Tom Witcomb – Editor

As an editor, literary agent and ghost-writer I bring a unique set of perspectives from across the publishing spectrum which has gifted me the ability not only to see what makes a story tick, but how a project works on a commercial level.

I love working on novels at every stage of development and will work with you to develop a bespoke package tailored to your specific needs.

I can be there every step of the way: I can help you refine an idea and develop an action plan for getting your first draft nailed; then, either through mentoring, manuscript assessment or developmental editing (or a combination of everything!) we can plan your next moves. If you're at initial assessment phase, with a first draft in hand, we can work on where to go next. I can roll up my sleeves and get stuck into a deep-dive developmental edit, delivering a marked up manuscript with line edits and margin notes. If you're ready to pitch to agents, I can help hone your covering letter and sample material, ensuring you're putting your best foot forward. In my many years working at a leading agency, I've read my fair share of submission letters and I know exactly what's needed to stand out from the crowd!

Whichever way you cut it, each service will help you hone your writing and storytelling skills, creating the best book you can and getting it one step closer to publication whether that be traditionally, or by self-publishing.

What's really valuable, and something I absolutely love to be able to offer, is a follow up call after the work's been delivered, in order to clarify any points, and to brainstorm next steps with you so you feel empowered to take the next steps. Editorial advice in a vacuum is not worth it - I take a very collaborative approach to editorial work, in order to extract maximum value for you.

I fundamentally believe that honesty is the best approach to editorial work, as well as treating authors with the utmost respect and I take great pride in not only my candour, but also my desire and ability to be constructive with it. I will never just tell you something doesn't work out of hand, but will accompany it with solutions. I love bouncing around ideas and helping authors finding the solutions to their problems. It's about empowering you to write the best book you can, not about doing what I say. My primary objective is to help you reach a place where you’re writing your best work, and I love forging lifelong relationships with authors.

If you’re planning on self-publishing, I can provide guidance through the self-publishing process — from proofreading and typesetting your manuscript, to reaching readers and finessing your metadata and pricing.

There's a lot to consider, and a lot to take in. Don't worry if you don't quite know what you want yet: get in touch and we can tailor the best approach for you.