“The Book Edit team were an amazing light in the editing process. Penny and Emily were supportive, insightful and most importantly able to provide specific advice on how to improve my novel. A transformative experience!”

“I was just blown away by the insight that Penny had on the story. The conversation, report and margin notes are absolute gold. All of the suggestions feel totally correct, like they’re native to the book, and I can see they’ll make the story stronger. I’m delighted I chose The Book Edit...I just feel so much more confident going forward into the query phase, knowing the MS will be its best possible self. Also, having such encouraging words about my writing from professionals has really boosted my confidence. Thank you.”

“Emily demonstrates remarkable empathy throughout the entire process, making it a truly human experience. Moreover, I’ve gained invaluable insights into the publishing industry, particularly in the UK. The Book Edit serves as a positive catalyst for those seeking to embark on an editorial journey.”

“The attention to details and professionalism are on point, and truly helped to polish my rough gem into an absolute diamond. Communication was superb, flexibility of payments made it possible for me to get closer to my dream of publishing easier with a way to breathe financially. Editing was done efficiently, with clear and understandable comments, great suggestions and spectacular speed. Can’t recommend enough, will be using for my further books in the series!”

“Working with the Book Edit for structural editing has been an incredible experience - it’s pushed me as a creative in ways which I hadn’t expected, but needed. Helping me to both improve my quality of writing and narrative structure significantly.

Emily has encouraged my work as a writer in a compassionate and knowledgable way, she has the ability to connect with the essence of the story, and the goals of the author to give feedback that has structure yet inspires. Thank you :)”

“The Book Edit Prize was a really special experience for me. It was a real treat to meet the other writers and hear their stories at the online showcase. I’d never read my work aloud before, so having Rebecca’s expert training really gave me the confidence to take part - and even to enjoy it! Being part of such a prestigious award meant that my work was shared with some incredible agents - I had a full manuscript request before we’d even finished the Zoom session!”

“My confidence in my creative writing is a constant seesaw. Winning the Writer’s Prize came at a time when it felt like my fiction might never get much recognition. It really reinvigorated my faith and introduced me to some fantastic fellow writers. I can’t recommend participation highly enough.”

“It’s not an understatement to say that The Book Edit Writers’ Prize was life-changing for me. It was through the showcase event - where I read an extract from my novel - which prompted one of the industry guests there to pass on my details to a literary agent who, after a chat and reading my manuscript, offered me representation. As a writer, this was a dream come true, and I have no doubt this opportunity wouldn’t have arose had it not been for the chance to read to selected guests from The Book Edit’s vast industry network. ”

“Winning the Book Edit Writers’ Prize made my year! It was a perfectly-timed boost to my confidence, and helped me with the motivation for taking my writing to the next stage. I now think of myself as a writer and it’s so encouraging to know that other people view me this way too. It’s given me the much-needed validation and impetus to continue with my novel and keep working to find it a readership. Thank you!”

“Winning the Book Edit Writer’s prize was the first time I’d had any external validation for my work and the showcase led to interest from a literary agent. This gave my confidence a massive boost and answered the question that I’d been asking myself for a long time which was “Am I capable of writing something with the potential to get published?”. The whole experience has spurred me on and I’m now more focussed than ever on that goal. Emily and the team at The Book Edit were so supportive through the whole process and am truly grateful for them running the prize”

“I’m delighted to thoroughly recommend The Book Edit - Emily Pedder’s very thorough and thoughtful edit of my manuscript has improved it considerably and I am very grateful. Very good value for money, extremely professional and I will be doing this again with book two. Thank you Emily and The Book Edit.”

“Emily and Penny were first class from start to finish getting my memoir into some kind of order to pitch to an agent. Their professionalism and feedback was just fantastic. Would thoroughly recommend.”

“The Book Edit helped me refine a book proposal with detailed edits and expert suggestions. Their work went beyond what I was expecting, completely transforming the proposal. I have also been able to apply the feedback to other writing – I wish I’d contacted them sooner!”

“I wrote a 1500-page novel. After reading dozens of books, blogs and videos on self-editing, I managed to ‘kill my babies’ and get the manuscript down to 850 pages. Even then, I intuited that something was not right. The Book Edit introduced me to Penny Rudge, who courageously accepted the task of reading and commenting on my lengthy work. The detail of the feedback was remarkable: Penny provided me structural concepts, which if applied, could significantly improve how a reader would experience my novel. She even suggested specific plot and character changes, which demonstrated her deep understanding of the story. I can highly recommend Penny and the Book Edit for any first-time author.”

“As a first-time writer, looking to get my work published, working with The Book Edit has been an absolutely brilliant experience. The level of detailed, constructive, and eye-opening editorial feedback I received, has been invaluable, and went far beyond my expectations. From the start, it’s felt like a collaboration, and as I work on the redrafts, the care, advice and encouragement from Emily and Penny, who worked on my manuscript and proposal, are all helping me to become a better writer in the process. I couldn’t recommend The Book Edit highly enough. ”

“I used The Book Edit when I needed a developmental edit for the first draft of a novel. My editor subsequently read the manuscript. I found her advice both helpful and encouraging. More importantly her pointers were very precise. ”

“These notes are so intelligent and clear, so thorough and generous, rigorous and subtle that they have a kind of moral force. I wish I had come to you sooner! ”

“The Book Edit really helped to develop my manuscript to where it needed to be. Big picture issues of structure and plotting were explored in depth, while microlevel editing of style and sentences were finetuned to turn my rough work-in-progress into a professional finished product. Penny Rudge brought expertise, conscientiousness, and generosity in engaging with my work.’ ”

“Without the encouragement and critical analysis of the Book Edit I might have written my novel into a cul de sac. Their input has been indispensable and provided the keys which have unlocked the story and made it much more cohesive. I believe that it works thanks to them. I would recommend them to every first time author. ”

“Invaluable feedback to make my novel look like a novel, then help prepare a battering ram to bash through agents’ doors. What every aspiring author needs. A pleasurable experience from beginning to end”

“My experience with the Book Edit has been incredible. Emily matched me perfectly with Kirstan Hawkins and I couldn’t ask for a better editor! I was blown away by the level of details in the feedback I received and all the valuable tips and guidance Kirstan gave me. I wouldn’t have been able to improve my manuscript and have it ready for querying without Emily and Kirstan’s help. I’d highly recommend the Book Edit’s service to any writer starting on their journey to get published.”

“I was extremely happy with the agent submission package from start to finish. Emily also went above and beyond the call of duty answering a few follow-up queries. The feedback on my opening chapters made perfect sense and was easy to follow, she helped me fine-tune my covering letter and was enormously helpful with the tricky process of writing a decent synopsis. I have recently been put in personal contact with a best-selling author who described my synopsis as ‘perfect’. I would strongly recommend The Book Edit and if you’re hesitating, I’d urge you to take the plunge.”

“The Book Edit dealt with the (copyediting) job professionally and in a very timely manner. I would definitely use them again.”

“Solid and reliable partners with a great eye for detail. The Book Edit help us deliver professional books and publications.”

“Emily is an exacting, encouraging and extremely knowledgeable editor. She helped me to develop my short stories, encouraged me when I was at the start of my writing career and has been supportive ever since. I thoroughly recommend her keen and sensitive editor’s eye and have the utmost confidence in her ability to see both the big picture and the smallest of details when it comes to offering editorial advice.’ ”

“I found using The Book Edit brilliant. It was invaluable to have an experienced editor look at my work before trying to find an agent. The suggestions she made were extremely perceptive and useful in the redrafting process. ”

“The Book Edit opened my eyes, providing invaluable enlightenment into what fuels the success of great storytelling. After applying their shared wisdom, I was confident to release my book into the world. The true praise I would like to give would fill another manuscript… ”

“Emily’s feedback was always excellent and exacting. She could easily identify the weaknesses and strengths in my writing, and her constructive, generous suggestions prompted me to work harder.”

“‘In those uncertain months before securing an agent and then publisher, Emily’s work as editor on my manuscript was crucial. Her notes were always perceptive and challenging but framed with real encouragement and support. I was lucky to have someone so talented helping me take my story forward: Emily deserves real credit for the fact that it’s being published. ”

“‘Emily edited my first novel with great insight, identifying clearly what was working and what wasn’t. I tightened up the manuscript considerably through her suggestions which I found invaluable, and have taken the lessons learned from that process onto my further work. ”

“‘Emily’s comments on my work were always kind, constructive, and insightful, and the lessons I learned from her advice were invaluable. She’s able to get straight to the heart of a story and help you see what’s missing, so that you improve it from the inside out,’ ”

“‘Emily is a brilliant and sensitive writing mentor... My debut novel, Flesh and Bone and Water, is based on a story I first showed to Emily. Her perceptive feedback and support gave me the courage to expand it into a book. ”

“‘Emily Pedder’s insightful critique of Owl Song at Dawn helped me to rework it to a publishable standard. Her alertness to the demands of plot and structure is balanced with her sensitivity to psychology of characters, complexity of themes and nuance of language. Such a rare combination proved invaluable.”

“With Emily’s encouragement I have completed the first draft of a lengthy novel. As a mentor and editor, Emily has always been very empathetic and encouraging. She always provides excellent input on both the finer detail and bigger picture of what is required to get a story to the very best it can be.”

“Emily Pedder is the midwife, first reader, first editor, and ever-encouraging mentor who kept me writing... I owe her a huge debt of gratitude for her keen instincts around the subject matter of this memoir. ”

“I benefitted a great deal from Emily’s sensitivity to my text... She’s different from other editors - I had a consistent feeling that she was experiencing my manuscript as a story not just a job. She commented on it as a reader might rather than just on the technicalities of writing and structure. It was a warm and reassuring experience. I recommend it to all authors or would-be novelists. And I am looking forward to working with her on my current novel for the same nurturing, thorough and focused work that got me not just an excellent publisher but also some dizzying reviews! ”

“With a keen awareness of the connection between a strong structure and elegant word choice, Emily really knows how to help a writer make his or her story shine. Plus, she imparts her knowledge with kindness. Can’t recommend her enough.”

“Emily Pedder is an extremely gifted writing coach, mentor and editor. She is quick to appreciate what a writer is trying to achieve and tailors her advice to each individual. Her enthusiasm is inspiring and her creative instincts are always spot on. Working with Emily is a great way to bring out the best in your writing. ”

“Emily’s experience as a writer makes her an excellent editor and tutor and her feedback on short stories and novels has always been constructive and valuable.”

“Emily’s comments on my novel were invaluable. Her suggested changes to the central scene made it far more moving. She was always helpful in a very practical and insightful way. ”

“Emily has been helpful at every stage of the process, from generating ideas to finding the right publisher: I was really impressed by her attention to detail and knowledge of independent presses. But most importantly she is a great at both the sentence level and in thinking about the overall story shape. ”

“I’m grateful to Emily for equipping me with skills that continue to help me every day in my writing work. ”

“I had the great good fortune to have Emily Pedder act as a writing mentor. Emily has a unique editorial ability to narrow in on the arc of a work and help the author to clarify their intent. The same is true in character development, she is able to decipher inconsistencies and aid in the discovery of clearly defined characters that drive a story forward, are compelling and speak in a delicious manner. Ms. Pedder gave me the confidence in my storytelling to trust in the simplicity of human interaction. I am a far better writer for working with her.”

“Emily was incredibly inspiring, knowledgeable and an expert in guiding me through the pitfalls of creating a first draft…Ultimately, she was instrumental in the process of publishing my first book. ”

“I have worked with Emily as an editor for the past ten years, seeing my first novel to publication and my current novel from rough draft ideas through to a radical rewrite. Emily has a very keen eye for narrative structure, posing astute and challenging questions that push me as a writer to fully realise my intentions. She skilfully combines critical judgement with empathy, support and encouragement, which come from a deep understanding of the writer and their process. I could not recommend her editorial and mentoring skills more highly. ”

“Emily’s editorial advice has been invaluable. She worked with patience and offered practical, achievable solutions. Her insightful feedback guided me through writing and redrafting my novel. The lessons learned stayed with me, and have made me a better writer. ”

“I had a session with Emily at a crucial developmental stage of my novel. Her approach is both practical and insightful, just the combination I needed to help me make editing decisions and look again at structure and character development. It worked well for me because she uses her own considerable experience as a writer, and equally important as an informed reader, and also has a much needed objective view that is essential in good editing. She has a great understanding of the importance of finding one’s own voice as a writer, and is also very astute at pointing out and helping with the practical aspects of getting your writing into the best shape possible. We all need a good editor, and Emily is one. ”

“The Book Edit took my work to the next level. With their attention to detail, great feedback and first class support, I would highly recommend The Book Edit to any writer looking for a professional review of their work.”

“Emily’s editorial advice has always been invaluable to me. She takes your project as a given, and then sets out to help you perfect it on its own terms. She has helped many writers and has a wealth of experience and insights. And her skills extend to the deepest editorial issues.”

“Early in my development as a writer I was fortunate enough to work with Emily. Insightful, detailed, and straightforward, her suggestions helped me think about my writing in unexpected ways, and most certainly helped me cut through my own internal BS—she was not there to massage anyone’s ego! That kind of candor, coupled with her understanding of what makes stories and prose work, proved invaluable, and have stayed with me to this day. ”