About Me
After ten years of working at major publishing houses including Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, I launched my own editorial consultancy business as a freelance editor and book coach in September 2023.
During my career, I acquired, edited and published commercial fiction from romantic comedies to cosy crime, coming-of-age novels to reimagined fairy tales, pulse-pounding thrillers to spellbinding historical fiction. I’ve launched exciting debut voices and driven books to bestseller success. I’ve always enjoyed working closely with authors, from developing that idea that they just can’t forget about, to finessing a first draft so that their book can shine even brighter. In 2018, I was honoured to receive a top industry award, the London Book Fair Trailblazer Award, in recognition of the innovative publishing of Hot Mess by Lucy Vine, my first acquisition.
In my first year, I’m delighted that books I edited hit the Sunday Times bestseller lists and were also shortlisted for major awards including the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger Award. Three writers I have worked with have now self-published their books and, in the last couple of months alone, two writers I worked with on development edits and query package reviews have now found literary agents. I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed coaching clients to help them achieve their writing goals, whether it was turning an idea into a completed draft or overcoming hurdles that were holding them back to unlock their potential.
I’m originally from Sheffield so know how hard publishing can be to get into and have always been passionate about making publishing more accessible, demystifying how it really works and helping to support debut writers as they take the first steps on their publishing journey. I’m proud to have been a mentor for Penguin Random House’s WriteNow programme for writers from under-represented communities, helping my mentee to find their perfect literary agent and secure a publishing deal. I’ve also mentored on the HarperCollins Author Academy, which trains and supports writers from under-represented ethnic backgrounds. I’ve been invited to speak at top industry events, and have been a panelist at the Romantic Novelists’ Association annual conference and given a masterclass with The Literary Consultancy.
When I’m not devouring a good book, I can be found cheering on my beloved Arsenal, enjoying a night at the theatre, watching a classic film at the BFI Southbank or turning my hand to a new craft (my current obsession is lino printing!).