Overview

With an editorial career spanning over a decade, working at several of the UK's leading book publishers, and with a portfolio of bestselling and award-winning titles, including The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan (Release date, October 2025) and Mr Peacock's Possessions by Lydia Syson (Times and Sunday Times Book of the Year 2018), I am able to provide a professional and trustworthy copy editing and proofreading service of the highest quality.

In addition, I love reading books, from many different genres, which in turn means I love my job! My enthusiasm shows in the dedication and care I give to each and every book I work on.

With my eagle-eyed, thorough technique, I can polish and perfect your work, raising queries where appropriate, in preparation for it to go out into the big wide world!

Please feel free to get in touch. I look forward to working with you!

Services

Copy Editing

Proofreading

Fiction

Action & Adventure Contemporary Fiction Romance Thriller & Suspense Women's Fiction

Languages

English (UK) English (US)

Certifications

Proofreading for Editors - Publishing Training Centre
Advanced Proofreading - Publishing Training Centre
Copy Editing - Publishing Training Centre
PRINCE2 Project Management - Peoplecert

Work experience

Freelance Copy Editor and Proofreader

Self-employed

Aug, 2015 — Present

Providing a professional copy editing and proofreading service of the highest standard for several of the UK's leading publishing houses, including Harper Collins, Hodder & Stoughton, Bonnier and Pan Macmillan. I am also very lucky to work with many talented independent authors, helping them get their novels polished and ready for publication.

Managing Editor

Orion Publishing Group

Aug, 2013 — Jul, 2016 (almost 3 years)

Editorial Management of titles from many of the UK's leading authors, including Michael Connelly, Anthony Horowitz, Linwood Barclay and Erica James.

Group Editorial Manager

Little, Brown Book Group

Aug, 2012 — Aug, 2013 (about 1 year)

Co-ordinating the editorial workflow of all eight imprints of a leading UK publisher of authors including J. K. Rowling, Val McDermid and Mark Billingham in order to meet publication deadlines.

Production Editor

Sage Academic Publishers

Aug, 2010 — Aug, 2012 (about 2 years)

Production management of titles from manuscript to publication for the Business and Management, Psychology and Criminology lists; working with bestselling authors including Stewart Clegg, Mark Easterby-Smith and Chris Grey.

Assistant Editor, Life Sciences

Cambridge University Press

Jul, 2007 — Feb, 2010 (over 2 years)

Project managing the manuscript submission and handover process for the department; working with bestselling authors, including Keith Wilson and Richard Frankham, and societies such as the Darwin Correspondence Project.

Portfolio

The Secret Christmas Library: A Heartwarming Christmas Romance Tale Set in a Scottish Castle, Featuring Unlikely Alliances in a Mysterious Hunt for Hidden Treasures

Colgan, Jenny

William Morrow Paperbacks

Proofreading

Lie to Me

Olivia Gavoyannis

Embla Books

Under the Greek shimmering sea, deep dark secrets lie just beneath the surface...1960.Shy eighteen-year-old Jean is resigned to yet another long empty summer stretching out before her, working... read more

Copy Editing

The Quiet

Martin, Barnaby

Macmillan UK

Proofreading

Diary of a Provincial Lady

E. M. Delafield

E. M. Delafield's largely autobiographical novel takes the form of a journal written by an upper-middle-class lady living in a Devonshire village. Written with humour, this charming novel is f... read more

Proofreading

The Cursed Wife

Pamela Hartshorne

The Cursed Wife by Pamela Hartshorne is a page-turning, psychological thriller set in Elizabethan London.Curses cannot be silenced . . .Mary lives a contented life as wife to a wealthy merchan... read more

Copy Editing

A Country Girl

Nancy Carson

A must-read sweeping saga, full of intrigue, romance and page-turning drama . . . Marigold Bingham, though promised to Algie Stokes, the lock-keeper’s son, reconsiders her dreams of marriage w... read more

Proofreading

Beau Death

Peter Lovesey

A wrecking ball crashes through the roof of a terraced cottage in Bath and exposes a skeleton in eighteenth-century clothes. Can these possibly be the remains of Beau Nash, the so-called King ... read more

Proofreading

The Long Forgotten

David Whitehouse

'This is a wonderful book, its different strands weaving around each other and coming together in the most fantastic conclusion. I am so jealous of David Whitehouse’s writing.' Adam KayMemorie... read more

Proofreading

Mr Peacock's Possessions

Lydia Syson

An intimate, intense and beautifully realised novel of possession, power and the liberating loss of innocence, this will delight fans of MISTER PIP and THE POISONWOOD BIBLE. Oceania, 1879. For... read more

Copy Editing

Anyone But Him

Ronali Collings

Embla Books

'A captivating story of self-discovery, healing, and unexpected romance . . . the perfect blend of heart and humour' Reader Review, 5 stars'Thoroughly satisfying . . . a fabulous tale of a sma... read more

Proofreading

Very Nearly Normal: An unforgettable uplifting romance with a twist in the tail

Sunderland, Hannah

Avon

Proofreading

The Playgroup: A brilliantly entertaining and utterly feel-good page-turner

Fraser, Janey

Embla Books

Proofreading

After the Honeymoon: a gorgeously romantic and uplifting novel that humourously puts marriages to the test!

Fraser, Janey

Embla Books

Proofreading

A Fallen Woman

Nancy Carson

An unforgettable saga, full of romance, shocking secrets and page-turning scandal . . . In the Black Country a scandal is set to hit the town ... but can Aurelia Sampson survive? All seems wel... read more

Proofreading

The World Happiness Organisation: A thought-provoking, what if novel for those who enjoy feel good fiction books

Gibbons, Lou

Centulle

Proofreading

The Fourth Stage

McMahon, Joe

Copy Editing

The Face of God

McMahon, Joe

Proofreading

A Murderous Approach (A Sarah Gladstone Thriller Book 3)

Donaghue, Darryl

Copy Editing

Tyranny of Secrets

Statton, John

Proofreading

Passage to Sunrise: A novel

Jambor, Bruno

Copy Editing

All She Ever Wished For

Claudia Carroll

A gorgeous story of chance meetings and unexpected friendships . . . because sometimes what you’ve always wished for isn’t necessarily what life has in store . . .Marriage. It’s a dream come t... read more

Proofreading

A Minor Indiscretion

Carole Matthews

Ali Kingston is happily married with three children. She isn't the type to have her head turned - but then it isn't every day that a gorgeous younger man falls at her feet.When Ed, Ali's husba... read more

Proofreading

The Chocolate Lovers' Club (Chocolate Lovers Club 1)

Carole Matthews

For Lucy Lombard, there's nothing that chocolate can't cure. From heartache to headaches, it's the one thing she knows that she can rely on - and she's not alone. Fellow chocolate addicts Autu... read more

Proofreading

The Only Way is Up

Carole Matthews

Lily and Laurence had it all: the money, the car, a beautiful home in the Buckinghamshire countryside. Then Laurence loses his job and everything disappears. With nowhere to turn, Lily and Lau... read more

Proofreading

Dark Winter Tales: a collection of horror short stories (Dark Winter Tales)

Paul Finch

**A horror short story collection from #1 bestseller, Paul Finch. Full of unputdownable reads for cold winter nights…**As the nights draw in, get hooked on this dark and suspenseful collection... read more

Proofreading

Rachel has 8 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Lou G.

Jun, 2024

Pinned

It was an absolute joy to work with Rachel. I really appreciated the time she took at the beginning to talk me through her process and the sample she sent over after a few days. She is extremely professional and has a very sharp eye when it comes to proofreading. It can be daunting handing over y...

S.A. H.

Feb, 2020

Pinned

Rachel is such a pleasure to work with. She copy edited my first manuscript and I can't say how pleased I am with the result. She had an extremely challenging work to do specially because English is not my first language. But she did a marvellous job of it. The sample edit she sent was just not c...

Zak C.

Dec, 2017

Pinned

I had and an excellent experience working with Rachel, I don't often give five star reviews but she thoroughly deserves them. Rachel edited my novel The Face of God. I gave her a manuscrit full of errors and she helped me turn it into a piece of work that I am really proud of, and is starting t...

Jon M.

Mar, 2025

Rachel undertook a comprehensive proofread and copy edit of selected segments of my draft novel. I am highly impressed by the detail of her work and the quality and quantity of her annotated suggestions and observations. She has a superb grasp of grammar, spelling, and punctuation and is a master...

Chris K.

Mar, 2020

My experience has been very positive. In fact as I write this review I am in talks with her to work on the second Book. As an indie Author, Rachel has been helpful in this whole process.

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Rachel Eley

Available for hire

Verified identity

London, UK

Professional on Reedsy
since Jul, 2016

Rachel Eley – Editor

Overview

Services

Fiction

Languages

Certifications

Work experience

Portfolio

Rachel has 8 reviews

Lou G.

S.A. H.

Zak C.

Jon M.

Chris K.

Sign up to read more reviews

Professionals similar to Rachel

Chris B.

Laurel S.

Becky W.

Rachel Eley – Editor

Overview

Services

Fiction

Languages

Certifications

Work experience

Portfolio

Rachel has 8 reviews

Lou G.

S.A. H.

Zak C.

Jon M.

Chris K.

Sign up to read more reviews

Professionals similar to Rachel

Chris B.

Laurel S.

Becky W.

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