Your Questions Answered

Developmental editing focuses on the big-picture elements of your story: structure, plot, character development, pacing, voice, themes, worldbuilding, and how all of these work together. It’s not about fixing grammar or polishing sentences (that’s copyediting and proofreading, which come later in the process).

That said, while a developmental edit isn’t a copyedit, I will give you guidance on your prose: how to make your writing stronger, clearer, and more vivid at the sentence level. Good storytelling and good writing go hand in hand.

Think of it this way: if your novel were a house, a developmental editor would look at the architecture, the layout, and whether the foundation is solid. I also bring my dual lens to every manuscript, so alongside craft feedback, I’ll help you think critically about representation, unconscious bias, and how to create authentic, diverse characters and worlds.

Not at all. In fact, many of the writers I work with have had accomplished careers in other fields and have carried a deep desire to write for years: a desire they’re finally ready to do something about. They bring life experience to their writing and a real desire to learn. What they often haven’t had is the chance to study fiction craft.

That’s exactly why I work the way I do. I like to get in under the hood and explain the why: the craft principles behind the feedback, so you genuinely understand and can carry those skills forward. Think of it as getting a personal writing professor, not a report card.

I work with literary fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, and genre fiction that engages meaningfully with social themes. Think stories that explore identity, justice, power, culture, or the complexity of human experience. If your story is in that territory, we’re likely a good fit.

If you’re not sure whether your project is right for me, get in touch. I’m always happy to have a conversation about it.

A manuscript critique gives you a detailed editorial letter covering the big-picture elements of your story: what’s working, what needs rethinking, and clear suggestions for revision. It’s ideal if you want a thorough overview and a roadmap for your next draft.

A full developmental edit includes everything in a manuscript critique, plus detailed in-line comments throughout your manuscript. This means you get both the big-picture perspective and specific, page-by-page feedback showing you exactly where and how to strengthen your story. It also includes the option of a follow-up consultation.

You’ll receive a detailed editorial letter: a structured, in-depth document that covers every major element of your story. This isn’t a few paragraphs of vague encouragement. It’s typically 5 to 8 pages for a manuscript critique or 8 to 12 pages for a full developmental edit, covering structure, character, pacing, voice, themes, representation, and more.

Every piece of feedback comes with an explanation of why it matters and practical suggestions for how to address it. For full developmental edits, you’ll also receive in-line comments throughout your manuscript, so you can see exactly where specific issues arise and how to work with them.

Two things set me apart. First, my dual lens: every manuscript gets feedback through the combined focus of writing craft and inclusive storytelling. Most editors focus on one or the other. I integrate both, because better representation makes for better storytelling.

Second, my teaching background. I’ve spent 20 years helping writers understand fiction. My editorial feedback is designed to give you a toolkit. The goal is that you finish our work together with a stronger manuscript and a deeper understanding of craft that carries into everything you write next.

It means I’ll help you think critically about how your story represents people and the world. This might include looking at whether diverse characters are drawn with depth and authenticity rather than relying on stereotypes, whether the power dynamics in your story are intentional or unconscious, whether certain perspectives are centred while others are marginalised, and whether your worldbuilding reflects the full richness of human experience.

This is absolutely not about policing your imagination or ticking a diversity checklist. Inclusive storytelling makes your fiction richer, more truthful, and more resonant. I draw on specialist training in gender and postcolonial studies and a background in anthropology to offer this perspective, and I always deliver it practically, with warmth, and without judgement.

Final pricing depends on manuscript length and complexity. I’m always transparent about costs before any work begins.

For industry context, you can check the Editorial Freelancers Association rate guidelines at the-efa.org.

A manuscript critique typically takes 4 to 5 weeks. A full developmental edit takes 6 to 8 weeks, depending on manuscript length and complexity. I’ll always give you a clear timeline before we begin, and I’ll keep you updated if anything changes.

I work with a small number of clients at a time, which means your manuscript gets my full attention. Good editorial work can’t be rushed, and I won’t pretend otherwise.

Completely. And honestly? I understand that feeling more than you might expect. I know what it’s like to hand over something you’ve poured your heart into and wait for someone to tell you what they think. It takes real courage, especially with a story that matters deeply to you.

Here’s what I want you to know: I’m not here to judge you or grade your work. I’m here to see the story you’re trying to tell and help you tell it with more skill and confidence. My feedback is always honest, always constructive, and always delivered with genuine care for you and your story.

Yes, and yes again. There’s something wonderful about working with someone who has raw passion for writing, who has fought hard to carve out the time to write and who is discovering the craft of fiction for the first time. Many first-time novelists are people who’ve had full, rich careers and are now turning to a creative dream they’ve carried for years. What they bring is intelligence, life experience, and real commitment. What they often need is someone to help translate that passion into craft. And, after decades studying the craft, that’s exactly where I come in.

The feedback is yours to work with at your own pace. I’d recommend sitting with it for a day or two before diving into revisions. Let it settle. If you’ve booked a full developmental edit, you can use your optional follow-up consultation to talk through your revision plan and ask questions.

If you’d like additional support after that, such as a follow-up critique of your revised manuscript or ongoing coaching conversations, we can always discuss that.

I’m not a sensitivity reader in the traditional sense. Sensitivity reading is a specific, separate service typically provided by someone with lived experience of the identity or community being represented. What I do offer, as part of my editorial feedback, is guidance on inclusive storytelling drawn from my specialist academic training.

I can help you identify unconscious bias, challenge problematic tropes, and think more critically about representation. For some manuscripts, I may also recommend engaging a sensitivity reader with relevant lived experience as part of your revision process.

I’m based in Oslo, Norway, but I work globally. All of my editing is delivered digitally, and I communicate by email and video call. Time zones have never been a problem. We’ll find a rhythm that works for both of us.

Get in touch through my contact page. Let me know what you’re working on, where you are in the process, and what kind of support would be most useful. I’ll get back to you and we’ll take it from there.

It is an expert analysis of your written content for assumptions and missed opportunities that limit audience reach. I review reports, policies, marketing materials, thought-leadership pieces, website copy, and internal communications. You receive an annotated document with detailed comments and a summary report with findings, patterns, and practical recommendations.

Think of it as bringing the same critical depth I would apply to a literary text to your business communications. I read for what the language is actually saying, not just what it intends to say.

Sensitivity reading is a specific service typically provided by someone with lived experience of a particular identity or community. It is valuable and important work. What I offer is different in scope. I analyse how language constructs bias at a structural level, drawing on over twenty years of specialist research in gender, race, power, and representation across four continents.

I look at the broader dynamics of your document: whose perspective is centred, whose experience is assumed as default, what power structures are embedded in the framing. For some projects, I may also recommend engaging a sensitivity reader with relevant lived experience as an additional step.

Absolutely. In fact, the service is designed to complement internal expertise, not replace it. Your inclusion and belonging officers know your organisation’s culture. I bring specialist knowledge of how language constructs bias that most internal teams have not had the opportunity to develop. Together, that is a powerful combination.

I can also provide a summary report that your team can use as a reference for future content, so the learning extends beyond the single document.

Annual reports, sustainability reports, marketing campaigns, website copy, employee handbooks, HR policies, thought-leadership articles, internal communications, company values statements, job descriptions, and any other written content where inclusive language matters. If it is written in English and intended for an audience, I can review it.

This is something I am particularly well placed to help with. I have researched and taught across Ireland, the UK, and Norway, published on literature from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas, and co-founded an international research network with nearly 2,000 members. I also live in a bilingual household in Oslo, so the reality of cross-cultural communication is something I navigate daily.

What reads as inclusive in one cultural context can land differently in another. A document that works well in Norwegian may carry unintended assumptions when translated into English for a global audience. I can help you spot those gaps.

No. If you want someone to run your document through a checklist and hand it back with a few word swaps, I am not the right fit. What I offer is depth. I explain the dynamics behind every issue I identify, so you understand not just what to change but why it matters. That understanding is what changes how your team communicates going forward, not just in this document but in everything that follows.

Pricing depends on the complexity of the task and the turn around time. Please contact me for more information.

I only review documents written in English. However, if your document has been translated from another language into English, that is something I can be particularly helpful with. Translation can introduce cultural assumptions that were not present in the original. My cross-cultural perspective helps identify where meaning has shifted in ways that may not be immediately obvious.

Get in touch through my contact page. Tell me about the document, who it is for, and any concerns you have. I will get back to you and we will take it from there.