Alex edits books and magazines.
They currently work as a freelance editor, providing a wide range of services. They’re highly experienced, having previously worked with organisations including Bloomsbury, Hachette and the V&A to produce high-quality books, magazines and digital resources.
Alex has a strong eye for detail, and works swiftly to get your project finished on time. They’ve worked on projects from bespoke publications with print runs of 90, to magazines with 100,000+ initial circulations. You can find details of their work below.
They work with publishers remotely, or in-person within London. They also help individual authors and academics to prepare manuscripts for submission.
Get in touch to commission Alex’s services – it would be a joy to work together!
Alex’s work includes
Sensitivity Reads
Alex is an expert on writing in queer, non-binary and trans-inclusive ways. They offer detailed, helpful advice on manuscripts that include LGBTQIA+ characters and themes.
Archival & Factual Research
Alex has done extensive archival research, working with collections including the British Library, National Library of Wales, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Bibliothèque nationale de France.
They provide research and fact-checking for magazines, non-fiction books and academic works.
Alex’s research experience is here.
Picture Research
Alex has carried out picture research for books with hundreds of illustrations and £2000+ picture budgets, including the second edition of Aileen Ribeiro’s iconic Fashion in the French Revolution.
They work with authors, publishers and organisations like the V&A to find images and clear permissions swiftly and under budget.
Manuscript Preparation
Alex has prepared the manuscripts of many complex books for publication, from Life in the Georgian Parsonage to the reissue of Eugenia Paulicelli’s classic Fashion under Fascism.
They work to check, edit and manuscript brief 400+ page works, with 150+ illustrations and in multiple languages.
Proofreading
Alex reads proofs with an attentive eye for textual detail and smooth layout.
They’ve copyedited heavily-footnoted academic works, mass-market magazines, and glossy coffee-table books.
Copywriting
Alex has written and edited eye-catching promotional copy for many books, including Fashion in American Life and The Art of Parisian Chic.
They have specialised training in copywriting for SEO, so their blurbs shine on publishing house websites and social media, as well as the backs of physical books.
Sourcing Reviews & Endorsements
Alex has sourced and edited endorsements for print books including Queer Style and The Bad Corset, and arranged hundreds of peer reviews for non-fiction and academic book proposals.
They summarise reviews incisively for commissioning editors.
Practical Support
Alex helps publishers with many day-to-day tasks.
Their experience includes invoicing, administrative work, assisting on photoshoots, checking eBooks, and working with authors and designers to prepare covers.
If you’re looking for editorial assistance not listed here, do get in touch – Alex is an experienced and flexible editor.
Image: Charlotte Bosanquet, The Library at Dingestow, 1840s. Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain Mark. Source: Smithsonian Design Museum.
Alex Haydn-Williams 