Having re-drafted various aspects of my first novel, I realised that it still needed more work. However, I was unsure what the priorities should be, and worse, I was beginning to lose faith in what I was doing. On a recommendation, I contacted Bluepencilagency for editorial help. Iain Maloney’s detailed report came through on time, with sections on various key topics such as Plot and Pacing, and was written in a highly supportive style without losing incisiveness. The summary at the end pulled together his main recommendations. I have read the material numerous times: it provided carefully-reasoned insights. Iain emphasised that the nature of editorial guidance is to identify weaknesses and give examples, but he also pointed to certain strengths in my work. As a result of his report, I feel not only more confident in tackling the re-draft, but re-energised and keen to begin the task.

Lesley MacDowell reviewed several drafts of my work in progress. Her observations and criticisms were deft, intelligent, clear and entirely apt. They were (almost) a pleasure to receive. But above all, they enabled me to make the book significantly better, something I would not have achieved without her help.

I poured my heart and soul into my debut Y/A manuscript Resistance and I knew after the first few rejections that something was off, something that as a new writer I didn’t have the experience to fix.  A really kind agent emailed to say I could write but that my package needed work and she suggested Bluepencilagency to me. It was a godsend.  Sara gave me some of the best feedback notes I’ve ever had. Remarkable story insight, clear, concise, and professional notes.  Exactly what I needed to bring the next draft to a level where it would attract an agent. More importantly, Sara’s comments also gave me the confidence to really go for it when pushing the manuscript out. I have no doubt that the work she did with me is what helped me find an agent.  She’s a rare find in a tough competitive industry and I can’t recommend her and the team enough. When it came to seeking representation, both Emma and Sara were very helpful and found me an agent. As it turned out, I was offered representation by Marianne Gunn O’Conner at the same time, but it was their faith that kept me going.

“Thank you Emma for going an extra mile for me. It is really evident that you dug very deep on my behalf. I am still reflecting on your report, and working out how to move forward.”

“Thank you Emma for all your feedback – it’s really useful. A lot of what you said was there in a small corner of my mind but I ignored it due to be essentially quite lazy. It’s given me a good push into reshaping the book and focusing on the narrative. It’s also really helpful to see where I’m speaking and not the character- again I kind of knew this was the case so it’s taught me to listen to my instincts and not be so slapdash and easily pleased.”

I poured my heart and soul into my debut Y/A manuscript Resistance and I knew after the first few rejections that something was off, something that as a new writer I didn’t have the experience to fix.  A really kind agent emailed to say I could write but that my package needed work and she suggested Bluepencilagency to me. It was a godsend.  Sara gave me some of the best feedback notes I’ve ever had. Remarkable story insight, clear, concise, and professional notes.  Exactly what I needed to bring the next draft to a level where it would attract an agent. More importantly, Sara’s comments also gave me the confidence to really go for it when pushing the manuscript out. I have no doubt that the work she did with me is what helped me find an agent.  She’s a rare find in a tough competitive industry and I can’t recommend her and the team enough. When it came to seeking representation, both Emma and Sara were very helpful and found me an agent. As it turned out, I was offered representation by Marianne Gunn O’Conner at the same time, but it was their faith that kept me going.

When I first met Oliver I thought I had a novel to discuss with him. I very soon found that what I thought was a novel was really a glorified memoir. In a few short sessions Oliver showed me how to structure a novel, how to plan in the round rather than tailing off in a straight line. He showed me the vitality of dialogue and how to pick out small observations which bring the story to life.

Sara has been a wonderful mentor to me.Working with her is like having a writing partner who also understands the publishing world. She is full of great creative ideas and does not pull any punches in her criticism. The work always improves after her input. Oliver is also an excellent editor. He combines the ability to quickly understand the potential in a storyline while also fearlessly pruning and improving the prose. Most importantly of all he has helped inspire better writing.