Louise Walters – Editor

I ran my own indie press from 2017 to 2023. I edited, proof-read, and published fifteen books by eight authors at my press. I am a freelance editor and a published author. My passion is literary fiction, but I also work on women's fiction - both upmarket and commercial; also psychological thrillers, and some urban fantasy.

I love my work, and getting stuck into a new project is always exciting. I am quite a hard marker, but my philosophy is that it's only tough but constructive criticism that helps a writer. If something isn't working, I will always point that out, alongside providing specific and actionable ideas to help fix the issue. I also love to point out what is working: perhaps a perfect sentence, a moving scene, a character beautifully realised.

My approach to editing is to start from the ground and work up: I'm a structure nerd, so if your structure is wobbly, we will start there. Solid structure is essential because it enables most of the other story-telling elements to fall into place. I also look for a clear protagonist with a clear goal. Having said that, I do love experimental fiction, and I'm always supportive of a writer who is trying to do something different in their work.

Having our writing critiqued or edited is scary. I've been there with my own work, and I understand all the feelings an edit can unleash... everything from elation to despair. Anger is common! But it's usually fleeting, and along with my reports I always provide advice on how to respond to an edit or critique. The feelings can be surprising, so do be prepared for that.

I love editing fiction, and I'll be able to help you wherever you are in your writing career. There is nothing more satisfying to me than working on a first draft, helping the writer to unscramble their words, setting them on the path to a more polished piece of work. Equally I love working on those more polished pieces, perhaps providing a final edit before the work is submitted to agents.

Please get in touch if you are interested in working with me. I'm looking forward to working with you.

"I highly recommend Louise's services! Her editorial report helped me attract an agent."​

Victoria Scott, author of A Girl Called Patience, published in the UK by Head of Zeus in 2021

"Louise has been my editor since I wrote my first book. Four of these books became Amazon bestsellers and collectively have thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. I could never have achieved this without Louise’s exceptional input. I have complete faith in Louise to guide me to make my stories the best they can be. I will be forever grateful our paths crossed."​

A J Campbell, author of The Wrong Key, published by Code Grey Publishing in 2022