.


S.D. Gatley
Author, Swipe Right for Loneliness (via reedsy.com)
Bottom line: Working with Ben was a dream scenario, and his services were second to none. I cannot endorse his editing services highly enough.

I queried many editors to review my manuscript for a trial edit, including many major, well-known editing services. Ben’s preliminary trial edit was so obviously superior that I did not hesitate in choosing him, and that choice was confirmed at each stage of the project. He stayed on schedule, communicated frequently, provided thoughtful, meaningful feedback, delivered meticulous line-edits, and shepherded the project through to its final completion as though he had a personally vested interest. He consistently went above and beyond the call of duty, often working as editor and collaborator on many aspects beyond necessary. I have no doubt that the final product was the best version of itself possible, all thanks to Ben’s care and professionalism.

If you are looking for an editor to produce a timely product of the highest quality, look no further than Ben.


Antony Goodman
Author, Soul Storm (via reedsy.com)
Prior to working with Ben, I never wrote a book in my life. I went into the process thinking how straight forward everything would be after completing the manuscript. How wrong I was.

I can honestly say that without Ben’s tireless work and his keen eyesight and mind, I doubt the final product (though not quite completed) would have been half as good as it should have been.

I gave Ben full permission to add and subtract what he felt was needed, missing or unnecessary in the book. I actually requested, when advertising myself, for somebody to come along and brutalise and destroy my book, tell me its crap, and give it back to me to fix. Ben did neither, full of honest praise and sound advice that really helped with the unease and doubt I was feeling, while Ben was working his magic.

I implore anyone, with an idea of a book, or a completed book and in dire need of a professional editor to seek out O’Ben Way Kenobi (sorry Ben, couldn’t resist), as you will not be disappointed.

Thank you once again Ben, and as soon as I’ve saved up more money, will absolutely be coming back to you for book 2, 2.5, 3 and four!


Andrew Costello
Author, A Knight on the Ropes
Having led an interesting life and being a passionate reader for as long as I can remember I decided to write my autobiography. I did my homework and approached Ben because his work is excellent, his reviews are great and his rates are very reasonable. I don’t think I could have made a better choice. He liaised with me constantly and put his heart and soul into the job – while staying true to my voice and story he took my writing to a level I can only aspire to. I cannot recommend Ben highly enough.


Roy Bright
Author, Judas: The Relic (via reedsy.com)
I used Ben on my second novel, Judas: The Relic, for his copy editor service and I couldn’t have been happier with the results. Ben was extremely professional in every aspect of the process, from providing a sample of his services to his transparency with the pricing.

Ben’s attention to detail is second to none, and he made me rethink some areas of my work that I just would not have, if it had not been for him. His edits were exceptional and as a result, my work has benefited from it to the highest degree. I would not hesitate in recommending Ben to anyone and I will certainly be utilising his service again in the future.


Preston Eagan
Author, New Boy (via reedsy.com)
It’s easy to say that Ben Way is a great editor. He notices everything. I live an ocean away and somehow he managed to know more about the setting of my novel, which is based on a place I live close to, than I did. I am so much more confident in my work because Ben edited it. His greatest attribute as an editor is his speed. I don’t know how he makes so many edits in such little time. It’s impressive.


Charles Puccia
Author, Baseball Man (via reedsy.com)
I hired Ben for a content and copy edit. He completed both fast, too fast for me to keep up. I appreciated his attention to detail, and he queried every little fact—so annoying when he was right. Don’t you hate that!

Trust me. Ben is what I needed: patient, responsive, reliable, and a detail addict. He straightened my skewed storyline like a grammatical Jedi. Misspelled words, foreign and English? No problemo. His comments filled my Word document. I responded and he answered, and so forth and so on.

I could not be more pleased and hope to hire Ben again if he doesn’t enter an Editor’s Protection Program from dangling-participle novelists. A great guy and above board. Or is it above deck?


Mark Haddon
Producer, Discovery Education
Ben has been a superb editor for us, working on both large and small digital projects. His work has been completed to an excellent standard and his thoroughness on tasks has been a real benefit to us. He is diligent and adaptable, editing a variety of assets from digital guides to transcripts, and has used a range of different delivery methods. I would not hesitate to recommend Ben’s services to other organisations.


Lee Jackson
Author, Rasputin’s Legacy (via reedsy.com)
I am very happy to recommend Ben Way as an editor par excellence. His background speaks for itself: having been Managing Editor for Guinness World Records and having edited several NYT Best Sellers. He edited three excerpts of my most recent book and did such an outstanding job that I engaged him, and in retrospect I am very glad I did. By the time he saw it, the book had already been through two other very good editors and 15 excellent beta readers. Nevertheless, he found elements of inconsistency and story structure not previously identified and brought them to my attention in a supportive way that was easy to accept. He kept me informed of progress as he made two passes through the book, and was stickler for meeting his own self-imposed schedule – the latter factor having been very much appreciated as opposed to having waited on other editors for weeks with no information about why a delay. I am thoroughly happy with Ben, appreciated very much the professional relationship we developed, and look forward to working with him on future projects.


Craig Glenday
Editor-in-Chief, Guinness World Records
Ben is a fast, accurate editor, passionate about good copy; he has a keen eye for design and is very flexible, turning his hand to design and copywriting across the business when required. He also has a solid background in digital publishing that proved invaluable in the creation of GWR’s debut iPad app. On a personal level, he’s also fun to have around. The amount of time in my career that I’ve sat next to Ben – I’ve spent more time with him than I have my own family – is testament to how much I trust him and his abilities as an editor, and I look forward to the day when we can work together again.


Jack Serong
Editor, Great Ocean Quarterly (Australia)
Ben’s become indispensable to Great Ocean Quarterly as our readership grows. We sell our journal principally on the high standard of its writing, and accordingly it’s crucial that every word of it is accurate. Issue after issue, Ben has stepped in with fast and precise copy editing, editorial suggestions and just plain common sense observations; never too technical and never missing a beat. He works flat out until the process is complete, and has saved us repeatedly from deadline pressure with his dedication. He’s now a vital element in our editorial process.


David Ellis
Author, The Knowing (via reedsy.com)
Placing months of work in the hands of a total stranger is daunting for even the most experienced author. But one big advantage of Ben Way’s copy editing service is that he offers to do a sample edit, which is a huge help when you’re trying to choose between one editor and another. He also includes two passes of the edit in the final package, which is great for picking up things that got missed the first time through. Ben is probably not as ruthless as some editors at applying his red pen to the passive voice and other minor infelicities, but he’s hot on accuracy and will research extensively until he’s satisfied that what you’ve written isn’t errant nonsense. He even checked my Welsh and I can’t imagine many editors bothering to do that!


Robin Harvie
Digital Publisher, Aurum Publishing Group
Ben took on the proof-reading for Aurum’s eBooks just as we were launching the digital business. I was delighted with the work he did for us – he understood exactly what was needed, was efficient, bang on time with every deadline we asked of him and, most importantly, the quality of the work was top notch.


Paweł Łyczkowski
Author, Ashima: The Land of Mists (via reedsy.com)
Ben was the most responsive editor from the ones I contacted on Reedsy, which is important for me. He answered my questions extensively. To my text he added just the right amount of comments – enough to keep me busy, and not so much that I would be discouraged. He doesn’t shy away from work – he did an additional full pass over the text of his own accord, which proved to be very fruitful. Recommended.


Amanda Willett
Editor, BBC Learning
I employed Ben as a freelance copy-editor on a large digital project for the BBC, and I worked with him for more than two years. Ben was responsible for proofing and re-writing copy for an extensive website. He was exceptionally professional in his approach to getting the job done, working to very tight deadlines. He is accurate and attentive to the smallest of details and produced work to a very high standard. I would not hesitate to recommend Ben for any editorial job.


Geoff Le Pard
Author, Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle, My Father and Other Liars, Salisbury Square
Ben came my way via a blog I follow and it was serendipity. I needed an editor and Ben is marvellous. He said, ‘Send me your first chapter and I’ll show you what I can do.’ I went through it with a fine tooth comb, all 8 pages and he found 24 suggestions and errors. His standards are exceptionally high. For instance, my novel is set in the 1970s and every cultural reference he checked and rechecked; turns of phrase that might not have been used in the 1970s he checked. However, better by far for a novice to the world of Indie publishing like me, his service included a reformatting element so that when I came to publish on Kindle it was as painless as it could be. Of course, there are glitches – we had an issue with a table of contents, but he sorted it out with me, spending a lot of time to get to the bottom of it. That’s what I like: it’s not just ‘here it is, thanks’ with Ben. He sets out to do the job as perfectly as you want it. Book two? Ben, it’s yours.



On a technical note, I would add that it was almost entirely clear of any typos (and certainly clearer than a lot from major publishing houses) with no obvious formatting issues. Very important as the reader isn’t distracted from the story.

Reader review, Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle, amazon.co.uk


Rob Molloy
Director of Global TV Content and Sales, Guinness World Records
I worked with Ben for six years. He is an extremely professional editor and writer and has a great overall knowledge of the business of publishing and design. He was always the first person I would go to on his team as he is able to explain everything in very comprehendible terms and then manage and deliver what was asked in a timely and professional manner. Plus he’s got a great sense of humour! I would recommend Ben to anyone considering employing him.


Dylan Hearn
Author, Second Chance, Absent Souls, Genesis Redux
I would heartily recommend Ben to any author looking for a line or copy-editor. I was lucky enough to have Ben as copy-editor on my novel, Second Chance. Despite this being my first novel, Ben remained encouraging while still asking the probing questions every good editor should. He was patient, clearly involved in the story and only growled a little whenever I ignored his advice (which was rare). Just make sure you do your research before mentioning metalwork. He’s a real stickler for these things…


Michael Spilling
Project Editor, Amber Books
Ben has copy-edited and proof-read numerous projects for Amber Books over the last few years and I have always found him to be conscientious and accurate in everything he has done for us. His work is neat and carefully prepared and, importantly, he sticks to deadlines. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Ben.


Jane Laing
Editorial Director, Quintessence Publishing
Thanks to Ben Way for his magnificently thorough fact checking.


Katie Ford
Director of Digital Content & Marketing, Guinness World Records
I worked with Ben on the development of GWR’s app programme for iPad. Ben was renowned at the company for his attention to detail and the great pride he showed in his work, and I got to experience this first hand on this project. The fusion of technical and creative is of key importance to the success of any digital publishing programme, and Ben’s enthusiasm and drive to make this partnership and project work was second to none. I have no doubt that he will be a valuable asset to any company he joins in the future.


Sarah Uttridge
Project Editor, Amber Books
Ben has worked on a variety of proof-reading and editing projects for me and he has always provided a high standard of work. He is conscientious and thoughtful and often has to deal with moving deadlines. I find him reliable and enthusiastic and would have no hesitation in recommending him.


Mr Davies
PE teacher (1986)
Ben has mastered the art of truancy. He's probably in the library.