The best copy editors for hire in the United Kingdom

Sign up for free to meet top copy editors on Reedsy

Jenny 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Experienced editor of writing for children and adults (fiction, non-fiction, picture books, novelties) through all stages of editing.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Picture Books, Children's, Middle Grade, Children’s Non-Fiction, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Hot Key Books
  • Walker Books

Kelly 5 star rating

Maryport, United Kingdom

I have edited and proofread many non-fiction books for HarperCollins and Bonnier and I have also worked on memoirs for individual clients.

Genres: Health & Wellbeing, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Children’s Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Education & Reference, Poetry, Fiction, and Contemporary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Karen 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Award-winning editor & publishing consultant. Launched bestselling series like Beast Quest. Specializes in adult, YA & children's fiction.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Mystery & Crime, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
  • Working Partners
  • Walker Books
  • Scholastic

Sandy 5 star rating

Hampshire, United Kingdom

Sandy is a seasoned editor of non-fiction and fiction titles, and has been helping authors 'give birth' to their books for 20 years.

Genres: Health & Wellbeing, Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Sex & Relationships, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Parenting & Families, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Godsfield Press
  • Tigerprint Limited
  • Self-employed
  • AA Publishing

Atalanta 5 star rating

Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Editor | Proofreader | Writer (arts, humanities, education, fiction, nonfiction, corporate and nonprofit publishing and comms)

Genres: Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Classics, Fiction, Short Story, Education & Reference, Design, Business & Management, Contemporary Fiction, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Dick 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Experienced London-based editor of fiction (novels, short stories), biography, art and culture.

Genres: Mystery & Crime, Fiction, and Humor & Comedy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Waltham Forest Council

Tim 5 star rating

York, United Kingdom

Experienced editor specialising in science fiction, horror, mystery and YA – offering assessments, structural editing and copyediting.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Action & Adventure, and Psychological Thriller.

Work experience:

  • CGP
  • Pearson
  • Scholastic
  • British Fantasy Society
  • Self-employed

📞 Chat with our team

Need a hand finding the perfect professional? Our team is here to help. Get in touch for recommendations.

Katy 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

A senior commissioning editor and content developer with ten years of experience in professional, educational and trade publishing.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Political Science & Current Affairs, Philosophy, Psychology, Writing & Publishing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • Kogan Page
  • Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
  • Hodder Education
  • Routledge/ Taylor and Francis
  • Open University Press/ McGraw Hill

Tom 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Highly experienced academic and educational book editor, previously worked as Senior Book Production Editor for a leading publishing house.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, & Dentistry, Math & Science, Political Science & Current Affairs, Sociology, Education & Reference, and History.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • SAGE

Claire 5 star rating

Chelmsford, United Kingdom

Reliable and versatile proofreader and copy editor with a passion for all things Sci-Fi and Dickens.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self employed

Andrew 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Friendly, precise editor and writing coach. Lots of experience with various genres. I'm an author, too. So I know what it's like.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, and Action & Adventure.

Niamh 5 star rating

Leamington Spa, United Kingdom

Professional editor, proofreader and project manager, specialising in educational publishing.

Genres: Education & Reference and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Scholastic Ltd

Maartje 5 star rating

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Experienced and friendly non-fiction editor with a passion for bringing your research and ideas to a wide audience. **AVAILABLE AFTER JUNE

Genres: History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Writing & Publishing, Art, Biographies & Memoirs, and Nature.

Work experience:

  • Freelance
  • Cambridge University Press

Keith 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Nonfiction publisher (25 years) specializing in science; author of one nonfiction book, three scifi novels and many TV entertainment shows.

Genres: Computers & Internet, Non-Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Math & Science, Philosophy, Humanities & Social Sciences, Technology, Physics & Chemistry, Entertainment, and Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Oxford University Press
  • Addison-Wesley/Pearson Education
  • Pergamon Press
  • Self-employed
  • Penguin Press

Gareth 5 star rating

Oxford, United Kingdom

UK-based copy editor and proofreader with 15+ years’ experience, specialising in fiction and narrative non-fiction.

Genres: Computers & Internet, Non-Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Young Adult, and Entertainment.

Work experience:

  • Wiley
  • Self-employed
  • Unbound

Miranda 5 star rating

Oxford, United Kingdom

Supportive editor with a love of language and an eye for detail, with 10+ years of experience.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Parenting & Families, Nature, Literary Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Thriller & Suspense, History, and Humanities & Social Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Martin 5 star rating

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Editor with ten years experience of working on award-winning sports books such as Andrea Pirlo's autobiography, Pep Confidential & more

Genres: Sports & Outdoors, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Gaming & LitRPG, Fantasy, and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • BackPage Press
  • The Herald
  • The Sunday Times

Browse 2,000+ additional profiles

Create your free Reedsy account and begin requesting free quotes.

Hire the best copy editors in the UK

If you’ve ever fallen victim to embarrassing email typos, errors in a work document, or even mistakes in your own published writing, you already understand the importance of copy editing. Needless to say, if you’ve written an entire book, you’re going to want a copy editor to look it over before you proceed.

Of course, what a copy editor does extends far beyond the realm of basic spelling and grammatical errors. A truly effective copy editor will register the signature style and tone of your story, and note down any places where it veers away. They’ll eliminate instances of inconsistent tense, POV, and pacing, all of which can confuse the reader and distract from the narrative. But perhaps most importantly, they’ll give you — the author — peace of mind as you prepare to publish. A thorough copy edit is the literary equivalent to a yearly physical: even if nothing’s wrong, it’s still much better to know for sure.

Selecting the right “doctor” for your book is no easy task, but Reedsy can definitely help. If you’re seeking a copy editor for hire in the UK, look no further than our ranks of experienced professionals. All you have to do is sign up, and you’ll be able to view their full portfolios — even request sample edits and quotes to figure out whether they’d be a good fit. From Stephen King to Meg Wolitzer, our editors have worked with some of the best in the biz, and they’re sure to help make your book a success too.

How it works

Browse profiles, request quotes, then collaborate.

Step 1

Apply filters

Reedsy is home to thousands of professionals. Select the specific services you need and narrow your search based on your book’s genre and requirements.

Step 2

Browse

Then, browse professional profiles to find out more about their personalities and past projects.

Step 3

Request quotes

Request quotes from up to five freelancers at any time. They’ll look at your sample pages to give you a tailored quote as well as a sense of how they work.

Step 4

Collaborate

Once you agree on terms and a timeline, you’ll start collaborating using the many communication and editing tools available on Reedsy.

Work with the best editors in the industry

Sign up to request quotes from editors who shape bestsellers.