Developmental editor and book coach for fiction, memoir, and non-fiction writers

I’m Alex Hopkins, a developmental editor and writing coach for deep-thinking, creative people who are ready to take their work seriously and be taken seriously as writers.

The craft of writing

There are no shortcuts when it comes to making anything worth holding on to in this life, and writing is no exception.

The strongest books, those that have the most profound effects on readers, are created through thoughtful revision and careful attention to structure, voice, character, and pacing - through a deep and sustained commitment to craft.

I help writers of fiction and non-fiction strengthen their books at every level to develop stories of real heart that will stand out in a crowded market.

Human creative collaboration

As a published fiction writer and journalist, I know how isolating writing and editing can be, which is why, in an increasingly disconnected world, I place human collaboration at the heart of everything I do.

I believe that creativity should be a conversation: an ongoing dialogue between people who, together, have the potential to create uniquely powerful work.

Whether you have a partial or complete draft, my mentorship-style developmental editing and book coaching programmes for novels, memoirs, and thought leadership books combine big picture editorial feedback, structural editing, and rigorous manuscript critiques to prepare your work for publication.

Image by Antonio Maggi

Developmental editing for indie and LGBTQ+ authors

Much of my work is with indie writers, entrepreneurs in the creative industries, and LGBTQ+ authors - people who have lived fully, often unconventionally, and are outside what’s considered the ‘mainstream’.

I understand these people. I know they’ve got the most interesting things to say because I’ve been privileged to spend over fourteen years working alongside them as a journalist. I’m also one of these people.

Manuscript development through a creative partnership

The work we do together isn’t just about helping you improve your manuscript. It will also help you think differently about the process of writing, to come to it with a renewed sense of purpose and joy.

I don’t think of it as a typical client/editor/coach setup but as a creative partnership - a quiet but powerful act of rebellion in a world that seems to be doing its damnedest to stifle the joy of human creativity. 

Rebels’ Revision | mentorship-style developmental editing for complete drafts

As a writer myself, I’ve been on the receiving end of extensive editorial notes. It’s daunting, scary even; it makes you feel vulnerable, and it’s not the way to help you produce your best possible work. I believe writers need to lift each other up at every stage of revision and beyond.

That’s why I offer a mentorship-style developmental editing package for writers with full drafts of novels, memoirs, and thought-leadership books. This means I provide more Zoom time (between four and six hours) than many other developmental editors, and three rounds of edits while one or two is the norm. You’ll also get a line edit as standard.

I also offer a suite of other collaborative editing services, which typically take place after developmental editing.

Writing Not Typing | three-month book coaching programme for partial drafts

Over three months, my Writing Not Typing book coaching programme helps writers of novels, memoirs, and thought leadership books transform early or partial drafts into compelling manuscripts. Through one-to-one Zoom sessions, manuscript critiques, and developmental feedback, we take a thorough look at every element of your book, from structure, narrative, and characterisation to voice, rhythm, and pacing.

Book a chat with me

  • "Alex is an excellent editor; I knew I wanted to work with him on my novella One Last Song as I knew he would read empathetically, ask the right questions, evaluate the piece on its own terms and recommend those revisions which would make it the best possible version of itself. And so he did. I can also attest that he’s a superb proofreader with an eagle eye for detail; Inkandescent have entrusted him with many of our key projects."

    Nathan Evans, publisher and author of Polari Prize longlisted novella One Last Song

  • "Working with Alex has been transformative. I could not have written my book without his genius guidance. He is a true creative collaborator: approachable, honest, and razor-sharp in his editorial instincts. Alex's empowering guidance set the tone for the entire book and was instrumental when I pitched my manuscript to major publishers, generating strong interest almost immediately."

    Kristine Kilty, international creative director and author

  • "The work Alex has done for us as a copy-editor at Inkandescent exhibits a high level of skill and experience of working with the word. He has a merciless eye for inconsistencies and errors within text, and helps us ready our manuscripts for publication. It’s always reassuring to know that he has scrutinized a book, sentence by sentence, before it goes to print He does a stellar job—consistent, reliable and always bang on time."

    Justin David, author and publisher

  • "Alex Hopkins has written about many artists and projects that I’ve publicised over a period of years. His love of writing and detailed exploration of subject matter equal his background knowledge and enthusiasm. He’s also as considered and adept at covering sensitive subject matter as he is writing about humorous performers and their often outrageous shows. Be the job in hand a feature, interview, news story or review, you can rely on Alex to deliver something accurate and wholly original."

    Anna Goodman, A B S T R A K T publicity

  • "Alex is a real pleasure to work with. The articles and copy he writes for our brands are always very well researched and written in a witty and entertaining way. From day one, Alex just got the unique tone we want to convey with our brands and helped us increase engagement with the content we publish. He always delivers on time and is very easy to communicate with."

    Gregor Eistert, Brand Manager, Playamedia

  • "Alex is not only a talented writer in his own right but an intuitive, creative and precise editor whose ideas always spring from the invention of the writer. After Alex edited my first novel, I felt reassured I was working well, thankful for the wisdom and ideas from his mark up, but also emboldened as a writer to pursue the rewrite."

    Neil Lawrence, author