Please note: The Book Specialist editorial agency has a new website. Please visit www.thebookspecialist.com for full details of author mentoring, ghostwriting, book critiquing, development editing, copy-editing and proofreading services, and to contact Charlie Wilson.
Many moons ago I set up Perfectly Write at perfectlywrite.co.uk as my freelance editorial business. But over time, as my business expanded, I became The Book Specialist, and outgrew this website. So, in 2011 I relaunched as an editorial agency with the website www.thebookspecialist.com. On the new website you can...
~ Find out all about me and my team of editors
~ Get the lowdown on The Book Specialist services
~ Catch up on the latest Book Specialist news
~ Enter The Novel Prize author competition
~ Find recommended books and fabulous literary gifts
~ Access resources for authors
The following sections give you more of a picture of The Book Specialist. Please do visit The Book Specialist website for full details and to contact me.
About The Book Specialist
The Book Specialist Ltd is an agency that specialises in providing editorial services to authors and publishers: ghostwriting, author mentoring, book critiquing, development editing, copy-editing and proofreading – everything you need to get a book from concept to print.
The Book Specialist, in a nutshell, is me, Charlie Wilson. I'm a professional ghostwriter, copy editor and proofreader based in Nottingham and working with authors and publishers in the UK and internationally. Over the years I've been commissioned as a critiquer, developer, copy editor and proofreader for hundreds of books, from crime thrillers to steamy romances, children's fantasy novels to compelling autobiographies, financial guides to military histories, criminology textbooks to spiritual discourses. My clients have included authors writing in many different genres; publishers such as John Wiley & Sons, Routledge, Taylor & Francis, Folens and Southbank Publishing; government bodies like the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual); charities like Beat, Respond, Turning Point and FARM-Africa; universities like Surrey and Brighton; and many companies, such as James Villa Holidays, Volkswagen and Associated British Ports. So, I have a wealth of experience in writing and editing. And I'm also a published author myself: How to Succeed as a Freelancer in Publishing (How to Books), Survival Guide for New Parents (Nell James, in press) and Writing a Marketable Book (Troubador, in press). So I'm well placed to understand the publishing process from both sides of the fence and to understand the trials and tribulations (and the joy) of writing books and seeking publication.
As far as I'm concerned, I have the best job in the world – reading, developing and writing books for a living. When you work with me you're working with a proofreader, copy editor and writer whose appetite for books is insatiable. I love working with authors and being a part of developing books in many different genres. I'm like a proud mother duck the day I wander into my local book shop and pick a client's new book off the shelf.
The Book Specialist is an agency with a personal approach. I assess all projects personally, and handle the initial communication with the client. Some projects I take on myself; some I hand over to one of my team of friendly, capable proofreaders, copy editors, development editors and writers. I have built a reputation for quality in my work, and I expect nothing less from my editors. Each editor is from my network of contacts, is experienced in writing/editing/proofreading and has gone through my training process. Together, we're passionate about creating well-written, engaging, creative books.
The Book Specialist services overview
I offer a wide range of services for authors and publishers. Here's a simple overview of the Book Specialist services:
| Service | Performed by | Overview | Costs from |
| Ghostwriting | Ghostwriter (Charlie & Co) | Writing a book for a client | £100 p/1,000 words |
| Author mentoring | Mentor (Charlie) | One-to-one guidance on all aspects of writing | £50 p/hour |
| Book critiquing | Editor (Charlie) | Assessing development needs and potential for publishing | £4.50 p/1,000 words |
| Development editing | Editor (Charlie & Co) | Developing all aspects of a book (incorporates copy-editing) | £12.50 p/1,000 words |
| Intelligent copy-editing | Copy editor (Charlie & Co) | Combining light development editing and copy-editing | £10 p/1,000 words |
| Copy-editing | Copy editor (Charlie & Co) | Tidying language (incorporates proofreading) | £7 p/1,000 words |
| Proofreading | Proofreader (Charlie & Co) | Ensuring accuracy and consistency in language | £5.50 p/1,000 words |
The following sections outline each service in turn.
Proofreading
A proofreader looks for two things: inconsistencies and errors in punctuation, spelling and grammar. So a proofreader will spot a typo, move a misplaced apostrophe, correct a verb in the wrong tense and impose a consistent style in areas such as capitalisation and the use of numbers.
All authors need a proofreader because all books need proofreading. No matter how eagle your eye, you're going to miss the odd mistake, and you're unlikely to even realise that you're making others. Errors are off-putting for the reader, and they diminish the effect of your writing and the sense that you are a capable, professional-level writer.
The Book Specialist proofreaders are top-notch – experienced, trained and the kind of people who really enjoy rooting out a comma splice (sad, perhaps, but that's proofreaders for you!). By hiring a proofreader, you get peace of mind that your text is at a publishable standard without any howlers that will leave you red-faced. To get a feel for my proofreading service, please view my proofreading example.
Note: The proofreader's job is to ensure consistency and accuracy only; not to improve the writing style. If you want more support in tidying your language, you need a copy editor – see the preceding section.
Proofreading costs between £5.50 and £12.00 per 1,000 words.
Click to visit The Book Specialist website for more about commissioning a proofreader.
Copy-editing
A copy editor carries out the same job as a proofreader, but goes a step further to improve the writing. The copy editor looks at areas such as vocabulary, logical flow, clarity, and sentence and paragraph structuring. The copy editor's job is to ensure the text makes sense and reads well. Depending on the client's preference and the recommendation of the copy editor, the copy edit can be light, moderate or intensive.
All authors benefit from a copy editor's input, which is why publishing houses commission both copy editors and proofreaders to work on every book. To get a feel for my copy-editing service, please view my copy-editing example.
Note: Another name for copy-editing is language editing, because the copy editor focuses on the language of a book. It's beyond the scope of copy-editing to develop the content of the book: elements such as overall structure, plot, pace and characterisation. Although a copy editor will always flag a glaring issue, such as a factual error or clear inconsistency, the copy editor's job isn't to look at what you're saying, but to look at how you're saying it. For content editing, you need a development editor – see the preceding section for details.
Copy-editing costs between £7.00 and £14.00 per 1,000 words.
Click to visit The Book Specialist website for more about commissioning a copy editor.
Intelligent copy-editing
Some authors want a little more input than copy-editing (see below) but don't want as much work as a development edit. Sitting between the two services is what I call 'intelligent copy-editing'. A copy editor edits the book, using their best judgement to flag clear development issues. So the copy editor may make a note that the pace has dropped off, or that structuring is confusing, or that characterisation is inconsistent while copy-editing the language. But the copy editor doesn't get stuck in to flagging up every tiny development point.
Intelligent copy-editing is a popular service with my clients. To get a feel for my intelligent copy-editing service, please view my intelligent copy-editing example.
Intelligent copy-editing costs between £10.00 and £17.00 per 1,000 words.
Click to visit The Book Specialist website for more about commissioning a copy editor.
Development editing
Development editing is the top of the editorial tree. Development editing goes beyond the language-based approach of copy-editing (see below) and looks at the bigger picture of the book – at elements such as structure and pace and characterisation, for example.
Depending on the client's preference, the development editor may be very hands-on and invasive, and perhaps stray into ghostwriting, or may instead offer lots of suggestions and comments to guide the author in developing the book.
Development editing gets the very best from a book, but it is a lengthy and intensive form of edit, so it's not ideal for every client. To get a feel for my development editing service, please view my development editing example.
Development editing costs between £12.50 and £50 per 1,000 words.
Click to visit The Book Specialist website for more about commissioning a development editor.
Ghostwriting
If you want to 'write' a book, but you don't have the time, the inclination, the know-how or the creative ability to do so, you need a ghostwriter. A ghostwriter writes a book for you. The ghostwriter writes the book as you, in your voice. Although the ghostwriter will make recommendations for the writing, ultimately the client is the boss: the ghostwriter writes the book the client wants written. And we're called ghostwriters for a reason: we're invisible by nature – so the client is free to publish the book in his/her own name.
A ghostwriting project is a big one, requiring several months' toil (and many packets of biscuits). The essential ingredients for ghostwriting are a good synergy between client and ghostwriter, and the ghostwriter being able to connect to the subject matter and see that the book is a strong, marketable proposition.
I take on one to two ghostwriting jobs a year, and I commission ghostwriter colleagues via The Book Specialist agency as well. For each ghostwriting project the ghostwriter works directly with the client.
Ghostwriting generally costs between £100 and £300 per 1,000 words.
Click to visit The Book Specialist website for more about commissioning a ghostwriter.
Author mentoring
Basically, with author mentoring you get my support in whatever form you'd like – face-to-face, over the phone, via email. I may work with you to develop a piece of writing. I may brainstorm ideas with you. I may coach you to gain confidence in your writing. I may help you structure text. I may suggest writing exercises you can try. I may help improve your self-editing and proofreading skills. The aim of the service is to help you, the client, learn and develop, rather than carry out development for you.
Author mentoring costs from £50 per hour.
Click to visit The Book Specialist website for more about commissioning mentoring.
Book critiquing
Writing a book is the fun bit – working out whether it's any good is harder. A second opinion from an experienced editor can help you see what's working and what needs work in your book.
A critique is not about giving the author insincere praise to flatter the ego. Nor is it a vehicle for callous criticism. My book critiques are honest, diplomatic and constructive.
I offer two levels of book critique for authors and for publishers:
Comprehensive book critique: A seven- to ten-page appraisal of your book, looking at key elements like title, genre, structure, plot, characterisation, setting and suitability for publication. A budget book critique costs between £4.50 and £7 per 1,000 words.
Budget book critique: I look at the synopsis and first 10,000 words of your book and give you an honest, in-a-nutshell appraisal of whether the book's got legs (and if so, where those legs may take it). A budget book critique costs £75.
Click to visit The Book Specialist website for more about commissioning a book critique.
Find out more
The Book Specialist offers specialist book services: ghostwriting, mentoring, critiquing, developing, copy-editing and proofreading. To find out more, visit The Book Specialist website.