Graham Clarke |
- [email protected]
- Organisation
- Brighter Corners
- Job title
- Copy editor, Developmental Editor, Line Editor and Proofreader
- Membership Grade
- Professional Member
About Graham
Work with an editor who cares about good writing as much as you do
As an experienced, skilled and trained editor, I help turn great ideas into outstanding books.
I offer developmental editing, copy and line editing, and proofreading for both fiction and non-fiction writers and publishers. Wherever you are with your project, I have a range of skills and knowledge that can help you.
My work is clear and concise while being respectful and friendly, focussed entirely on your needs and aims.
Contact me to find out more.
Manuscript critiques for fiction writers
I specialise in literary fiction and other forms of contemporary writing, including short stories.
I am experienced in working with stories focussed on character, plot and structure, with an emphasis on realism, and I am skilled in seeing how these elements interact and support each other, keeping the narrative focussed and compelling.
You can expect a creatively critical response to your work, with the feedback and tools you need to take it to the next level, so that your readers get the satisfying and rewarding story they expect.
Find out more and contact me on my website.
Copy editing and line editing for fiction writers
I am experienced in sentence-level editing to maintain consistency in the story world, along with spelling, grammar and punctuation. I also work on the wording and sentence structure to ensure you are saying what you mean to say, as clearly as possible.
I work in all genres, including literary fiction, short stories, sci-fi, dystopian, thriller and crime.
Find out more and contact me on my website.
Copy editing and line editing for non-fiction writers
Along with editing for consistency and correctness of spelling, grammar and punctuation, I double check the facts and figures, and work at sentence level to ensure you are saying what you mean to say, as clearly as possible.
I have experience in a wide range of subjects and fields, including academic and research texts.
My specialities include:
- Popular culture and the arts: music, literature, TV, film and theatre
- Biography
- Travel
- Memoir
Find out more and contact me on my website.
Proofreading for fiction and non-fiction writers
When a book is ready for publishing, I take a final close look at the contents to iron out lingering errors in the text and problems with the formatting.
Find out more and contact me on my website.
Training
- Publishing Training Centre Essential Copy-Editing
- Liminal Pages Developmental Editing Theory and In Practice
- CIEP Fiction Editing
- CIEP Copy Editing Progress
Testimonials
'He works magic'
I have been delighted with Graham’s work with both my novels and will not hesitate to use his services again. He has a skilled eye for detail and works magic to make a manuscript polished and professional. Highly recommend.
Emma Ellis, author of the Raft Series (2022-3)
‘Fun to work with’
Graham's work made me feel truly confident that my books were ready to be published. He completely understood my style and what I was trying to achieve.
His guidance, suggestions, and opinions were invaluable, and he found the guiding thread so my books stayed focused. He was also fun to work with.
Pat Spain, Wildlife Biologist, Cryptozoologist, and TV Presenter - author of the On the Hunt series for 6th Books (2022)
‘Highly professional’
Graham carried out a line and copy edit on our debut title, Flower Factory. He was great to deal with from the word go, and the edit itself was thorough, nuanced and highly professional.
I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Graham to other publishers looking for high quality editing work.
Henry Rowley, Ortac Press
‘A personal interest in my story’
Following a fantastic developmental edit of my short stories, Graham was happy to engage in further discussions around the work, and continued to provide me with expert advice until I simply ran out of questions.
He understood and took a personal interest in my stories, and I wouldn’t hesitate to work with him again. His service is invaluable.
Lewis Talbot, short story writer
‘Above and beyond what I paid for’
Graham's work left me speechless - it was that good. Through a wonderful copy edit he offered vital advice on the story world, plot inconsistencies and character development. He even had a thirty-minute phone conversation with me to discuss things. This went above and beyond what I paid for.
I couldn't be happier to have a found Graham, and I look forward to a long and fruitful working relationship with him.
Awais Khan, Young Adult fiction writer
‘Alive to discussion over the finer points’
Graham is a highly professional editor who is attentive to detail, imaginative, alive to discussion over the finer points of a story and thoughtful in his feedback, all without losing the bigger picture of what a narrative is trying to achieve.
Just as importantly, he is easy to work with, prompt and clear in his responses, and always reasonable in all aspects of his work.
Andrew Davenport, author of Dear Lucifer and Other Stories (2018) and No Way Home (2018)
‘Superbly measured advice’
Graham helped transform my ideas into an Amazon no. 1 best seller. He has the great ability to correct every tiny detail while giving superbly measured advice on overall structure.
He is a pleasure to work with - 100% reliable, endlessly patient, and with an understanding of complex writing ideas.
Martin Weitz, author of The Elena Text (2017)
‘An excellent job’
Graham is affectionately known as the Punk Scholars' 'official' editor, and he's done an excellent job on everything he's worked on for us.
Mike Dines, the Punk Scholars Network, editor of Punk Pedagogies: Music, Culture and Learning (2017) and Postgraduate Voices in Punk Studies (2017)
‘Precise, rigorous and thorough’
Graham is not just a very precise, rigorous, and thorough editor, but he also understands what the author wants to say - that's hard to find.
Vlado Kotnik, author of Opera as Anthology (2016) and Small Places, Operatic Issues (2018)
‘Consistently stellar’
I have relied on Graham’s work for the past eight years. His work is consistently stellar, and goes much beyond syntactic and semantic editing, offering cues for improvement of your writing and spotting inconsistencies.
He is also great at fact checking. I recommend him to colleagues and postgraduate students all the time.
Ana, University of LIsbon
‘Dedication and readiness’
I was most impressed with the great effort made in copy editing my thesis, with the dedication and readiness to respond to my special language requests, for being able to work around the clock, for being punctual and accurate, and also for the fair price. It definitely made my PhD become a reality.
Yonatan Mendel, University of Cambridge
‘Graham did it excellently’
I published a volume written by authors from nine countries, all of whom were writing in English as a foreign language.
This was a very challenging work to copy edit into a homogeneous entity, in good English, while keeping each author’s individual style, and Graham did it excellently.
Maria Nawojczyk, AGH University, Poland
Service(s)
Specialisms
Client types
Disclaimer note
The CIEP Directory of Editorial Services should be considered a point of first contact and prospective clients must satisfy themselves that members are capable of the work on offer. The Institute cannot be held responsible for the quality of work provided by any member listed in the directory. The members themselves are responsible for the maintenance and accuracy of their entries in the Directory and the CIEP has not made any attempt to vet them. The institute cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in the Directory. Inclusion in the Directory as a freelance does not necessarily mean that the member is self-employed as defined by HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions.