Donna Hillyer – Editor

I'm a fiction and non-fiction editor with over 20 years' experience, having climbed the ranks from editorial assistant to editorial director/company board member, before moving to freelance work in 2015.

I’ve commissioned and grown authors (both mainstream and genre) to bestselling and award-winning status, and I now work in various capacities with publishing companies, literary agents, private authors and writers'/literary festivals. Publishing clients include: Bazar Kustannus (Finland), Bookouture; Elliot & Thompson; Hachette Ireland; HarperCollins; Harpeth Road Press (US); Little, Brown; Orion; Pan Macmillan; Penguin Random House; Reedsy; Summersdale; Transworld and Whitefox.

I work on fiction and non-fiction, across all editorial areas, e.g. >

- query letter review and advice

- manuscript assessments

- structural/developmental edits

- line-editing

- copy-editing

- proofreading

Do get in touch about your project; I'd love to hear from you.

**To maintain the highest standards of authentic voice and intellectual integrity, I work exclusively on content written entirely by human authors. I do not accept AI-generated submissions.**

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My Generative AI Policy

I am committed to preserving and polishing the unique voice of human creators. Because generative AI lacks authentic lived experience and often introduces factual, stylistic, and copyright complexities, I do not accept manuscripts, articles, or copy generated by AI tools.

My services are designed to collaborate with human authors to elevate your original writing. If you have questions about whether your draft meets these guidelines, please feel free to reach out before submitting your project.

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My Commitment to Human Editing

Your manuscript is 100% human-crafted; it deserves a 100% human-edited response.

>> No Generative AI: I do not use generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Claude, or LLM-based rewriters) to rewrite, generate, or alter your prose.

>> Standard Tools: I use traditional editorial software, style guides, and my own industry training and experience, intuition, critical thinking, and empathy.

>> Confidentiality: Your work is never uploaded to public or third-party AI training sets, keeping your intellectual property safe and secure.