Graham Southorn - Editor

I help authors publish books to boost their businesses and cement their authority as thought leaders. In 2020, a title I edited for US author Christina D Warner, The Art of Healthcare Innovation, won a gold medal at the Axiom Business Book Awards.

I love to work with authors of business, technology or science titles. I provide a comprehensive range of editing services, from copyediting and proofreading to editorial assessment and developmental editing (author coaching). Here is a guide to my services and what they include:

📕 COPYEDITING

When you have a finished manuscript, you'll want to get it copyedited before publication. I will correct spelling and grammatical mistakes, improve readability by tweaking sentences, and implement a "style guide" to ensure that terms are written consistently throughout. I may rewrite small sections, though I prefer to keep the author's voice intact as far as possible. If there's anything I don't understand, or which I think could be made clearer, I will add a comment in that part of the manuscript. If there are bigger queries, I make a list and send them separately by email.

📘 PROOFREADING

Once your manuscript has been through the copyediting stage, you should get a final proofread before you publish it. It's true that you could save money and ask a family member to do this. But do they know what to look out for, what can easily be missed, and how to check words and numbers against a style guide? If your book is published with mistakes, it won't do much good for your reputation, or that of your business. In the past, as a magazine editor, I was legally responsible for everything we published. Not surprisingly, I developed a key proofreader's eye. I had plenty of practice, proofreading hundreds of issues over the years. Today, I proofread digital publications alongside book editing.

📗 EDITORIAL ASSESSMENT

An editorial assessment is a report on your finished manuscript. It is a service for authors who have finished their books but aren't completely confident about publishing them in their current state. They want a second opinion; someone to look at it with fresh eyes. Perhaps you have concerns about your writing style or whether your book will appeal to its target readership. For a fixed fee based on the number of words, I'll provide objective feedback.

Quite often, I find that authors are modest. They've written a really good book, one that with a few improvements could be great. I'm a firm believer in constructive feedback. If there are any shortcomings, I will give you practical ideas on how to fix them. I'll keep the report short – typically 4-5 pages long – because I believe that waffle serves nobody. Plus, that way I can keep the costs down for you.

New for 2022: Report now includes Amazon Kindle category and keyword data from Publisher Rocket, professional software for ebook marketing.

📙 DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING

If you haven't properly started writing your book yet, or you've written just a few chapters, developmental editing is worthwhile if you have the budget for it. I can help you pin down your book's title, target readership, and tone of voice. I'll get busy with the nuts and bolts: structure, the ordering of chapters, pacing, and the choice of a suitable style guide. And I'll advise on your book's underlying message―its thesis, or the problem its solves for readers. This type of editing is more of a coaching program. Tailored to your individual requirements, it includes regular video meetings, email support, and feedback at each stage of your manuscript's development. This is the most expensive form of editing because it's the most time-consuming.

New for 2022: Report now includes Amazon Kindle category and keyword data from Publisher Rocket, professional software for ebook marketing.

❓FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ❓

💵 HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?

Every book is different and so every offer is bespoke. When I send you a quote, I consider two things:

1. Length (number of words)
The longer the book, the longer it will take me to read, copyedit or proofread, which increases the price.

2. Complexity (of topic and writing style)
Very technical subjects take longer to edit. That said, I've worked on books covering topics as complex as climate change, AI and software development, so it may not affect the price too much.

To get a rough guide to the AVERAGE price charged by ALL editors on Reedsy, read the blog article "How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book in 2022?": https://blog.reedsy.com/cost-to-self-publish-a-book/

🕑 WHEN CAN YOU START ON MY BOOK?

It depends on my pipeline. I'll always have a book I'm working on right now, which could take me between one and three weeks to finish. I welcome new clients and I'll always be realistic about the start date, which I will state in my offer.

👍 WHAT SUBJECTS DO YOU WORK ON?

Business in the broadest sense. That is, any book written by a business owner or consultant. You only have to browse the Business & Money section of the Amazon Kindle store to see how wide this is. Thanks to my experience in publishing, I am very comfortable editing technology and science-related books. As far as science books go, I don't help authors with “revolutionary” scientific theories. If you think you've disproved Einstein's theory of relativity, I'm afraid you're wrong!

👨 ABOUT ME

I'm Graham Southorn and your book is in safe hands with me. I've worked with words for over 25 years. Prior to working with authors, I edited market-leading business-to-business and consumer magazines. They included the B2B publication South West Business Insider and the popular science magazines BBC Focus and BBC Sky at Night.

As for my formal qualifications, a long time ago I gained a postgraduate diploma in journalism from Cardiff University. And an even longer time ago, I gained a Bachelor of Science degree in physics.

I live in Bristol in the South West of the UK. If you haven't heard of Bristol, you'll probably know the nearby historic city of Bath and not-too-far-away prehistoric monument of Stonehenge. I love walking around these historic places with my wife on weekends. I share some photos on Instagram but only occasionally because I don't much enjoy social media. I prefer books (and real life).

Since I joined Reedsy, I've enjoyed working with authors all over the world, including the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Finland, Singapore and Brazil among others.

I feel blessed that I am able to sustain a career as an independent business book editor, thanks to Reedsy, and I look forward to helping you with your manuscript. Message me today to take another step towards achieving your author goals.