Headshot of Bonnie, a freelance book editor, outside a book shop

Hello, I’m Bonnie

I help writers turn their ideas into finished, publishable books without the years of false starts, frustration, or self-doubt.

Whether you dream of self-publishing, landing a traditional book deal, or finally finishing that first draft, I’ll guide you with a clear, proven path to get there.

For seven years, I worked as an editor inside the Big Five publishing houses, shaping manuscripts, championing authors, and learning what truly makes a book succeed. Now I bring that insider experience directly to you—to demystify the publishing process and make the path to publication feel possible and exciting.

Writing a book is an act of courage. Getting it into readers’ hands should feel just as empowering.

Work with me

Trusted by top publishers.

DK logo in black and red, resembling an open book.
Logo of Big Five Publisher, Penguin Random House, featuring a penguin inside an orange oval and the company name next to it.
Joffe Books publishing house logo.
Canelo publishing house logo.
Logo with a red flame above a blue water wave, with the text "Harper Collins" below

A collaborative relationship for your story

Every writer I work with receives more than an editor. They gain a publishing mentor who’s invested in their vision.

Big Five Experience

7+ years as an in-house editor with Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Dorling Kindersley. I’ve been in the rooms where acquisition decisions are made. I know exactly what publishers want, and how to get your book noticed.

Commercial Focus

I know what sells. From titles to back cover copy and marketing strategies, I combine editorial skill with a sharp sense of market awareness and trends. My goal is to make your book not just well-written, but positioned for real-world success.

Industry Training

I have a MA in Publishing from University College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Exeter, blending a lifelong love of storytelling with an expert understanding of the business behind the books.

Editorial Craft

I hold a diploma in Book Editing from the London School of Publishing. From big-picture developmental edits to polishing writing on a line level, I’ve guided hundreds of manuscripts from first draft to publication.

Why Authors & Publishers Turn to Me

A woman with long brown hair, wearing a black sweater and jeans, shopping for books in a bookstore, holding a book and looking down at a table filled with colorful books.

Ways to work with me

A pile of books, representing reading, writing, and publishing

01

Novel Development

You’ve got the story. You just need to get it out of your head and onto the page.

Maybe you’ve started and stalled or maybe you’re still staring at a blank document, waiting for the right time. This is it.

The Novel Development Package gives you a proven roadmap, accountability, and expert guidance to turn your idea into a complete, professionally edited first draft in just 16 weeks.

One-on-one coaching. Editorial direction. Real progress.

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A book display, representing reading, writing, and publishing

02

Traditional Publishing

You’ve finished your draft, but finishing isn’t the same as being ready.

If you’re serious about landing an agent or a traditional publishing deal, you need more than a good story. You need a manuscript that commands attention the moment it hits an agent’s desk.

We’ll refine your novel line by line, elevate your storytelling, and package your book with a sharp query letter, strategic comps, and positioning that gets you noticed.

This is your bridge between “I wrote a book” and “I’m ready to be published”.

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An open book, representing reading, writing, and publishing

03

Self-Publishing

You don’t need anyone’s permission to publish your book, and you don’t have to sacrifice quality to do it.

The Self-Publishing Package helps you edit, polish, and independently publish your book in both digital and print to the same professional standards used by the Big Five. From developmental and line-level edits to final formatting, I’ll guide you through every step, so your book looks, reads, and feels like it belongs on every shelf.

Keep your creative freedom. Maintain full control. Launch your book with confidence and credibility.

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Some of the titles I’ve worked on

  • The cover of the book titled 'The Comfort Food Cafe' by Debbie Johnson, featuring a snowy scene with a woman sitting on a chair outside a colorful cafe, holding a cup, with a dog nearby and mountains in the background.
  • Book cover for 'Christmas at Hollybush Farm' by Jo Thomas, decorated with Christmas lights, featuring a festive scene with a Christmas tree and family at a holiday gathering.
  • Book cover for "A Northern Lass" by Emma Hornby, featuring a woman with blonde hair in a blue shirt standing on a street with houses, with a colorful sunset sky in the background and an orange circle with red text about the book's content.
  • Book cover for 'What I Told My Friends' by Alice Leigh showing a girl with brown hair in a blue jacket, holding a book, standing in a stone archway overlooking a castle campus with a clock tower, green lawn, and blue sky.
  • Book cover for 'The Deep End' by Nick Louth, featuring an image of a pier at sunset with a vibrant orange, pink, and purple sky.
  • Book cover for 'Death Comes to St. Ives' by Jo Silva with an illustration of a coastal village, beach, ocean waves, and cloudy sky.
  • Book cover for 'Last One Left Alive' by Michael Wood, featuring a view through a stone window of a forest with a person walking down a path, and text indicating it's a thriller with a ticking clock.
  • Book cover featuring a mansion with two characters, a woman in a pink floral dress and yellow shoes, and a man in a tan blazer and dark pants, standing on a pathway surrounded by green trees and grass, with pink and blue sky background. The title reads "Thank You, Next" and the author is Kathryn Freeman.
  • Book cover for "Then She Lied" by Alice Leigh, featuring houses near a body of water at sunset with a sky gradient from blue to yellow, and the title text in large white font.
  • Book cover for "The Plot Twist" showing a man and woman kissing behind a pink book, with a table of books, roses, and champagne in the background.
  • A book cover for 'A Little Place in Prague' by Julie Caplin, featuring a snowy winter scene in Prague with a couple embracing and decorated trees and buildings in the background.
  • Book cover titled "The French Cookery School" by Caroline James featuring four women and one man in a sunflower field with a white building in the background, and cooking equipment on a table, with a blue sky overhead.
  • A colorful harbor scene with a boat in the foreground, and pastel-colored houses, trees, and mountains in the background, along with a book titled 'The Croatian Island Library' by Eva Glyn.
  • Cover of the book "The Socialite Spy" by Sarah Sigal featuring a woman with red hair in a blue dress standing by the river with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in London in the background, during sunset.
  • Book cover for "Booked for Summer" by Kathryn Freeman, featuring a man in a beige jacket and light blue pants, and a woman in a green polka dot dress with pink heels, standing on a wooden dock with water, a lighthouse, and buildings with a bookstore in the background, during sunset.
  • Book cover for 'Last Dance in Salzburg' by Vivian Conroy, featuring a woman in red coat and hat walking along snowy riverfront with Salzburg cityscape and mountains in the background.
  • Book cover for 'The Silent Sister' by Jan Baynham, showing a woman with long brown hair in a white dress, standing on a balcony overlooking a colorful town, ocean, and mountains at sunset.
  • Book cover titled 'The Breakfast Before Christmas' by Charlotte Barnes, featuring a red background with illustrations of women, Christmas ornaments, snowflakes, a wreath, and gift boxes.
  • Book cover for 'Soul Hate' by Hannah Kinsley showing a man with short blond hair and a woman with long black hair and dark skin, standing back-to-back with their fists clenched, set against a background with a large white and gray structure. The tagline reads, 'What if you fall for the one you are fated to destroy?'
  • Book cover illustration featuring a yellow van and a border collie in a scenic countryside with rolling hills, cypress trees, and houses circa sunset or sunrise, with the title "Atticus Arnott's Great Adventure" and author's name Caroline James.
  • Book cover with a sunset over a pier extending over water, with birds flying in the sky. Title: 'Murder Under the Pier,' author Max Manning.
  • Book cover for "The Typo" by Emily Kerr. Illustration of a young woman with red hair and a young man with brown hair sitting back-to-back by windows; the woman is working on a laptop with a cup nearby, and the man is looking at his phone. Behind them are scenic views of a historic building and a snowy mountain.
  • Book cover titled 'Eleven Hours to Murder' by D.B. Borton, part of 'The Cat Caliban Mysteries' series. Features a bus stop with a sitting, orange long-haired cat, a guitar, and a park background at night.
  • Book cover for "Afterglow" by Lily Easton, featuring two women sitting on a picnic blanket by a campfire, with a purple sky filled with stars and sparkles. The subtitle reads "Will old flames be rekindled?"

 Frequently Asked Questions

  • Editors who have worked in-house at major publishing houses understand exactly what a publishable manuscript looks like—because they’ve been the ones acquiring, shaping, and preparing books for publication. They know industry standards, how decisions are made behind the scenes, and what separates a strong submission from one that stalls in the first round.

    In-house experience also means your editor has collaborated with agents, authors, copyeditors, designers, and marketing teams. This perspective ensures your manuscript works not just creatively, but commercially, giving your book the best chance to succeed in the real publishing world.

  • I’ve designed my services to deliver real results, not piecemeal feedback. With a complete package, you receive structured guidance, expert insight, and step-by-step support to edit, package, and position your novel—all in a single, cohesive process.

    This approach saves you time, keeps your writing consistent, and ensures every stage of your manuscript is aligned with your goals.

  • Because I work one-on-one with a limited number of clients each year, my schedule often fills months in advance. If you’re ready to work together, it’s best to reach out early to secure your spot.

    If a spot isn’t available, you can join the waiting list. I notify authors as soon as an opening comes up, giving you the best chance to work together without missing the opportunity.

  • The Big Five—Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group, Simon & Schuster, and Macmillan—are the most influential trade publishers in the world. They set the highest editorial and commercial standards, producing many of the books you see on bestseller lists and in major bookstores.

    Working with someone who has Big Five experience means your editor knows exactly what earns serious consideration, what gets rejected immediately, and what it takes for a manuscript to thrive. You benefit from guidance shaped by the same systems that produce top-tier, widely distributed books.

  • I specialise in adult commercial fiction and have extensive experience across genres including romance, romantic fantasy, romantic suspense, dark romance, historical fiction, saga, crime and thriller, cosy crime, women’s fiction, fantasy, and YA crossover.

    Every genre has its own expectations, rhythms, tropes, pacing, emotional beats, and reader promises. A genre-specialist knows what readers want, what agents and publishers expect, and where the common pitfalls lie. I help you craft a story that feels fresh while delivering the elements your audience craves, so your book resonates and satisfies reader expecations.

  • Because writing is rewriting. The real magic happens during editing and revision, when your story is shaped, strengthened, and fully realised.

    Most writers haven’t been taught how to revise, so it’s completely normal for a first draft to not yet be publisher-ready. This isn’t a reflection of your talent—it’s part of the process for every author.

    An editor brings the distance and perspective you can’t have as the author. You know your story too well to see what’s missing or unclear.

    While writing can be a deeply rewarding creative process, professional editing is what makes your book competitive in today’s crowded publishing market. It ensures your story is clear, polished, and ready to capture readers’ attention.

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