BOOK EDITING & PROOFREADING
Professional Book Editing and Proofreading Services
Improve your manuscript with our professional book editing and proofreading services. Our editors are the team authors trust to polish content, perfect grammar and simplify prose — with proofreading and editing support for writers worldwide, helping authors publish with confidence. From grammar checking to structural comments, our manuscript review services are designed to make your book shine.
The Right Edit, at the Right Level
“Editing” covers several very different crafts, and applying the wrong one wastes money and misses problems. Developmental editing shapes the big picture — structure, pacing, argument, character. Copy-editing works line by line on clarity, consistency and grammar. Proofreading is the final quality gate, catching what everything before it missed. A manuscript rarely needs all three at full depth; it always needs an honest diagnosis of which it does need.
That diagnosis is where Hoggard begins. Every project starts with a manuscript assessment by an editor experienced in your genre — because a thriller’s pacing, a memoir’s voice and a business book’s argument are judged by different standards. You receive a clear recommendation and a fixed quote before any editing starts, and a free sample edit so you can see exactly how we work with your prose.
Throughout, your voice remains the point. Our editors use tracked changes and margin comments so every intervention is visible and reversible; nothing is rewritten over your head. We work to professional style standards (with UK or US English applied consistently, as your market requires), and the goal is always the same — a manuscript that reads as the best version of you.
Editing Services We Offer
From first structural read to the final proof — choose one level or combine them.
Manuscript Assessment
An honest, editorial diagnosis of your manuscript with a clear recommendation on what it needs.
Developmental Editing
Big-picture work on structure, pacing, plot, character and argument — the shape of the book.
Copy-Editing
Line-by-line editing for clarity, flow, consistency, grammar and style.
Proofreading
The final pass on finished, formatted pages — typos, punctuation and layout slips.
Editorial Feedback & Consultation
Margin comments and a written editor’s letter explaining every significant recommendation.
Style & Consistency Sheets
A style sheet documenting decisions — spellings, hyphenation, timeline — for future editions.
How Our Editing Process Works
Transparent from the first sample to the final proof.
- 1
Free sample edit
Send an extract; we edit a short sample free so you can judge our fit before committing.
- 2
Assessment & quote
We diagnose the level of editing your manuscript needs and provide a fixed, itemised quote.
- 3
The edit
Your editor works with tracked changes and comments, in scheduled, communicated passes.
- 4
Your review
You accept, reject or query every change — with your editor available to discuss decisions.
- 5
Final proofread
Once formatted, a fresh pair of eyes proofs the finished pages before publication.
Why Authors Trust Hoggard’s Editors
Start with a free review- Genre-matched editors
- Your manuscript is edited by someone who knows your genre’s conventions and readers.
- Your voice, protected
- Tracked, transparent changes that refine your prose — never rewrite it into someone else’s.
- Free sample edit
- See our editing on your own pages before you spend a penny.
- UK & US English expertise
- Consistent, correct conventions for whichever market your book is aimed at.
Editing & Proofreading — Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between editing and proofreading?
Editing improves the writing itself — structure, clarity, flow and consistency — while proofreading is the final check of finished, formatted pages for typos, punctuation and layout errors. Proofreading comes last; it is a quality gate, not a substitute for editing.
How do I know what level of editing my book needs?
You don’t have to guess. Every project starts with a manuscript assessment: an experienced editor reads your work and recommends the appropriate level — developmental, copy-edit, proofread, or a combination — with a fixed quote. Many manuscripts need less than authors fear.
Will editing change my voice?
No — protecting your voice is the first principle of our editing. Changes are made with tracked changes and explained in comments, so every intervention is visible and reversible. The aim is your book at its best, not our version of it.
How much does book editing cost?
Cost depends on word count and the level of editing required — a proofread costs considerably less per word than a developmental edit. After the free sample and assessment you receive a fixed, itemised quote, agreed before work begins.
How long does editing take?
As a guide: proofreading a typical novel takes one to two weeks, copy-editing two to four, and developmental editing four to eight depending on length and complexity. We agree a schedule with milestones before starting.
Do you edit in UK and US English?
Yes. We edit consistently to either convention — spelling, punctuation and style — based on your primary market, and document the decisions in a style sheet you keep for future editions.
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Ready to Make Your Manuscript Shine?
Send us an extract for a free sample edit — see exactly how our editors would work with your prose, with no obligation.
No obligation · You keep 100% of your author rights