Mike Jones – Editor

I have worked as an editor in publishing for over 25 years. I went freelance in 2016. Previously I was Senior Commissioning Editor at Bloomsbury Publishing UK, Publishing Director at Simon & Schuster UK and Publishing Director at Profile Books.

I have commissioned and edited a wide range of bestselling non-fiction for a mainstream audience (history, science, pop culture, sport, music, economics, psychology, religion, business, autobiography and memoir).

My editing work has also included literary fiction from authors such as George Saunders and Doug Coupland, and genre fiction - historical, comic and thriller titles. I have structurally edited the international bestselling historical and women's fiction writer, Fiona Valpy, on nearly all of her novels.

I have worked with authors, agents, literary scouts and publishers. I have worked freelance for a number of major UK publishers including Amazon, Atlantic, Macmillan, Faber, Bloomsbury, and Simon & Schuster. I have strong relationships with many UK literary agents and my experience means I am very aware of what agents and publishers are looking for and what appeals to the reading public. I can work with an author to make sure their pitch and submission material is appropriately tailored.

I am hugely experienced at working with authors and helping them in a collaborative and creative way to make their work as engaging to a general readership as possible. On Reedsy, I bring this experience to the relationship and am able to provide clear, honest and open direction about the work, constructive advice to improve any material and to bring out the best in the writing.

I focus completely on the creative process working with authors and their manuscripts. I do not use AI. I do not have direct experience of self-publishing, but can provide strategic advice as to the best route to publication.

I am a husband, father of 3 children, and I have also worked as a BACP qualified psychotherapist with 10 years of experience.