- matt@mooreattuned.com
- Bookings available from November 2026
Have you given your story your all – really thrown everything at it – but some parts just don’t pull the right strings?
Perhaps your characters all sound the same, or you’ve built this cool world with tons of backstory and lore but it doesn’t feel alive.
Maybe you can’t pin down exactly what’s going wrong, but something is holding your story back; you feel it in your bones.
Writing a novel is a lot like spinning plates.
Have you seen the act? A juggler spins a china plate on top of a pole, then starts spinning a second plate on another pole and so on until several are going at once.
As they start to slow and wobble, the juggler rushes back and spins them again before they fall.
Only with a novel, each plate is a vital story ingredient: character development, worldbuilding, conflict, pacing – the list goes on.
It’s overwhelming to keep on top of it all – being so close to your story means it’s nearly impossible to zoom out and inspect the whole with an objective lens.
But if those elements aren’t working together to create an engrossing narrative (or if some have stopped spinning altogether), your story will feel flat.
You’ve heard it before (or said it yourself): ‘The adventure was epic but I couldn’t relate to the characters. They were sooo dull!’ or ‘The worldbuilding was epic but nothing really… happened’.
Let’s make sure those words never reach readers’ mouths (or fingertips).
Being familiar with your story makes it tough to know whether your beautiful descriptions strengthen the scene or dampen pacing, your conflicts add tension or lack meaning, or your characters’ motivations make sense or bewilder your reader.
I’ll help to fine-tune your story to make it as tight and compelling as possible.
A developmental edit gives you personalised, detailed feedback about what’s working in your manuscript, what isn’t, and how to revise it so it comes out stronger.
What’s important is it’s not a ‘fix’ – I won’t overstep and act like an unwanted co-author. My focus is on using what’s already within the story to suggest possible directions to take or to deepen existing ideas and themes, not on introducing ideas on a whim.
This:
'Back in chapter 4 Clyde mentioned he has [this skill]. Rather than this unexpected solution to his current problem, you could show his resourcefulness by having him use [said skill]. This would resolve the scene in a far more satisfying way, rather than seeming contrived.'
Not this:
'You know, this scene would be far more interesting if Addie becomes a romantic interest here, which would kickstart a spicy subplot.'
If you have a completed fantasy, sci-fi, or horror novel and…
Then this would be for you!
This service is also specifically for those writing for a Western audience. Why the clarification?
Good writing involves the meeting of expectations, particularly of those who have notions of what makes writing good. Character agency and growth, showing more than telling, conflict driving the narrative – these ‘tenets’ of strong storytelling aren’t universal; they’re products of Western preferences. I edit acknowledging that the techniques I use aren’t the default of good writing, but those that satisfy a Western audience. To ignore this is to ignore the existence of traditions and cultures that differ from our own.
Feedback is limited to 3–5 areas I feel would benefit most from improvement; discussing every element, in my experience, is counterproductive and leads to a less-focused or overwhelming revision. I typically also identify smaller, manageable issues you may wish to tackle in a single revision.
Not only will I flag problem areas, but I’ll also provide suggestions to fix them. If needed, I’ll rewrite a passage to show you how you could implement certain changes (this will only ever be done in tracked changes or in a separate document). I’ll always deliver kind, constructive, to-the-point feedback.
The first round will offer detailed feedback via an editorial report, which will cover the most pressing big-picture issues and provide a roadmap for improvements. You’ll also be told what I feel you’re doing well – don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom!
For the second round, your revised novel will then be edited, complete with in-line comments and a second, more detailed report to guide you through the suggestions.
Depending on the shape of your manuscript, it may only need one round of editing, which includes the report and comments, without the initial standalone report.
I’ll be happy to answer two rounds of questions you may have about my feedback via email.
While getting a sample for a proofread or any word-level editing makes sense (and is encouraged!), the same isn’t as true for developmental editing. As DE deals with the big picture, the story as a whole is taken into consideration. As such, it’s very unlikely all the suggestions made in a 2000-word sample will be relevant – I may suggest changes for the first chapter only to decide that, in a full edit, the story really starts at chapter three, for example. I’m happy to provide a sample, with the caveat that suggestions will likely change in the full edit once I’ve reviewed the entire manuscript. This will at least let you see the style and tone of my comments.
I'll send you a short form to fill out so I can find out all about your story and your goals for it.
I'll ask to see your manuscript in full to prepare a quote and decide if your story would benefit from one or two rounds of development.
All happy? Great! We'll discuss dates and I'll send over the quote (including the deposit due) and the agreement.
Once I receive the deposit and the signed agreement, I'll block out the space in my diary ready for work. I'll check in with you the week before the start date.
As every manuscript is different, prices vary per project. Typically, a single-round edit of a 70,000-word manuscript costs between £1,365 and £1,785.
If I’ve quoted for two rounds of editing, the first round would consist of a revision report (see below). For the second round, as I’d be familiar with your manuscript already, I’ll charge less than the typical cost of a single round.
As two rounds (and the time in-between to allow for your revision) will be lengthy, they will be billed separately to ease the pressure off your shoulders to meet deadlines (life just gets in the way sometimes).
If I quote for two rounds of editing, this will form the basis of the first round. I also offer this as a standalone service if you don’t want in-line comments and tracked changes – you’ll still receive an in-depth roadmap for revision.
This costs £250 plus £8 per 1,000 words.
Check the comparison table below to compare services and prices.
| Details | Full developmental edit | Standalone revision report | Manuscript evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of read-throughs | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Editorial report discussing big-picture elements | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Editorial comments and reactions within the manuscript | ✓ | x | x |
| In-depth guidance on how to solve problem areas | ✓ | ✓ | x |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Approximate duration in weeks | 8 | 3 | 1–2 |
| Approximate price for a 70,000-word manuscript | £1,365–£1,785 | £810 | £570 |
To help you decide whether the type of feedback I give, and its tone and style, is what you’re looking for, download samples of revision reports from client edits below. Both clients have kindly given permission for these to be shared. As I highly value client confidentiality, identifying information such as author and character names has been hidden.
Club Ed’s certificate programme has been invaluable for my professional development. Here are a few reasons:
What does this mean for you? You’ll work with a highly trained editor to bring your story to life.
See this post from the instructor for more details on what’s involved.
As a frustrated first-time author, I needed a professional opinion on my manuscript but was nervous about handing it over. I needn’t have worried, as Matt was very welcoming and understanding from the outset. I approached him after finding his details on the CIEP website, and his interest in horror immediately stood out to me, I wasn’t wrong to choose him.
The process was straightforward once a date had been agreed for me to send over my file, and I knew exactly what to expect when Matt’s magic was complete: an encouraging revision report and a thoroughly edited file (a real life-saver).
His advice was practical and easy to act on, making the rewriting process far more fluid, all while maintaining my author’s voice.
Matt fixed pacing issues, deepened characterisation, and also caught logic holes I hadn’t even considered. His attention to detail is incredible. He provided clear timeline prompts that helped me keep track of changes with confidence.
I learned a great deal from Matt’s fresh and honest communication, and I’ll definitely be using him again for my next project!
—S. L. Metcalfe, horror author
