Catherine Coe – Editor

I'm a specialist children's and YA editor with over 15 years' experience. My clients range from the Big 5 publishers and top literary agencies to small presses and indie authors. I've worked on many bestselling, award-winning books – both as a freelancer and in-house – and have an in-depth knowledge of the market and what appeals to readers.

I want to help you on your journey to publication in whatever way suits you best, be that an editorial assessment, a development edit or a long-term mentorship. I offer a full range of editorial services and always tailor them to each client. If you're not sure which service is right for you, I can help you to figure that out.

As well as being passionate about working with you to get the most from your manuscript, I also want to help demystify the publishing process. I'm very happy to include advice about navigating the industry as part of my service to you, e.g. submission tips and agent recommendations.

I specialise in young fiction (5–8), middle grade (9–12) and young adult (13+). I have commissioned and edited bestselling series including Rainbow Magic, Beast Quest and The World of Norm, and the NYT bestsellers The Last Dragon Chronicles and The Gallagher Girls. Books I've worked on have won a raft of awards, from the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award to the Carnegie Medal.

I'm also an author of young fiction (published by Scholastic, Hachette and HarperCollins), so I understand what it's like to be on the other side of the writer–editor relationship. I provide honest, constructive feedback with a sensitive but direct approach.

"I cannot thank you enough for this brilliantly helpful report. I must tell you – I’ve received editorial reports for other projects from other places over the years and I’ve never received back anything as insightful and helpful as your report. It’s amazing how you've nailed all the issues so precisely. What I particularly appreciate is that you’ve not only highlighted the problem areas but you’ve actually given me suggestions on how I can improve them. It’s just so extraordinarily helpful!"