Sarah Dronfield | Historical Fiction Editor
- [email protected]
- Website
- Sarah Dronfield Proofreader
- Job title
- Historical fiction editor
- Membership Grade
- Advanced Professional Member
About Sarah
I'm Sarah, and I'm an editor and proofreader specialising in historical fiction.
I work on all historical periods, from prehistory to contemporary history, and on all genres of historical fiction, including action/adventure, crime/mystery/thriller, biographical novels, family sagas, and romance. I also work on historical fiction for children and young adults.
You can find more about me and my services on my website. Contact me at [email protected].
Services
- Manuscript critiques
- Developmental editing
- Line and copy-editing
- Proofreading
Portfolio
Below are just some of the books I have copy-edited:
The Queen of Hel by Johanna Wittenberg
The Queen of War by Johanna Wittenberg
The Alewives by Elizabeth R. Andersen
Sleight of Hand by Elizabeth R. Andersen
The Burnings by Naomi Kelsey
Sisters of Castle Leod by Elizabeth H. Bernard
The Runaway Bride by Felicity York
Cages by Jeffrey C. Pugh
Testimonials
Sarah’s sample edit was just outstanding. Her eye for detail and thorough nature appealed to us because we felt the novel needed a meticulous mind.
Sarah was scrupulous in ironing out plot inconsistencies, some of which were embedded in plot twists and easily overlooked. Her eye for detail was amazing considering the depth at which the novel was written – set in the past, present and future. Sarah’s attention to detail could not be faulted. Examples of which were the colour, type and age of bus in a foreign country, the weather of a particular time and the continuity of street names. These are simply a few of many. Her communication was excellent and the added support she provided throughout the process was exemplary.
What impressed us most about Sarah’s work was how seamlessly she immersed herself in the story, respecting the voice of the author and maintaining a consistent style throughout.
Sarah was very constructive in terms of clarifying puzzling scenes that were too deep and difficult to understand, providing alternative chapter structures to allow more clarity.
As first-time authors we could not be happier with Sarah’s service. We cannot thank her enough. It was a privilege to have worked with her and we can recommend her without any reservation.
Paul and Christopher Bishop, authors of Darling Bay Park
Sarah has been integral to my writer’s journey, steering my debut manuscript from a clunky, head-hopping amateur draft to a polished, compelling story. Her keen editorial insight and thoughtful feedback have immensely improved my writing, and I have learned invaluable lessons to take forward to my next novel. Sarah has been exceptionally accommodating of short notice deadlines and always produces her reports within agreed timescales, which I’ve found particularly helpful. I cannot recommend Sarah enough to any writer who is looking for a skilled, supportive, and insightful editor.
Joanne Mencner
Sarah's precise and attentive work was invaluable to me when I had to get an extensive manuscript out. Aside from her excellent work, she was absolutely punctual and kind, which made the intense effort of completing a rewrite on a deadline incredibly pleasant. I'd work with her again in a heartbeat!
Carol Schneider, playwright/novelist
I cannot thank you enough for your brilliant and detailed critique, which was invaluable in helping me to tighten the story and iron out the kinks. You were the perfect fit for this historical fiction novel, and you went the extra mile to offer guidance on navigating the path to publication.
Peggy Carr, author of Shape of a Warrior
Sarah is thorough, efficient, friendly and reliable – I have no hesitation in recommending her services.
Martin Wagner, managing director, Pinter & Martin
Working and communicating with Sarah was very straightforward, a great help when exploring a different genre for the first time. Her feedback is detailed, incisive and – importantly – very encouraging. Sarah's command of style, pace and tone provided essential input when developing my manuscript.
David Marshall
Sarah threw my book in the air, gathered up the pieces and handed them to me in a way that turned it from confused over-researched self-indulgent tosh into a taut story that anyone without a PhD in early modern history could enjoy. I'm looking forward to working with her again.
Guy Gibson
I chose Sarah to copyedit my debut novel, The Cyclone's Eye, after looking up the CIEP and examining samples of writing various editors had worked on. Some of the works of historic fiction Sarah had edited impressed me for the standard of their prose and for their historical accuracy. It won't be the last time I hire Sarah to edit a manuscript. Her attention to detail was amazing, and she helped to clean up and standardise a mix of grammatical conventions that I'd picked up along the way. She also made a couple of insightful suggestions that were, strictly speaking, more in keeping with a developmental edit than a copyedit. I cannot comment on other genres, but I would say with confidence that Sarah would be an excellent editor for authors of historic fiction, whether one needed structural or developmental editing, copyediting, or proofreading.
T.J. Farlow, author of The Cyclone's Eye
Sarah normally works with a completed manuscript but she was flexible to meet my particular request and provided the inspiration I was looking for to keep going. The manuscript assessment I received was intelligent, perceptive and professional, giving me lots of scope to improve my writing. The suggestions were practical and ranged from the plot level to sentence level, with suggested re-writes. I was particularly pleased to get advice on genre expectations so that my novel lives up to being historical crime. Quite a few adjustments to make but all doable.
Jackie McIntosh
Training and qualifications
Publishing Training Centre (PTC) Essential copy-editing – merit (2020)
Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) Introduction to editing children's books (2018)
EFA Developmental editing of fiction – intermediate and advanced (2018)
SfEP Introduction to fiction editing (2018)
SfEP Editing with Word (2017)
SfEP Introduction to copy-editing (2017)
PTC Grammar at work (2016)
PTC Basic proofreading – merit (2016)
PG Diploma in Organic Agriculture. Aberystwyth University and University of Copenhagen (2008)
2:1 BSc (Hons) Environmental Management and Archaeology. University of Wales, Newport (2007)
Service(s)
Specialisms
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.