Rachel K - Editor

I'm an award-winning, passionate freelance editor of commercial non-fiction originally from London, and now based by the sea in Margate, with multiple bestsellers under my belt and 10 years' experience working in two of the biggest publishing houses in the country. I love working closely with authors to deliver new and exciting books they can be proud of for the rest of their lives.

As a former Editorial Director, I also know what commissioning editors are looking for, so if you're an aspiring author but don't know where to start, I'm here to help.

A former Bookseller Rising Star and Star Buyer, I also headed up the non-fiction list at HarperCollins imprint HQ, from its launch in 2016 through to 2020, when I went freelance.

In that time, HQ was shortlisted for Imprint of the Year in 2019 and BOSH!, one of my first acquisitions for the list, became a Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller, the biggest-selling vegan cookbook of all time and won Non-Fiction Lifestyle Book of the Year at the Nibbies.

I've also been lucky enough to work with a whole array of wonderful authors including Jane Fonda, anti-racism advocate Sophie Williams, Grazia Fashion Editor Kenya Hunt, award-winning period poverty activist Amika George, superstar influencer Patricia Bright, founder of the Positive Birth Movement Milli Hill, actress and TIME's Person of the Year Rose McGowan, Olympian Tom Daley, chef and food writer Gizzi Erskine, poet Charly Cox, award-winning journalist Daisy Buchanan and psychotherapist Owen O'Kane to name just a few.

I'm super organised, with a keen eye for detail and something of a perfectionist. I will not rest until a book is as good as it can possibly be. But that doesn't mean I'm a dragon - my authors say I'm approachable and I like to think they mean it!

I'm one of two non-fiction editors and consultants at Bergstrom Studio, the consultancy founded by author and literary agent Abigail Bergstrom.

I'm also one of 18 "titans of the writing, publishing and book-marketing world" (a.k.a. The Masters) in Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author and Book Writing Super Coach Michael Heppell's Write That Book Masterclass.

In 2021, I had the pleasure of working with Sunday Times bestselling author and psychotherapist Owen O'Kane on the manuscript for his third book, How to Be Your Own Therapist, which HarperCollins will be publishing in June 2022.

I also spent much of the year working closely with Cambridge-educated medical doctor and scientist turned professional ballroom dancer and Group Strategy Director to two global retail giants, turned leading mindset coach to global execs, entrepreneurs and UHNWIs Dr Gary Crotaz PhD on every aspect of his independently published soft business book The IDEA Mindset: Figure Out What You Want from Work and How to Get It, in 6 Weeks, which was released by whitefox in January 2022.

I have experience working with bestselling authors and major brands and I'm a safe and collaborative pair of editorial hands who's just as comfortable coming up with awesome new book propositions as I am editing manuscripts. ​

I'm available for:

- workshopping and developing book ideas

- comprehensive, useful feedback on your non-fiction book concept or proposal

- writing, editing or tidying up proposals and covering notes

- structural editing or book doctor work

As part of my editorial feedback, I can offer practical advice on:

- how to make yourself as attractive as possible to potential agents and publishers​

- how to arrive at a compelling book idea and title that's authentic to you and plays to your strengths​

- how to create an unmissable pitch and proposal that does your idea justice​

- how a book goes from an idea to a bestseller​

- how the publishing process works.

I love working with smart, dedicated, curious people and am totally committed to making their work sing.

But don't just take my word for it. Below is some feedback from some lovely authors I worked with recently at HarperCollins, and as a freelance editor.

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"As soon as I met Rachel, I knew she was the editor I wanted to work with. She was informed, enthusiastic and warm - she felt like a safe pair of hands to guide me through the process of writing and releasing my first book. She literally made it impossible for me to consider going with anyone else! Rachel was always available when I needed her, and helped to demystify what can be a confusing process for first time writers."

Sophie Williams, author of Anti-Racist Ally and Millennial Black

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"Rachel had the vision to see that the world needed a book about why birth is a feminist issue, when this idea was completely off many editors' radars. From the moment she commissioned Give Birth like a Feminist, she backed and believed in it, seeing the book through to fantastic sales and Amazon bestseller status. She is the perfect combination of approachable warmth and razor sharp insight."

Milli Hill, author of The Positive Birth Book and Give Birth Like a Feminist

"Rachel is an incredible talent. Her uniqueness is her creative brilliance combined with her phenomenal eye for detail and finesse. She also happens to be an incredibly decent, authentic and lovely person to work with."

Owen O'Kane, author of Ten Times Happier and Ten to Zen

"Of course, I needed a huge amount of help and over the course of about nine months I worked with a brilliant editor, Rachel Kenny, who cut out about three-quarters of my first draft and helped me to create something that was much more accessible and enjoyable to experience as a reader. The final book is still around half the size of what I first plonked on her desk!"

Dr Gary Crotaz PhD, author of The IDEA Mindset

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"After seeing her interview on Michael Heppell's 'Write That Book Masterclass' I hired Rachel to do a review of my 'Cactus Surgeon' pitch for agents and publishers. She gave me an incredibly comprehensive and insightful report, which we also discussed over the phone. I received some excellent advice to improve my writing style and to make my pitch stand out from the crowd. We also discussed self-publishing vs. agent/publisher routes to market. I now know what I need to do to move it forward! Thank you, Rachel!"

Hannah Powell, author of The Cactus Surgeon