Mark Leggatt – Editor

I'm a publishing professional, developmental editor and manuscript assessor, and specialise in detailed manuscript assessments for clients in the UK, EU, Australia and North America.

I love to work with debut authors and show them the route to taking their book up to the level required for publication. It's hard work, but great fun. I also know the financial costs for professional advice can be daunting, so I always apply a healthy discount.

I recently assessed and edited the #1 bestselling Sci-Fi/Techno-Thriller on Amazon, ARTIFICIAL WISDOM by Thomas Weaver. This will be republished in the US & UK by Penguin Random House in 2025.

I've also recently completed the assessment and final edit of EXIT WOUNDS for crime author Neil Broadfoot, which will be published by Hachette, and cracking the Historical Fiction of THE COLONY by Daniel Pollock. Next will be an edit for Gabriel Galletti, and his Australian crime novels.

Several of my authors have gained agents in the US and UK, and I have wide experience in working with leading literary consultancies. Author testimonials are available on request.

I have edited several novels created by AI to some degree, and AI is a tool for writers just like Grammarly, or Scrivener, but I always caution authors that novels created by AI often require considerable editing and development to bring them up to scratch, which often negates any advantage AI may bring in the expediency of creating a first draft. And the first thing I do is check the sample to see if it’s something that worth developing by the author and editor, or not.

But one thing's for sure, I do not use any form of AI as an editor, whether for a development edit or editorial assessment. For me, it’s old school red pencil, paper, and experience.

As a prospective client, I have stood in your shoes, having taken professional advice at the start of my career, and I love to pass on all the experience I've gained.

When I'm not assessing and editing, I'm the author of four novels, and topped Blackwell's bestseller charts on two occasions. My novel PENITENT was longlisted for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2023.

I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading.

Testimonials

"Mark is first and foremost a pleasure to work with. He was as passionate about the project as I was, and he would be upfront when something was not working, but never in a way that demoralized me. He’s a consummate professional who always showed up and brought his full attention to our meetings. I can’t recommend him enough."

Thomas R. Weaver - Amazon #1 Technothriller Bestseller, sold globally to Penguin Random House.

“Mark is an insightful and highly skilled editor. His has the ability to develop a strong rapport with his clients to ensure a constructive working relationship based on trust that ensures manuscripts achieve their true potential.”

– Neil Broadfoot,- Author, and McIllvanney and Dundee International Book Prize nominee.