Est. 2011 · Daniel Thomas, Freelance Book Editor
Your manuscript deserves an editor who reads it as carefully as you wrote it.
I’m Daniel. For more than a decade I’ve worked quietly alongside novelists, memoirists, and independent publishers, shaping honest drafts into books that reach real readers. Beta reading, developmental and line editing, copy editing, and proofreading, plus formatting, cover design, and launch support when you need a partner all the way to publication.
You keep your voice. I keep your confidence. Every manuscript is treated as the serious piece of work it is.
- Books edited
- 240+
- Years in trade
- 14
- Repeat authors
- 78%
Services
A complete editorial studio, from first read to launch day.
Every service can be booked on its own or combined into a single engagement. Rates are per word for editorial work and fixed for production. You always receive a written proposal before signing.
View all services →- 01Beta Reading
A first honest read from a trained reader's chair. You receive a written reader response covering pacing, engagement, character resonance, and the moments the story earns its keep.
- 02Developmental Editing
Structural work on the manuscript itself: story architecture, pacing, character arc, point-of-view, thematic clarity, and the connective tissue that turns a draft into a book.
- 03Line Editing
Prose-level craft. Rhythm, register, sentence variety, image and metaphor, tightening and lift — all done in your voice, not around it.
- 04Copy Editing
Grammar, punctuation, spelling, house style, and internal consistency in names, timelines, and world detail — with a light hand and a full style sheet delivered with the file.
- 05Proofreading
The final pass on the typeset manuscript. Layout errors, straggling typos, orphaned lines, and the small last things that separate a finished book from an almost-finished one.
- 06Book Formatting
Print-ready and reflowable files for Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, paperback, and hardcover — set with proper typography, drop caps, and running heads.
Why work with Daniel
The kind of editorial care that used to be standard.
Six commitments that guide every engagement — spelled out at contract, delivered on the calendar, and audited at handoff.
Attention to Detail
Every manuscript is read at least three times. Nothing ships without a full style sheet and a written editorial letter.
Author-Focused Collaboration
Your voice is the point. My edits are suggestions, always tracked, always reversible, always in service of your intent.
Confidential Editing
Manuscripts are handled under NDA as standard. Nothing is shared, quoted, or referenced without your written permission.
Publishing Knowledge
Fourteen years across trade houses and independent authors. I know what agents open and what supply chains reject.
Timely Delivery
Dates are set at the start, held on the calendar, and communicated weekly. If a slip is coming, you hear about it early.
Personalized Feedback
You receive a written editorial letter with every project — the reasoning behind the notes, not just the notes themselves.
The Process
A calm, predictable path from draft to delivery.
- 01
Submit your manuscript
Send the current draft, a short synopsis, and the questions on your mind. A response arrives within two business days.
- 02
Project evaluation
I read a sample and the full outline, then send a written proposal with scope and timeline tailored to your book.
- 03
Editing begins
Agreement in place and calendar held. You receive weekly progress notes and can reach me by email throughout the project.
- 04
Client review
The edited manuscript is returned with tracked changes and an editorial letter. We meet by call to walk through the notes.
- 05
Final delivery
Revised files, a clean copy, a style sheet, and a follow-up window for questions as you prepare the book for publication.
Portfolio
A selection of recent books.
Testimonials
Words from the authors I have worked with.
Daniel is the editor I recommend before anyone else. He reads for the book you meant to write, not the book he would have written, and the difference is the difference.
The editorial letter alone was worth every hour of the process. Sharp, generous, and structural in the best sense. My second draft was a different book — a better one.
I have worked with editors at two of the Big Five. Daniel's line work is on that level, and his notes are kinder without being softer.
FAQ
Questions authors ask before we begin.
If your question isn't here, write directly and you'll have a response within two business days.
Developmental edits typically run four to eight weeks for a book-length manuscript; line and copy edits, two to four. Every project is scheduled with a firm start and delivery date agreed upfront.
Yes, without exception. A mutual NDA is signed before I read a single page, and files are never shared, quoted, or referenced without your written permission.
Every project includes one round of follow-up questions within thirty days of delivery. Larger re-edits are arranged separately for existing clients.
Microsoft Word (.docx) is standard for editorial work, with tracked changes returned in the same format. Scrivener and Pages files are welcomed if exported to .docx. Print-ready files are delivered as PDF/X.
Yes. I offer formatting, cover design, and marketing as separate services, and I can advise on submission to agents or direct self-publishing routes depending on your goals.
Send a short message with your draft or a sample, your genre, approximate word count, and where you are in the process. I reply personally within two business days.
A closing invitation
Ready to publish your best book?
Send the current draft and a short note about the book you meant to write. A written response arrives within two business days.