Lucy Ridout | Editor of Fiction and Travel
- Website
- Lucy Ridout Editorial
- Organisation
- Lucy Ridout Editorial
- Job title
- Editor of fiction and travel
- Membership Grade
- Advanced Professional Member
About Lucy
Do you worry that your plot isn’t pacy enough, your dialogue sounds wooden or your ending is letting you down?
Are you struggling with your trip notes, wondering how to transform your journals into a travel book that others will enjoy?
I can help.
I edit fiction and travel titles for self-publishers, debut novelists, established authors and publishing houses.
In my 30-year career I’ve helped dozens of novelists and travel writers, from nervous self-publishers to professional authors with secure publishing deals. I’ve edited historical romances and spy thrillers, comedy capers and literary mysteries, expat memoirs and pilgrimage diaries, experimental fiction and commercial chart-toppers.
I'm an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and a member of the Society of Authors (SoA).
I am also an author myself. For two decades I researched and wrote multiple guidebooks to Thailand and Indonesia for the travel-guide publisher Rough Guides. I know how much hard graft goes into writing a book and how crucial it is to have an editor who respects that.
As an editor, my job is to give honest, constructive feedback on a writer's manuscript. I do that with empathy and discretion. I take the time to tune into what the author is trying to achieve and to understand what their book needs so that I can guide them to the next stage.
Please visit www.lucyridout.co.uk to find out how I can help you produce the best possible book.
EDITORIAL SERVICES: FICTION AND TRAVEL
- Fiction: commercial fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction, romantic fiction, genre fiction, women's fiction, crime novels, spy novels, psychological fiction, thrillers, cosy crime, fiction in translation
- Travel: travelogues, travel memoir, travel history, expat diaries, guidebooks
- Structural and developmental editing: pace, narrative flow, structure, characterisation, style
- Copy-editing: grammar, punctuation, clarity, consistency
- Rewriting: recasting fiction and travel manuscripts by authors whose first language is not English into lively, fluent prose
- Advice on self-publishing: novels and travel titles
Please see my portfolio for a list of some of the books I have worked on.
TESTIMONIALS
Lucy has been the editor on five of my psychological thrillers and I wouldn’t want to be edited by anyone else. In fact, my agent specifically asked for Lucy to work on my books as part of my latest contract, so highly is she regarded in the industry. She is meticulous, thoughtful and incisive, and she’s particularly good at internal logic and the motivations of characters. In short, she’s the best in the business.
— JS Monroe, author of No Place to Hide, The Man on Hackpen Hill, The Other You, Find Me and Forget My Name (psychological thrillers)
I worked with Lucy on my trilogy of More Ketchup than Salsa memoirs. She developed my drafts from a wildfire of spontaneous convolution into a structured story that consequently blossomed into a bestseller. Lucy is my first go-to when it comes to editing and polishing my prose.
— Joe Cawley, author of the 'More Ketchup than Salsa' trilogy (travel/memoir)
Anyone who has completed a novel knows the loneliness of the long-form writer. Having Lucy waiting for me at the end of that process was and continues to be a dream. When her notes arrive in my inbox, the thrill is right up there with a child on Christmas morning. They are always thorough, thoughtful and spot on… and she gets my jokes.
— Christina Robert (commercial women's fiction)
Wow. Did I write that book? What an editor! I cannot praise Lucy highly enough. She has a way of putting her finger on the exact issue, gently pushing you into becoming a better writer. I was so happy to work with her and will never go anywhere else. Five stars from me.
— Peter Barber, author of A Parthenon on Our Roof (travel memoir)
The international author’s biggest concern: will my book still ‘sound’ the way I wrote it in its original language? Well, there is good news. You do not need to be concerned, because there is Lucy. She takes your translated fiction and transforms it in such a way that there is no danger of your words being ‘lost in translation’. Lucy is careful and smart: she catches the plot holes and does her homework. She is the editor that every author needs. I am very lucky that she has applied her magic touch to my novels.
— Defne Suman, author of The Silence of Scheherazade, At the Breakfast Table and Summer Heat (literary fiction in translation)
I have collaborated with Lucy on some of Head of Zeus’s biggest titles, and she is hands down the best editor I’ve ever worked with.
— Laura Palmer, Publishing Director, Head of Zeus
Without Lucy's keen eye and guiding influence I would never have brought the book to publication level, not to mention the constant support and encouragement that kept me going when things were proving tricky. You need someone like that behind you when you’re self-publishing. Her editorial suggestions showed that she understood exactly where I was coming from – another vital element.
— Lucille Turner, author of The Sultan, the Vampyr and the Soothsayer (literary historical fiction)
I was amazed that Lucy knew my characters, plot and themes as well (or better!) than me. Her suggestions on how to hone and develop all three were excellent and insightful, and her patience and willingness to enter into prolonged discussions about the most minor issues was outstanding.
— Peter Howard, author of The Miraculous Music of Clara Martinelli (magical-realist fiction) and The Museum of Confiscated Property (literary mystery)
Service(s)
Specialisms
Client types
Associated skills
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.