wooden bookcase filled with books

David Bamford

Freelance Editor

I am a freelance editor with a decade of professional experience working across literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction. I work with both publishers and authors to ensure that their books are the best that they can be.

Over eight years at Little, Brown Book Group (part of Hachette UK), one of the country's largest and most successful publishing houses, I edited and project managed a wide array of both literary fiction and narrative non-fiction books. My experience includes developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading and copywriting, as well as commissioning literary non-fiction, so I know what a book, a proposal or a submission needs to do to excite an agent, an acquiring editor and, ultimately, its readers.

I relish working with authors to hone their books, making the most of every opportunity to inform, entertain and inspire readers with compelling voices and narratives. But on the technical side, too, I am adept at spotting a typo, spelling mistake or the tiny tweak required to turn a good sentence into a great one, and make a manuscript shine.

In my role at Little, Brown, and in my years as a freelancer, I have been lucky enough to work with countless wonderful writers – from debut novelists and first-time memoirists to established Booker and Pulitzer Prize-winners, public figures and beloved entertainers. So whether you're a seasoned professional writer looking for some finishing touches, someone with a fascinating life story who isn't quite sure how to tell it, or a budding literary voice that needs amplifying, I'd love to help you with the next step of your writing career.

I'm available for editorial assessments, reviews, developmental editing, copy-editing and proofreading on full-length books, non-fiction proposals and query letters, so please do get in touch to let me know what you're writing, and to discuss how we might collaborate on your work.

About Me

Editorial Services


Manuscript appraisals and editorial assessments

Structural and developmental editing

Copy-editing and proofreading

Contact Me