Kelly Davis – Editor

I am nothing if not versatile! I can handle proofreading, copy-editing, rewriting and project-editing jobs for publishers and self-publishing authors. I can also carry out picture research and write publicity material, if required. I have written a few non-fiction children's books myself. I also write poetry and have had some of my work published in anthologies.I started my publishing career in Australia in the 1980s, working for Heinemann and then Penguin Books in Melbourne. When I returned to the UK, I worked in-house for Longman Publishers and later BBC Books. At BBC Books, I worked on several TV tie-in titles, including illustrated books on cookery, history and travel. I have been freelance since 1990 and have worked for many different publishers, including Bloomsbury, Piatkus Books, Hachette, HarperCollins, Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press. In recent years, I have worked with self-publishing authors on memoirs, novels, children's books and poetry.I believe in the importance of the authorial voice and I will adjust my editing to the level required. In other words, I won't make changes unnecessarily. Some manuscripts only require light editing, while others need more work. I always aim to help the author communicate with the reader clearly and effectively. A professionally edited, polished manuscript will stand a better chance of being selected for publication; and if you plan to self-publish, your readers will enjoy your book more, and they will be more likely to recommend it to others.