Sophia Blackwell - Editor

I've been working in publishing for almost 20 years, and freelance editing for over twelve. I'm an experienced editor of fiction and non-fiction whose projects include books from Penguin, Bloomsbury, Oxford University Press, Duke University Press, Pearson, Zed Books and Unbound. I help self-published authors find their voices and create a final book they can be proud of. I am also a writer published by Bloomsbury and have been nominated for the Polari Prize. Highlights of my editing work include:

- The Good Ancestor by Roman Krznaric, Penguin
- The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook (5+ years on the staff)
- Two books in the Sun, Moon and Stars romance series by Frances M. Thompson
- Two books on music by Geoff Baker from Duke University Press and Oxford University Press
- Three books in the Writers' and Artists' series: Publishing for Children and YA, Self-Publishing and Getting Published

For every manuscript I work on, I provide ALL of the following:

- Copy-editing and line editing (identifying typos and other errors and correcting them)
- Developmental editing and structural editing, including a 4-5-page editorial assessment Word document
- Suggestions on next steps including which agents you might approach, and/or marketing and publicity for either self-published or traditionally published books
- One Zoom session to discuss and clarify feedback
- The opportunity to reach out to me again to discuss specific questions about the project within two years of the job's completion and at no extra cost

Not all of these may be needed by the client as each job is bespoke. However, they are all included in any quote I send for a full-length work (50k words+).

My clients say:

'Sophia is undoubtedly one of the most skilled editors I have worked with over the past decade. She's extremely insightful in relation to structure, content and style, as well as being an eagle-eyed copy editor.'

'We've worked together on multiple fiction and non-fiction projects for the major UK and international publishers and each time she has performed wonders with the manuscript. Sophia is also one of the most efficient editors I know - the job is always done on time and to the highest standards.'

I specialise in own-voices editing for LGBTQ+ authors and characters, and my other specialities include romantic novels, 'chick-lit', sociology, philosophy, music, history and popular culture. I also have significant experience in marketing and publicity, and some experience of production, that will help me advise you on next steps.