Lucy York - Editor
Editor with 14 years’ experience. I’m passionate about crafting standout stories and I love working on YA, graphic novels and romance.
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Overview
I am an editor with 14 years’ experience. I provide editorial and project-editing services to publishing houses and I work with authors on developmental edits, copy-edits and proofreads. I can edit US and UK English and I can regionalise text for either market.
As a freelance editor I have worked on YA novels with self-published authors, romance novels for Harper Collins, the Warhammer fantasy series for Black Library, adult fiction for Simon & Schuster and over 100 titles for Titan Books across their list of urban fantasy, steampunk, horror and TV/film tie-in novelisations. I now focus on YA fiction, graphic novels and romance.
I started out in publishing as an editor at Summersdale (Octopus/Hachette), where I worked on a variety of non-fiction books, including travel memoirs, and progressed to managing editor, handling a busy schedule of 90 books a year. As senior editor at Bright Press (Quarto Publishing Group) I developed new book concepts and commissioned content for a wide range of mainly non-fiction books. A highlight of my time there was developing the DARK TALES series, four graphic novel retellings of famous fairy tales and spooky stories for the YA market. Having worked in these in-house roles I understand the demands and standards of the publishing industry, and as a freelance editor I find it hugely rewarding to work with authors to ensure their stories stand out in a competitive marketplace.
My number one principle when editing is: it’s your story, told in your voice. As your editor, I will give a frank assessment of aspects of your manuscript that would benefit from improvement, then support and guide you to make your work the best it can be. My particular strengths lie in developing believable characters whose motivations drive the action forwards, honing the details that make your creative world vividly real and providing practical solutions to plot problems. The editorial process will be a dialogue and we’ll hopefully have some fun along the way.
TESTIMONIALS
“I worked with Lucy on my debut novel, and was so impressed with her insightful comments and attention to detail that I ended up working with her on three subsequent books. She helped me to take my work to the next level and, despite the fact that editing can sometimes be the most difficult part of writing, I actually looked forward to her comments, as they were always constructive and based upon a deep understanding of my work. I’m looking forward to working with her on future projects!”
Helen Jones, author of YA fiction series THE AMBETH CHRONICLES
“I hired Lucy as a freelancer on a number of fiction titles and have been greatly impressed by her work. She is punctual, accurate and thorough, and I have no hesitation in recommending her as a quality freelance editor.”
Lizzie Bennett, Titan Books
“Lucy came highly recommended by my literary agency, and I was so pleased that she was! From our first email exchange, Lucy was professional and accommodating. I was very pleased with the level of detail in Lucy's work, and will definitely commission her again on a future book. This is one great editor!”
Michelle Gorman, SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of SINGLE IN THE CITY
“Lucy’s diligent and professional editing was a real asset to the project. Her input on style, tone and flow were invaluable and she was a real joy to work with.”
Levison Wood, author of EASTERN HORIZONS (shortlisted for the 2018 Edward Stanford Award)
Languages
English (UK)
English (US)
Fiction
Comics & Graphic Novels
Fantasy
Horror
Romance
Women's Fiction
Young Adult
Non-Fiction
Travel
Certifications
- The Publishing Training Centre Copy-editing Skills
- University of Edinburgh MA Honours English Literature and French
- Fiction Editing
Work experience
Freelance editor
Self-employed
May, 2018
–
Present
(almost 2 years)
I provide editorial and project-editing services to publishing houses and I work with authors on developmental edits, copy-edits and proofreads. My publishing clients include Titan Books, Harper Collins, Octopus and the Quarto Publishing Group.
Senior Editor
Bright Press (Quarto Publishing Group)
November, 2014
–
May, 2018
(over 3 years)
I developed new book concepts and commissioned content for a wide range of mainly non-fiction books, as well as some fiction graphic novels for the YA market. I worked closely with authors on developmental edits and briefed designers, illustrators and other creatives involved in the book production process. I managed relationships with coedition partner publishers in the UK and US such as Thames & Hudson, Octopus (Hachette), Abrams Books and Sterling Publishing.
Project Editor
Quid Publishing (Quarto Publishing Group)
February, 2013
–
November, 2014
(over 1 year)
I project-managed a range of illustrated non-fiction titles from commissioning through to production, which included: guiding authors throughout manuscript development and the editorial process, copy-editing text and fact-checking, conducting picture research and clearing permissions, briefing and liaising with designers, freelance proofreaders and indexers.
Freelance Editor
Self-employed
July, 2010
–
February, 2013
(over 2 years)
I undertook developmental edits, copy-edits and proofreads of fiction books for self-published authors and clients including Titan Books, Black Library and Simon & Schuster.
Managing Editor
Summersdale (Octopus/Hachette)
April, 2007
–
July, 2010
(about 3 years)
I managed an editorial team of five and a list of 90 non-fiction titles per year. I commissioned authors and worked closely with them to develop manuscripts, wrote cover briefs and liaised with designers on cover designs, wrote book jacket copy and sales materials, maintained the house style sheet and ensured high editorial standards across the list.
Editor
Summersdale (Octopus/Hachette)
April, 2006
–
April, 2007
(about 1 year)
I worked on a range of non-fiction books with an emphasis on long-form narrative travel writing. My role involved developmental editing, copy-editing, proofreading and assessing author submissions.
Portfolio (25 selected works)
Hill of the Angels
Sue Mayfield
Hill of the Angels is set during the English Civil War. Twelve-year-old Abigail Booth is the daughter of sheep farmers and textile workers; Grace Fowler is the daughter of the parish priest. They become friends and climb together to the Hill of the Angels, a rocky outcrop where, according to local legend, light creates a pattern of angels on the cave wall. Abigail and Grace meet there and brin... read more
All the Birds in the Sky
Charlie Jane Anders
Entertainment Weekly's 27 Female Authors Who Rule Sci-Fi and Fantasy Right Now Winner of the 2017 Nebula Award for Best NovelFinalist for the 2017 Hugo Award for Best NovelPaste's 50 Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far) List“The book is full of quirkiness and playful detail...but there's an overwhelming depth and poignancy to its virtuoso ending.” ―NPR From the former editor-in-chief of io9... read more
"Fans of Sex in the City, the Shopaholic series, and Lindsay Kelk's I Heart Series will love this easy to root for heroine and the hilarious situations she tends to find herself in." Novel EscapesWould you move 6,000 miles to be with the love of your life? Plane ticket bought... Check!Worldly belongings packed... Check!Clue about what I'm doing... If only!Unfortunately Hannah's move isn't goin... read more
Beneath London (Langdon St. Ives)
James P. Blaylock
The collapse of the Victoria Embankment uncovers a passage to an unknown realm beneath the city. Langdon St. Ives sets out to explore it, not knowing that a brilliant and wealthy psychopathic murderer is working to keep the underworld’s secrets hidden for reasons of his own. St. Ives and his stalwart friends investigate a string of ghastly crimes: the gruesome death of a witch, the kidnapping ... read more
Levison Wood was only 22 when he decided to hitch-hike from England to India through Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, but he wasn't the conventional follower of the hippy trail. A fascination with the deeds of the early explorers, a history degree in the bag, an army career already planned and a shoestring budget of £750 - including for the flight home - he was determined to find out mo... read more
The Art of War: A Graphic Novel
Sun Tzu
An entertaining graphic adaptation of the oldest military treatise in the world.Hailed as the oldest philosophical discussion on military strategy, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War has been adapted as a graphic novel by award-winning illustrator Pete Katz. In this collectible thread-bound edition, the narrative focuses on a teacher instructing a pupil on the main points of Sun Tzu’s treatise, with vib... read more
THE BIG LITTLE WEDDING IN CARLTON SQUARE
Lilly Bartlett, Michele Gorman
The Widow's Confession
Sophia Tobin
The new novel from the author of the Sunday Timesbestseller, The Silversmith's Wife. Stunning historical fiction, perfect for fans of Tracy Chevalier. Broadstairs, Kent, 1851. Once a sleepy fishing village, now a select sea-bathing resort, this is a place where people come to take the air, and where they come to hide… Delphine and her cousin Julia have come to the seaside with a secret, one th... read more
Wychwood - Hallowdene
George Mann
Former London journalist Elspeth Reeves is trying to carve a new life for herself in the sleepy Oxfordshire countryside, until she's sent to cover the excavation of a notorious local witch's grave. Three hundred years ago, her name mixed up with murder and black magic, Agnes Levett was hanged and then buried under an immense stone, to prevent her spirit from ever rising again. Elspeth investig... read more
The Spawn of Lilith
Dana Fredsti
Out of the spotlight, in the darker corners of the studio backlots, Hollywood hides a remarkable secret. Actor or actress, set designer, electrician, best boy, or grip—in la-la land, it pays not to be human. Vampires, succubae, trolls, elementals, goblins—studios hire anyone and anything that can take direction, be discreet, and not eat the extras. (The less you know about your agent, the bett... read more
Gotham: City of Monsters
Jason Starr
The official link between Gotham seasons two and three, revealing Jim Gordon's return to Gotham City to set himself up as a freelance bounty hunter.SET IN THE DRAMATIC AFTERMATH OF GOTHAM SEASON TWO AND LEADING INTO THE THRILLING EVENTS OF SEASON THREE, THE NEW ORIGINAL NOVEL...GOTHAM: CITY OF MONSTERS...reveals how ex-convict James Gordon, once a GCPD detective, returns to the city he once pr... read more
Fall of Damnos (Space Marine Battles)
Nick Kyme
When Damnos is hit by cataclysmic earthquakes, an ancient force is awakened. Deep beneath the earth, the necrons rise from their slumber to decimate the human populace. All appears lost until salvation comes from the heavens - the Ultramarines brave an orbital bombardment to deploy their forces on Damnos, led by two legendary warriors - Captain Cato Sicarius and Chief Librarian Tigurius. They ... read more
Beautiful Liar
Tara Bond
When her life hits rock bottom, the only way is up... A sizzling novel of rags to riches from Tara Bond.
Top Of The Naughty List: A Christmas Novella
Chrissie Manby
The perfect festive stocking-filler: a heartwarming and funny novella by bestselling author Chrissie Manby. With just two weeks to go until Christmas, the menfolk of the Benson-Edwards household - stars of The Proper Family series - are both on Santa's legendary 'naughty list'. Eight-year-old Jack for the usual childish pranks. His thirty-nine-year-old father Mark for flirting with another wom... read more
Dark Tales: Beauty and the Beast: A Modern Retelling
Jeanne-Marie Leprince
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.This modern retelling of the classic fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast is told here in a graphic novel format. More than 100 pages of illustrated action, adventure, and love teach a lesson to look beyond the surface and learn to love what’s underneath. A merchant takes shelter in a castle during a thunderstorm, and ends up striking a bargain with its beast... read more
Oak And Mist (The Ambeth Chronicles Book 1)
Helen Jones
Book one in the acclaimed YA fantasy series, The Ambeth Chronicles 'The end of everything? Great, no pressure then.' Take a journey to Ambeth, where time twists and a palace gleams in green gardens. Where Light and Dark hold the Balance of the worlds, and beauty is a birthright, not a gift. However, appearances can be deceiving. When Alma stumbles between two trees into Ambeth, she finds she h... read more
Supernatural: Carved in Flesh
Tim Waggoner
Reported sightings of a hellish hound and the discovery of newly dead desiccated corpses bring Sam and Dean Winchester to Brennan, Ohio. But when they catch the monster canine it turns out to be "Frankenmutt"; a reanimated patchwork of pieces from separate dogs. Soon the brothers are on a trail that leads from mad scientists and biotechnology to a centuries-old alchemists, walking corpses, and... read more
Alien Resurrection: The Official Movie Novelization
A. C. Crispin
At the farthest reaches of the solar system Ellen Ripley awakens on board the space station Auriga Her last memory is of her own fiery death And yet she is somehow alive Ripley discovers that her resurrection is a result of an incredible experiment which has altered both her and the creature she has been carrying To combat the incalculable alien menace she teams up with a renegade band of spac... read more
These three classic SF stories follow the adventures of Ragnar the Space Wolf, from his recruitment by the Space Marines on the savage world of Fenris to his aventures amongst the stars. Whether Ragnar and his friends are fighting orks, mutants, or the foul forces of Chaos, adventure is never far behind!
In Victorian London, India Black has all the attributes a high-class madam needs to run a successful brothel--wit, beauty, and an ability to lie with a smile. Luckily for Her Majesty's Government, all these talents also make her a first-rate spy...India Black, full-time madam and occasional secret agent, is feeling restless, when one of Disraeli's men calls on her to meet the prime minister--a... read more
The Dark Arts of Blood (Blood Wine Sequence)
Freda Warrington
In 1920s Switzerland, vampire lovers Charlotte and Karl are drawn into turmoil as Godric Reiniger, a local filmmaker and activist with sinister ambitions, begins his rise to power.Meanwhile, fiery dancer Emil achieves his dream to partner the legendary ballerina and vampire Violette Lenoir – until his forbidden desire for her becomes an obsession. Rejected, spiralling towards madness, he seeks... read more
Angels of Music
Kim Newman
Deep in the shadows under the Paris Opera House resides Erik the Phantom, mysteriously enduring through the decades as the mastermind behind a strange and secret agency. A revolving door of female agents are charged by wealthy Parisians and the French Government to investigate crimes and misdemeanours they would prefer to keep out of the public eye. The toxic underbelly of Paris is exposed by ... read more
Relics
Tim Lebbon
There’s an underground black market for arcane things. Akin to the trade in rhino horns or tigers’ bones, this network traffics in remains of gryphons, faeries, goblins, and other fantastic creatures.When her fiancé Vince goes missing Angela Gough, an American criminology student, discovers that he was a part of this secretive trade. It's a big-money business—shadowy, brutal, and sometimes fat... read more
Head Over Heels in France: Falling in Love in the Lot
Samantha Brick
Just when life seemed its darkest, Samantha found happiness—Pascal, and his 10-year-old son, and the rigors of country life—in an unexpected trip to FranceWhen Samantha Brick’s life started to unravel—her company in liquidation, homeless, penniless, and friendless, and on max-strength anti-depressants—it seemed that everything was going wrong. But a chance week away in France led to the most u... read more
Call of the White: Taking the World to the South Pole
Felicity Aston
An inspirational account of eight women on one very unique expedition Felicity Aston challenged women in many countries, asking if they could ski to the South Pole, as she set out to create the most international all-female expedition ever to the Pole. The team would not be experienced explorers but "ordinary" women who want to inspire others to follow their dreams. She received more than 800 ... read more
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