Lottie Hayes-Clemens

Lottie Hayes-Clemens – Editor

Editor and proofreader with 3+ years' experience at HarperCollins and an expert eye for detail! Keen on women's fiction and fantasy.

Overview

Looking for a precise and reliable pair of eyes to help you to finesse your piece of work? Look no further!Whether proofreading a thrilling romance, editing the first draft of a manuscript, or checking over the sixth revision, I approach all editorial projects with the same dedication, professionalism and enthusiasm for well-written prose.I have a degree in English Literature, specialising in creative writing, edited short fiction and non-fiction submissions for a creative journal, and spent over three years in the Fiction editorial department at HarperCollins, where I received professional training in copy editing and proofreading. I was also responsible for amending and updating our house style guidelines, so I have an excellent sense of publisher's requirements for spelling, grammar and structure.My experience is largely based in fiction, particuarly cosy crime, fantasy, women's fiction, and romance, but as part of the Estates team I worked on books of all genres within the Agatha Christie and J. R. R. Tolkien estates, and unique non-fiction projects such as Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and the Fantastic Beasts 'behind the scenes' books.I can't wait to work with you on your next project!
Services
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Fantasy Humor & Comedy Mystery & Crime Romance Short Story Women's Fiction
Non-Fiction
Entertainment
Languages
English (CAN) English (UK) English (US)
Certifications
  • Introduction to Editorial Skills: Copyediting and Proofreading (PTC)

Work experience

Self-employed

Dec, 2018 — Present

HarperCollins Publishers

Jun, 2015 — Jan, 2019 (over 3 years)
- Responsible for proofreading HarperImpulse (Romance and Crime/Thriller) digital first titles at the final stage. - Rewriting style guidelines for authors, editors and freelancers, to reduce grammatical and spelling errors and improve consistency. - Writing and editing cover copy and online copy for retailer sites such as Amazon, Waterstones etc. - Managing book schedules from cover brief through to typesetting and final approval. - Reading and reviewing manuscripts. - Editing, proofing and collating Estates titles.

Route 57 Creative Journal

Oct, 2014 — May, 2015 (7 months)
- Reading fiction and non-fiction submissions and providing detailed feedback to the managing editor. - Editing final submissions (for structure, development, spelling and grammar) and going over edits with the author.

Portfolio

The first ever collection of poems by the acclaimed author of the Aubrey/Maturin series of Napoleonic naval adventures.As we have stood with Jack and Stephen on the deck of the Surprise and other ships, readers around the world have been transported to a place... read more
WINNER OF THE HRF KEATING AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTION CRIME BOOK 2018An entertaining history of British thrillers from Casino Royale to The Eagle Has Landed, in which award-winning crime writer Mike Ripley reveals that, though Britain may have lost an empire, h... read more
Every Time a Bell Rings

Carmel Harrington

An angel gets its wings? Belle has taken all the Christmas decorations down. This year they won?t be celebrating. As foster parents, Belle and Jim have given many children the chance of a happier start in life. They?ve loved them as if they were their own. The... read more
The brand new book from bestselling author Debbie Johnson will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you raid the pantry in the middle of the night... The Comfort Food Cafe is perched on a windswept clifftop at what feels like the edge of the world, serving u... read more
Flashman (The Flashman Papers)

George MacDonald Fraser

Flashman
Me, You and Tiramisu

Charlotte Butterfield

XXXX
A Violent End

Emma Page

Berlin Game

Len Deighton

Long-awaited reissue of the first part of the classic spy trilogy, GAME, SET and MATCH, when the Berlin Wall divided not just a city but a world. East is East and West is West - and they meet in Berlin...He was the best source the Department ever had, but now ... read more
Brand New!! Re-check ISBN before Purchase
Brand New!! Re-check ISBN before Purchase
Collins Crime Club 1st Hardback (Mar. 2018)
The Naked Sun

Isaac Asimov

Brand New!! Re-check ISBN before Purchase
The Fall of Gondolin

J. R. R. Tolkien

Brand New!! Re-check ISBN before Purchase

Lottie has 112 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Florence J.

Florence J.

Dec, 2025

Lottie is extremely patient. Her notes on my writing were concise, thoughtful and well presented. She is timely, professional, and deeply in-tune with the story from the moment she took on the project. As my first ever attempt at anything that wasn’t an assignment from a professor. She handled my...
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Michael D.

Michael D.

Nov, 2025

What’s it like to work with Lottie? Well, when an editor gives you unsurpassed attention to detail, meticulous fact-checking, a passion for mood and timbre, an obsession with pacing and flow, and just an overall positive vibe, how can working with Lottie be anything but wonderful? Thanks, Lott...
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Peter F.

Peter F.

Nov, 2025

Lottie copy-edited my manuscript, and returned it corrected (within the agreed time) along with the style sheet. She was efficient, precise and the resulting manuscript read far better. She also made helpful suggestions along the way (repetitive words, unclear sentences, POV changes, etc) to impr...
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Melissa (Mel) M.

Melissa (Mel) M.

Oct, 2025

I recently had the pleasure of working with Lottie on revitalizing an older project, and the experience exceeded all expectations. Her support and guidance were exceptional, and her expertise shone through every step of the process. Lottie is truly a master of her craft, offering constructive adv...
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Alyssa C.

Alyssa C.

Oct, 2025

Lottie did an excellent job copy-editing my manuscript. She has high attention to detail and caught many things that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. I would 100% work with her again.

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