Senior Manuscript Assessor for UK Publisher: Developmental, Copy-editing
1 day ago
Job description
We are a top-rated, UK-based independent publishing house seeking an experienced editor or manuscript assessor to provide high-level editorial evaluations of submitted manuscripts.
Your role will be to review a portion of a manuscript (typically 1–2 chapters or up to 1–2 hours of review time, depending on length and brief) and produce a professional editorial report that determines:- What level of editing is required (developmental editing, copy-editing, proofreading, or none)
- The scope and scale of work needed
- Key strengths and weaknesses of the manuscript
- Priority areas for improvement
- Whether the manuscript is ready for editing or requires structural work first
We work with both emerging and highly experienced authors — many expect rigorous, professional-level feedback. Accuracy of judgement and clarity of recommendations are essential.
Important:
This is not line-by-line editing. It is an initial manuscript review designed to establish editorial needs and scope.
⸻
Responsibilities
- Review a manuscript sample efficiently and insightfully
- Identify developmental, structural, stylistic, and technical issues
- Distinguish clearly between developmental editing, copy-editing, and proofreading needs
- Produce a concise, professional editorial report with actionable recommendations
- Provide an estimated scope of work (e.g., light/medium/heavy edit)
- Maintain an objective, diplomatic tone suitable for author-facing reports
Ideal Candidate
We are looking for professionals with exceptional editorial judgement and demonstrable experience.
You are likely a strong fit if you have:
- Extensive experience in trade publishing, academic publishing, or a professional editorial environment
- Demonstrable experience assessing manuscripts across genres
- Deep understanding of the distinctions between developmental editing, line editing, copy-editing, and proofreading
- The ability to diagnose structural and narrative issues quickly
- Excellent written communication skills for professional reports
- Experience working with demanding or high-level authors
- Familiarity with UK English conventions
Highly desirable (but not required):
- Experience working for a Big Five publisher or established publishing house
- Formal editorial training or recognised qualifications
- Experience as a commissioning editor, acquisitions editor, or senior editor
- Background in manuscript appraisal or editorial consultancy
Engagement Details
- Ongoing freelance relationship
- Work assigned per manuscript
- Flexible workload based on availability and performance
Application Instructions
To be considered, please include:
1. A brief overview of your relevant experience
— specifically manuscript assessment or editorial evaluation work
2. Examples of similar work
— anonymised editorial reports, reader's reports, or assessment samples if available
3. Your editorial background
— publishing houses, organisations, notable projects, or genres of expertise
4. Your approach to assessing a manuscript
— how you determine the level of editing required
5. Your typical turnaround time for a 1–2 chapter assessment
Contract duration of 1 to 3 months. with 40 hours per week.
Mandatory skills:
Proofreading, copyediting, book publishing, English, Developmental Editing
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