Sandra Cain

Sandra Cain – Editor

I'm a best-selling, award-winning British author, developmental and line editor, specialising in memoir . Based in Los Angeles and the U.K.

Overview

Hello ... my name is Sandra and I love stories.


I'm a professional developmental editor, line editor and ghostwriter, currently working with authors who are passionately excited about their manuscripts. I worked for twenty years as a professor of creative writing for two universities in the UK (Southampton and Bournemouth), teaching editing, publishing and creative writing. I'm a member of the National Association of Writers in Education, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of the Society of Authors - and an editing consultant at the San Francisco Writers Conference 2023.


I've published over eleven books in my own name and edited numerous titles for private clients. In my capacity as a professor, I designed, authored, and taught two undergraduate writing degrees and two postgraduate degrees: MA Creative Writing and Publishing and MA Creative Writing: Industry and Practice, both of which included several modules on the craft of editing. I live and work in both Hampshire, UK and Los Angeles, USA- dividing my time equally between the two countries. I have worked with several publishing houses including Macmillan, Bloomsbury, Walker, Fresher (Bournemouth University Press), Matador, Biteback, Billy Fish, Solent Press and the BBC.


I particularly enjoy developmental editing and exploring the author's creative and publishing goals. Developmental editing comes before any sentence level work and is usually the first level of professional feedback an author receives on their manuscript. I enjoy collaborating with authors to help them to deconstruct and rebuild their manuscript so that all the storytelling components work together to create a even better book - one that matches their goals.


I would love to guide you on your writing journey. Together we can explore story, plot, character, point of view, setting and world building, scene and narrative summary, genre, readership and market potential. Let's make your manuscript shine brightly and get it out into the world!




Services
Fiction
Action & Adventure Anthologies Contemporary Fiction
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Writing & Publishing
Languages
English (UK) English (US)
Awards
  • Eric Hoffer Award
  • 2013 Benjamin Franklin Award
  • National Indie Excellence Award
  • 2012 ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year
  • Southern California Book Festival Awardl
Certifications
  • MA Creative Writing
  • BA (Hons) Communication
  • MPhil Creative Writing

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2010 — Present

I own and manage an international ghostwriting, book development and editing service.

Portfolio

Running For My Life

Wylie, Jordan

As We See It

Sandra Cain

Once upon a time some of the freshest and newest writers from Southampton Solent University collaborated to bring together this collection of short stories. From the shores of fantasy lands, the haunted house on an eerie street and worlds set years ahead of ou... read more
Ignite

Sandra Cain

From Southampton Solent University's most creative minds comes this enthralling anthology. A debut of fresh writing talent: from literary art to chilling thriller; from dystopian nightmare to the closest of human encounters, the stories within display a wealth... read more
The media writing industry is constantly changing, making it vital for students and practitioners to be able to adapt to new and different forms and approaches. Now updated in a second edition, this highly accessible and practical guide to media writing brings... read more
From copywriting to screenwriting and digital to print, this text examines a variety of media writing possibilities. With case studies to illustrate concepts, the book merges theory and practical tips giving students a critical vocabulary to use when discussin... read more

Sandra has 10 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Kristina Z.

Kristina Z.

Oct, 2024

Pinned
Sandra did an unbelievable job with my book proposal. I was so impressed with the quality of her work and how quickly she got it done. She helped take my book proposal to the next level. I highly recommend her. She also is a great and caring person. Couldn't be happier!!
Sandra C.
Thank you for a lovely review Kristina. It was a pleasure working with you and I hope your memoir is a resounding success.
Alejandro F.

Alejandro F.

Sep, 2023

Pinned
Sandra is practically my savior. She not only elevated my writing but also my approach to writing this project that has long been in the recesses of my mind. Quite frankly, my writing wasn't where it needed to be and Sandra got to the core of what wasn't working and showed me how to properly addr...
Read more
Sandra C.
Thank you for your review Alex. It was a great pleasure to work with you. I’m excited to see you develop your worthwhile project further. Very best wishes to you.
David F.

David F.

Mar, 2025

Sandra’s developmental and copy editing far exceeded my expectations. My book is so much more polished, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. She was very thorough and thoughtful in her feedback, and seemed genuinely interested in the success of my book. She also did a great job communicating ...
Read more
Samantha S.

Samantha S.

Jan, 2025

I found Sandra to be very honest with her opinion and timely as she promised, in fact faster than I expected.
Anne H.

Anne H.

Jan, 2025

Sandra was capable of seeing the depth and breadth of my memoir with the first reading, and came up with the wonderful new title. She saw strengths and weaknesses and set out to correct the weaknesses. I appreciated how she communicated immediately even though we are eight hours apart.

Sign up to read more reviews

Create a free Reedsy account to connect with Sandra and thousands of other publishing professionals on Reedsy.

Professionals similar to Sandra

Get a range of offers by requesting quotes from multiple professionals.

Kiley Frank

Kiley F.

Experienced editor of middle grade, YA, and picture books. I specialize in stories that are candid, quirky, and full of compassion.

Canton, NY, USA

95% reply rate

View profile
Andie Woodard

Andie W.

Andie is a narrative nonfiction writer and editor who specializes in memoir, spirituality, psychology, and activism.

Dallas, TX, USA

100% reply rate

View profile
Bev West

Bev W.

NYT bestselling editor/ghost specializing in business, memoir, and self help. I help first time authors publish books that change the world

New York City, NY, USA

100% reply rate

View profile