Marcus Trower

Marcus Trower – Editor

I'm a seasoned copy editor who specializes in crime fiction, thrillers, sci-fi, and historical fiction.

Overview

I'm here to help you get your novel in the best shape possible and to ensure your writing develops and strengthens.

I’m a highly experienced copy editor with a specialism in genre fiction, particularly crime fiction, thrillers, historical fiction, and sci-fi. I work with debut novelists, bestselling writers, and everyone in between. I’m British, but many of my author clients are American.

Copy editors edit your prose for grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, and style, but a really good copy editor—and I get a lot of great feedback from my author clients—can do so much more than that, helping you, for example, with the mechanics of writing a novel, such as POV, scene setting, and show versus tell. I work a lot with first-time writers, assisting them as they get to grips with the subtleties of telling a story in an effective and engaging way. I see myself as something of a writing coach in that I explain any issues that crop up in your writing so that you can become a better critic and editor of your own prose.

A published author myself, I understand just how much your novel means to you, and I promise to handle your manuscript with a great deal of sensitivity. My objective is to help you craft a great novel that's true to your style and vision.

I’ve been copyediting since 1990. I was a London-based magazine and newspaper copy editor for many years, working for well-known UK titles, such as the Times, Esquire, and Empire. I became a fiction copy editor in 2012. I work with both independent authors and traditional publishers. The list of publishers whose novels I've copyedited includes Thomas & Mercer, 47North, and Constable & Robinson.

I’m currently looking to develop more working relationships with independent authors. Don’t hesitate to contact me and ask for a sample edit so I can show you what I can do.

"Just a huge thanks for making me a better writer. You’re the best copy editor I’ve ever worked with. Cheers!"
—Ryan Potter, independent author

"I have worked with exceptional copy editors from big publishing houses; Marcus was even better."
—Alan Russell, award-winning crime novelist

"Marcus is a joy to work with and a master at his craft. He can do it all: grammar, style, fact checking, and overarching analysis. I have worked with other editors, but none can match his experience, instinct, and attention to detail. He vastly improved my novel, and that’s the true benchmark of a great editor."
—Roberto Calas, independent author

"Marcus is more than a copy editor; he’s a true professional, a coach, and a hell of a teacher. Not only do I recommend him, but you can be sure that his eye for detail and notations in the margin will improve your novel tremendously and make you a better writer."
—S. L. Jones, independent author
Services
Fiction
Action & Adventure Dystopian Historical Fiction Mystery & Crime Science Fiction Thriller & Suspense
Languages
English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Mar, 2012 — Present

Portfolio

Esther’s seabound world has changed. Her revolutionary energy technology allows ships to sail long distances and has ended the Catalina’s isolation strategy. With the changes come new responsibilities for Esther—and new dangers for the people she loves. After ... read more
Sixteen years ago, a volcanic eruption changed the world forever. A small group of survivors escaped on a cruise ship called the Catalina ahead of a choking cloud of ash. Since then, they have been surviving at sea, drifting until the land becomes safe again. ... read more
Esther has lived on a cruise ship for sixteen years, ever since she fled an apocalyptic catastrophe with a handful of desperate survivors. Now she works as a ship’s mechanic and dreams of a life beyond her floating small town. When disaster strikes the water s... read more
A swarm of drones stalk the neighborhoods of Silicon Valley. An eight-year-old smuggles a gun into his school. A CSI lead is brutally murdered by a killer brazen enough to leave his signature at the scene. As the violence escalates, Det. Lynch reluctantly part... read more
LAPD cop Michael Gideon and his police dog partner Sirius became reluctant celebrities after capturing a notorious serial killer in the midst of an inferno. For their heroism, they were chosen to head up the newly formed Special Cases Unit. Now the duo tackles... read more
June 1766 – Havana, CubaAdam Fletcher begins a life-altering quest when he travels to help deliver cargo in the West Indies. Not long after the Carolina Gypsy arrives in the bustling port of Havana, Cuba, Adam ventures out on his own to track down a man who he... read more
Port Beaufort, North Carolina - May 1765Seventeen-year-old Adam Fletcher is no stranger to fist fights, but when he bloodies the nose of the obnoxious son of Port Beaufort's customs agent, the local magistrate offers Adam two choices: jail or an apprenticeship... read more
Introducing a major new thriller writer—in the vein of Vince Flynn and Tom Clancy—and a deadly yet charismatic character, Trent Turner.For years, Trent Turner has worked in the shadows using his vigilance and determination to covertly defend his country. His a... read more
How far would you go to get something you desperately need? Detective Darcy Lynch licks his wounds as a desk jockey after an undercover case gone bad. He’s handed a hit-and-run that quickly reveals itself as a brazen attempted murder—exactly the kind of case h... read more
Perennial

Ryan Potter

Perennial is all around you.On the morning of the first day of senior year, Alix Keener awakens from a vivid, terrifying dream in which a ghostly boy warns her: Perennial is all around you. Shaking off the dream—and the cryptic message—is just what Alix doesn’... read more
Kings of Broken Things

Theodore Wheeler

With characters depicted in precise detail and wide panorama—a kept-woman’s parlor, a contentious interracial baseball game on the Fourth of July, and the tragic true events of the Omaha Race Riot of 1919—Kings of Broken Things reveals the folly of human natur... read more
The Whiskey Sea

Ann Howard Creel

Running rum during Prohibition, she’ll risk her life—and her heart.Motherless and destitute, Frieda Hope is determined to make a better life for herself and her sister, Bea. The girls are taken in by a kindly fisherman named Silver, and Frieda begins to feel a... read more
Take Me With You

Catherine Ryan Hyde

August Shroeder, a burned-out teacher, has been sober since his nineteen-year-old son died. Every year he’s spent the summer on the road, but making it to Yellowstone this year means everything. The plan had been to travel there with his son, but now August is... read more
A murder that defies logic—and a killer on the loose.England, 1176. Aelred Barling, esteemed clerk to the justices of King Henry II, is dispatched from the royal court with his young assistant, Hugo Stanton, to investigate a brutal murder in a village outside ... read more
Butchertown

Thomas Burchfield

Paul Bacon, ex-Navy boxer and fun-loving, Jazz-Age fashion plate, moved to 1920s California for the endless sunshine, oranges, and bright, white beaches. But all he finds is loneliness and misery in the chilly, fog-choked canyons of San Francisco.One night, ho... read more
A deep-state US organization has a top-secret kill list—and a popular senator is on it.Nathan Stone was killed in action while serving as a covert CIA operative. Or so everyone thought. In reality he’s become a ghost, a black-ops asset with a new identity and ... read more
Former law professor Tom McMurtrie has brought killers to justice, and taken on some of the most infamous cases in Alabama’s history. Now he’s tackling his greatest challenge.McMurtrie’s old nemesis, Jack Willistone, is found dead on the banks of the Black War... read more

Marcus has 14 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Spenser W.

Spenser W.

May, 2019

Marcus did a very thorough job on my latest novel. He pointed out where many of my problems were with the manuscript in terms of repetition, sentence structure, POV, etc. Would recommend to any author looking for a very solid copy/line edit.
William D.

William D.

Mar, 2019

The insight and professionalism Marcus brought to my first novel made it not only a publishable work, but also a great read. He edited my second novel and did a fantastic job. I hope he will be my editor for many years to come.
Paula G.

Paula G.

Feb, 2019

I am currently working with Marcus on the editing of my first novel. Until I received his first mark-up of my manuscript, I had no idea what a tremendous amount of work an editor does. I have learned so much from him and he has been so patient with me. Marcus not only lets me know what isn't working but also suggests how to fix it. His understanding of where I'm going in the story is spot o...
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Miranda R.

Miranda R.

Jan, 2019

Marcus is an excellent editor, with an amazingly acute eye for detail - quite probably the best editor I have ever worked with. This is the second psychological thriller that I have asked him to edit. I have learned a great deal from him - not least trying to rectify those grammatical bad habits that have crept in over the years! Communication is always excellent and he is a pleasure to work with.
William D.

William D.

Sep, 2018

Marcus is an incredible editor! He is professional, exacting, meticulous, and spot-on with more than just grammar; he makes great suggestions about the flow as well. Aside from his obvious expertise, he has been a joy to work with. Joy is too weak a word; Marcus made me feel like I had a genuine partner in crafting the best novel possible, and I know it's now a publishable because of his hard w...
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