I provide editorial support for fiction writers and narrative non-fiction authors, helping you shape your work into something you are happy to take to the next stage, whether that’s submission, publication, or simply moving confidently forward with revisions.
What I work on
I primarily work on:
- Novels (any stage from early draft to near-publication)
- Short stories and collections
- Narrative non-fiction, including memoir
My experience covers a range of genres, with particular familiarity in contemporary fiction, romance, speculative fiction and more character-driven work.
If you’re working on something slightly outside this, feel free to get in touch. I’m always happy to take a look and see if I can help.
A detailed final pass to ensure your manuscript is correct, clear and consistent – addressing spelling, grammar, punctuation and formatting issues – before publication or submission.
£12 per 1K words (standard)
£7 per 1K words (budget)
A slightly more involved pass, combining proofreading with light stylistic edits. This includes smoothing awkward phrasing, improving clarity, and making small changes that help your writing read more naturally.
£16 per 1K words
Big-picture feedback on your manuscript, focusing on the reading experience. This typically covers areas such as structure, pacing, character development and narrative clarity, helping you understand what’s working and where things might need strengthening.
£20 + £1 per 1K words
A note on pricing: the websites of editorial professionals are often vague about the cost of their services, saying it depends on the needs of the project. While I cannot fault my fellow editors for this strategy – it’s true that there is no such thing as a typical manuscript – I have tried different approaches over the years and have found that I prefer giving potential clients the clarity of fixed pricing over always getting paid the exact right amount for the time taken. That said, very occasionally a manuscript does have needs or characteristics that fall significantly outside the norm, and in those cases the cost may look slightly different. However, this is always negotiated at the start based on an early review of the manuscript. In most cases, the cost will be exactly as listed here.
I’m a creative nonfiction writer who has hired coaches, beta readers, proofreaders, and editors for the greater part of the last ten years and employed Luca’s expertise to edit my book length collection of essays. Editors, as any experienced writer has discovered, come in various forms and talents, and the insight and wisdom I’ve reaped from Luca is not only beneficial because of his proficiency with the English language, but his ability to offer constructive feedback in a way that keeps my ego intact. There’s no hitting me over the head with the ‘show not tell’ 2×4 or harsh and disparaging words that take my ego down and level with the subfloor. Another beautiful thing about Luca? He provides a great deal of information as to how he works and what he can offer you to satisfy your needs, even before you get started—I can attest that he’s a good salesman with a quality product.
Lisa Mae DeMasi
Essay and memoir author
How it works
The exact process varies slightly depending on the service, but typically follows a similar pattern:
1. Get in touch
Send over your manuscript (or a sample), along with a brief overview of what you’re looking for and where you feel you are in the process.
2. Agree scope
We’ll decide on the most suitable service and level of feedback, along with a timeline and quote.
3. Editorial work
I’ll complete the agreed work, tailoring my approach depending on whether it’s a proofread, proof-edit or beta read.
- For proofreading and editing, I work in Word using Track Changes and comments
- If you’re working with a fixed and highly sensitive layout, I can work on a PDF if Adobe instead
- For beta reading, feedback is usually provided as a written report in PDF form
4. Review and next steps
You review the changes or feedback and decide how to take things forward. I’m always happy to clarify any points or answer questions after delivery.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed feedback. That’s exactly what I wanted and it chimes with much of what I’ve been thinking about since I sent this over. […] I can’t say how helpful this is, Luca.
Anna McKerrow
Fantasy and occult author
Luca is incredible to work with! Not only is he reliable, punctual, and very good at what he does. He is genuinely a nice person who offers the best constructive criticism. I will be working with him again!
Samantha Armstrong
Romance author
