The best developmental editors for hire in the United Kingdom

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Lucy 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Editor with 8+ years experience developing projects for leading publishers, dedicated to guiding first-time authors.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Nature, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Sex & Relationships, Historical Fiction, Fiction, and Biographies & Memoirs.

Work experience:

  • Bloomsbury Publishing
  • The Siren Press
  • Watkins Publishing
  • Pan Macmillan

Ameesha 5 star rating

Birmingham, United Kingdom

Nonfiction coach & editor of award-winning books that make the world a better place, including business, philosophy, & personal development.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Philosophy, Humanities & Social Sciences, Psychology, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Biographies & Memoirs, Health & Wellbeing, Technology, and Computers & Internet.

Work experience:

  • Packt Publishing
  • Self-employed

Niall 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

I focus on non-fiction development editing and editorial assessment. History, economics. business, 'big ideas'. Best-selling author and PhD.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Economics, Humanities & Social Sciences, History, Philosophy, Political Science & Current Affairs, Sociology, Finance & Accounting, and Math & Science.

Work experience:

  • London School of Economics & University of Warwick
  • Freelance
  • ThinkWrite
  • Economist Intelligence Unit

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

Sarah 5 star rating

Lincoln, United Kingdom

Specialist in Romance, Crime Thrillers, YA, Paranormal, LGBTQ+ and Historical. Former Senior Editor at Bonnier with 12+ years' experience.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Historical Romance, Psychological Thriller, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Totally Entwined Group (Bonnier Publishing)

Tamsin 5 star rating

England, United Kingdom

An expert in pairing words and pictures for internationally renowned institutions, galleries and publishers

Genres: Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, History, Antiques & Collectibles, Home & Garden, Philosophy, Design, Photography, and Architecture.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • National Portrait Gallery
  • Phaidon Press

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

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Clare 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

A freelance copy-editor and proofreader specialising in cookery, craft and other lifestyle titles.

Genres: DIY & Crafts, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Home & Garden, and Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits.

Work experience:

  • Cico Books
  • New Holland Publishers
  • Clare Sayer

Donna 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Fiction and non-fiction. 20 years' publishing experience (regular clients include HarperCollins, Penguin RH, Hachette, Pan Mac)

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Thriller & Suspense, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Harlequin UK Ltd
  • Little, Brown
  • 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

Julie 5 star rating

Reading, United Kingdom

I am an editor with over fifteen years’ experience working for three major houses across a broad spectrum of commercial fiction titles.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Pan Macmillan
  • Pan Macmillan Australia

Jude 5 star rating

United Kingdom

Multi award writer and Editor with a Masters in Writing (Distinction). Published since 2004 - Collins, Hodder, Pearsons and more.

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, ELT, Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Picture Books, Biographies & Memoirs, Education & Reference, Young Adult, and Poetry.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Louise 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Literary agent and Editorial Consultant with 15 years' experience working in publishing. Specialise in adult fiction.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Women's Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Paranormal Romance, Romance, and Time Travel Romance.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Zeno Agency Ltd
  • Pan Macmillan
  • Dorling Kindersley
  • Hannah Sheppard Literary Agency

Claire 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

Editor with 20 + years experience working with bestselling and award-winning authors - formerly Associate Publisher at Headline, Hachette UK

Genres: Humor & Comedy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Literary Fiction, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Headline Publishing Group
  • Self-employed

Chris 5 star rating

Exeter, United Kingdom

I am an experienced copy- and developmental editor specialising in Business, IT and Physical Sciences for authors, academics and publishers.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Computers & Internet, Engineering, Math & Science, Music, Humanities & Social Sciences, Physics & Chemistry, Technology, Photography, and Economics.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Sophron Partners
  • McKinsey & Co.
  • Cambridge Consultants

Hannah 5 star rating

Oxford, United Kingdom

An editor with expertise in children's books, literacy and artwork design, I’ve worked with authors such as Julia Donaldson and Terry Deary.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Picture Books, Comics & Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Literary Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Education & Reference, Comics Non-Fiction, and ELT.

Work experience:

  • Pearson Plc
  • Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
  • Oxford University Press
  • Hamilton Trust
  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Camel Publishing Ltd.
  • BBC
  • Oxford Inspires
  • Blue Tutors
  • University of Oxford
  • Forge Media, University of Sheffield

Elizabeth 5 star rating

London, United Kingdom

I am a freelance editor with over eighteen years experience. My skills include developmental editing, copy editing and proof reading.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Parragon
  • Robert Hale, Ltd.
  • Hodder and Stoughton

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Hire the best developmental editors in the UK

You’ve done it — after months or maybe even years of hard work, you’ve finally completed your manuscript. What are you going to do next? Well, if you’re a savvy author, you'll hire a developmental editor.

What does a developmental editor do, you ask? It’s really all in the name: they develop your book’s plot, characters, and prose until all the pieces fit together and the story runs smoothly. And while you may not think you need it, developmental editing is a key part of the process for every author — it ensures you don’t end up with gaping plot holes or inconsistencies when your work goes to print.

But where can you find someone you trust with that level of responsibility? Here at Reedsy, we have all the best developmental editors for hire in the UK, and you can look through their portfolios as soon as you sign up. Some of our developmental editors have even worked with bestselling authors like Neil Gaiman. So don’t spend another second deliberating — discover your dream developmental editor today.

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