Author Services
Writing a book is demanding work—intellectually, creatively, and emotionally. Whether you’re at the very beginning of a manuscript or preparing a project for submission, Mel offers expert, thoughtful support to help you move your writing forward with confidence and clarity.
A traditionally published novelist (three novels) with a PhD in Creative Writing, Mel has worked extensively with writers studying Creative Writing at postgraduate level, through the Bath Spa MA. She has worked in literature development agencies and professional editorial settings. As a freelance author-mentor and editor, She brings together creative insight, academic rigour, and real-world publishing knowledge to support writers at every stage of their journey.
What You Can Expect
Every manuscript is approached as a serious creative project. Feedback is honest, constructive, and highly engaged, tailored to your genre, ambitions, and level of experience. Whether you are writing for personal fulfilment or with publication in mind, your work will be treated with care, respect, and professional attention.
Student on Dialect Developing Your Fiction Course
"Melanie’s Developing your Fiction writing workshop helped me break a ten year writing block - and finally put pen to paper of a novel a decade in the making. I’m now five chapters and 5000 words in to my first draft. The feedback from Mel and the group she facilitated was invaluable for shaping my novel’s direction. Highly recommend!"
Fellow published authors in Peer Support group
"Mel’s feedback is detailed, constructive and always on point. She pitches it at the right level and I always look forward to her help."
"Mel's critique is constructive, rigorous, and honest. She has an eye for detail that's second to none, and a dexterous skill with plot and pacing. If I'm stuck on some aspect of my novel, I know Mel will be able to help!"
Expect feedback to be:
Clear and practical
focused on actionable next steps
Developmental
addressing structure, voice, character, style, and pacing
Market-aware
where relevant, contextualised within the contemporary literary landscape
Encouraging
but rigorous
highlighting strengths as well as areas for growth
All writers are welcome. You do not need to be published, represented, or “ready” to benefit from professional feedback—only committed to improving your work.
Services
Manuscript Assessment
(Partial or Full)
A detailed editorial report on part or all of your manuscript, helping you understand:
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Where your work currently sits
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What is working well, and why
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What may be holding the manuscript back
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How to revise effectively at both structural and sentence level
You will receive guidance on plot, character, voice, theme, pacing, and overall coherence, as well as practical advice for self-editing and redrafting.
Mentoring & Ongoing Support
One-to-one mentoring for writers who want sustained guidance. This may include:
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Developmental feedback across multiple drafts
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Help building confidence and process
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Accountability and goal-setting
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Support navigating creative blocks
Mentoring can be short-term or ongoing, depending on your needs.
Editing
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Developmental Editing – big-picture structural and narrative work
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Line Editing – clarity, flow, voice, and style
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Proofreading – grammar, punctuation, and consistency
Services can be combined or tailored to your project.
Publication Advice
Practical, realistic guidance on:
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Preparing manuscripts for submission
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Understanding agents, publishers, and the submission process
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Writing synopses, query letters, and proposals
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Making informed decisions about next steps
Advice is always honest and grounded in current industry practice.
Academic & Creative Writing Advice
For students and writers working within academic or hybrid contexts, I also offer guidance on:
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Creative writing PhDs and MAs
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Practice-based research
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Critical commentary and reflective writing
A Supportive, Professional Approach
All writing is hard-won. Developmental reports will be respectful, thoughtful, and critically engaged, while recognising the vulnerability involved in sharing creative work. The aim is not to rewrite your manuscript, but to help you understand your own writing more deeply—so you can make confident, informed choices about how to develop it.
If you’re looking for expert guidance that takes your work seriously, Mel would be glad to work with you.
Please get in touch to discuss your project, prices and rates for your requirements.
Melanie provided me with an exceptional editing service for my first novel. I was very nervous about exposing my writing which felt very personal. Melanie put me at ease with good humour and a very relaxed demeanour. She has a warm manner and a good sense of humour which help the process. Melanie provided me with a highly professional service, exceptional insights and editorial advice to move ahead with the book, as well as keen intelligence on the field of publishing. I was truly amazed at how much work went into the report Melanie gave back to me on top of the editorial notes. Melanie is exceptionally intelligent and given her own experience as a published writer, she brings insight and experience, as well as an encouraging and helpful manner. I look forward to continuing working with her as my editor in chief!”
Full Manuscript Appraisal and Development client