[John Jarrold]

I take a look at the book and decide whether it needs a full line-edit and some notes, or a full set of editorial notes with one line-edited chapter to show my thoughts 'on the page', so to speak.

If it's the latter, there are general notes about plots, pacing, characterisation, writing and so forth, then a much longer section of specific notes relating to a page, paragraph, line or word. That is basically what I did for fifteen years working in London publishing, but it usually goes deeper, because less than thirty per cent of the writers I work with are anywhere near ready to be published.

With the four-chapter work, it's the same thing, to give writers an idea of the areas they need to address in their writing. And sometimes they then come back to me when they have taken that on board and finished or re-written their book, for a full edit.

Adverbs? Hate 'em. Only use if ABSOLUTELY necessary. Same goes for adjectives.