Become a Freelance Fiction Developmental Editor
The Fiction Developmental Editor Mentoring Programme
Start your application
Enter your email address and Gary will send you the written application. This does not reserve a place, guarantee acceptance, or require payment.
Gary normally replies the same working day. Applications received outside UK working hours will be answered the next working day.
Applications are open
Applications for the mentoring programme are now open. Applications close on 1 August 2026, and only five four places are available.
Becoming a professional developmental editor
A love of books is a good place to start, but professional developmental editing also requires training. For most people who want to become editors, it is hard to learn the work in a reliable and sustainable way without guidance.
There are no fixed rules for writing a novel. Every book is different. However, there are proven ways to assess structure, character, plot, pacing, point of view, and the reader's experience. Learning how and when to use those methods usually takes years of practice.
Calling yourself an editor does not give you the skills to do the job. Without enough training and practice, it is easy to give feedback that sounds useful but lacks the depth, judgement, and professional standard an author needs. Many new editors also have little chance to test their work, receive informed feedback, and improve.
If you cannot secure a position with a traditional publisher, effective professional training can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find.
This mentoring will solve the problem.
This programme gives you a guided route towards professional editing standards. You will learn how to assess fiction and give authors clear, useful feedback. You will also learn how to build, market, and run a freelance editing business that can last.
You will learn everything you need to become a successful developmental editor.
The programme is based on the working methods Gary Smailes has developed during twenty years as a professional editor, and founder, at BubbleCow.
Learn how Gary edits fiction
Gary Smailes has worked as a developmental editor for more than twenty years. Early in his career, he worked as a researcher and editor on the worldwide bestselling Horrible Histories series.
His work has included books for Big Five publishers as well as independent authors. In 2007, he started BubbleCow for the growing self-publishing market.
Gary has worked to make editing easier for writers to understand. BubbleCow offers clear services, and Gary pioneered transparent pricing per 1,000 words, so writers can see what an edit will cost before they submit their manuscript.
After more than twenty years in the industry, Gary is shifting some of his focus to his second passion: education and training. He now splits his time between editing, his first love, and passing his knowledge on to new editors. He wants to teach them how to help writers tell better stories and share big ideas.
He will teach you the method he uses at BubbleCow and show you how to use it in your own work.
Prices and payment options
Three monthly payments
3 × $900
$2,700 total
First payment on acceptance, then 1 September and 1 October 2026.
Two payments
2 × $1,275
$2,550 total
First payment on acceptance, then 15 September 2026.
Paid in full
$2,400
$2,400 total
Due when you accept an offered place.
What personal mentoring gives you
This is personal, one-to-one tuition with Gary Smailes. You will work with Gary throughout the three-month programme as you develop your editing skills and your freelance business.
- The programme has three modules. Each module takes one month and is divided into four units.
- You will learn new editing skills and use them to produce real editorial reports.
- You will refine your editorial business, including your approach, positioning, and unique selling point.
- You will develop a long-term marketing plan for your business.
- You will work one to one with Gary at every stage.
What you get each month
- Four private 30-minute sessions with Gary
- One 60-minute group Q&A, recorded privately for the cohort
- Four weekly lesson units
- One assignment each week with written feedback
- One module-end review to discuss your progress
Each of the three monthly modules is divided into four weekly units. Each unit contains several lessons, practical exercises, and an assignment.
Module 00 · Orientation · First week of August
Orientation
Find out what you already know and what you need to work on.
You will learn how developmental editing differs from other kinds of editing. You will also cover professional boundaries, confidentiality, and safe manuscript handling. An initial fiction-editing exercise will help you and Gary set your goals. Gary may also suggest some reading.
Orientation takes approximately 3–5 hours and is completed during the first week while Module 1 is running. Allow approximately 7–11 hours for that first week in total.
Lessons
- Welcome to the Mentoring Programme
- How the Mentoring Programme Works
- Scope and Professional Boundaries
- Confidentiality and Manuscript Handling
- Understanding Developmental Editing
- Your Experience, Skills and Goals
- Initial Editorial Skills Assessment
- Your Personal Development Plan
Module 01 · August · 4–6 hours a week
Building Your Foundation
Set up the basic parts of your fiction editing service.
You will define the editor's role, think about the clients you want to work with, and decide how to describe your service. You will cover sample edits, revisions, pricing, workload, contracts, professional boundaries, and basic business systems.
Choosing a starter niche is recommended, but it is not compulsory.
Lessons
- Your Role as a Fiction Developmental Editor
- Understanding Fiction Clients
- Choosing an Optional Starter Niche
- Defining Your Ideal Client
- Creating Your Positioning and Professional Policies
- Building Your Developmental Editing Offer
- Creating Your Sample-Edit Offer
- Setting Your Prices
- Planning Capacity and Scheduling
- Contracts, Scope and Boundaries
- Basic Business Systems
- Foundation Review
Module 02 · September · 8–12 hours a week
Learning the Editing Method
Edit a full practice novella with Gary's guidance.
You will learn how to read as an editor, find the cause of story problems, map a manuscript, and decide which issues to deal with first. You will write manuscript comments and an editorial report, carry out a sample edit, and check your finished work. Gary will give you feedback before you revise part of the edit.
Lessons
- Reading Like a Developmental Editor
- Diagnosing Fiction
- Root Causes and Priorities
- Creating an Editorial Map
- Writing Developmental Comments
- Writing the Editorial Report and Revision Priorities
- Completing a Sample Edit
- The Complete Editing Workflow
- Supervised Practice: Diagnosis and Map
- Supervised Practice: Comments
- Supervised Practice: Editorial Report
- Revision and Quality Control
- Craft Assessment
Module 03 · October · 5–8 hours a week
Launch Your Business
Prepare your editing service for its first clients.
You will plan how you handle enquiries, check whether a client and manuscript suit your service, prepare quotes and agreements, deliver an edit, and run a post-edit meeting. You will draft a services page, marketing copy, outreach material, and a 30-day launch plan. You will also practise handling your first client.
You prepare outreach material during the programme, but you are not required to contact prospects or secure a client.
Lessons
- Your Written Client Workflow
- Delivering the Edit and Running the Post-Edit Meeting
- Assessing Client and Manuscript Fit
- Difficult Client Situations
- Quotes, Proposals and Agreements
- Building Credibility
- Website and Services Page
- Marketing Message
- Marketing System
- Outreach Preparation
- First-Client Simulation
- Final Client-Ready Review
- The First 30 and 90 Days
Edit a complete fiction novella
You will edit a 20,000–30,000-word fiction novella written for the programme. You do not need to provide a manuscript.
- Read the complete practice novella.
- Work out what the fictional author wants the story to do.
- Find problems with the story and structure.
- Create an editorial map.
- Decide which recommendations matter most.
- Write developmental comments.
- Produce an editorial report.
- Receive feedback from Gary.
- Revise selected work.
- Check the finished edit.
Help the author use your edit
You will learn how to offer an optional post-edit meeting of up to 60 minutes. The author reads your feedback and sends their questions before the meeting. You can then explain anything that is unclear and help them plan the revision.
You will also learn how to keep the meeting focused, send written next steps, and charge separately for more editing.
Are you ready to work with clients?
At the end of the supervised work, Gary will give you one of three private assessments:
- Client-ready
- Further targeted practice needed
- Not yet client-ready
Finishing the programme does not always mean you are ready for paid work. If you need more practice, Gary will advise you to wait before accepting clients. You will not receive a certificate, and the programme is not a formal qualification.
Who this is for
This programme is for people who want to work as freelance fiction developmental editors. You may already be a writer, beta reader, proofreader, copyeditor, teacher, writing tutor, or work in publishing. You may also be a serious fiction reader who wants to move into editing.
You should enjoy adult or young-adult fiction, have time to complete the assignments, and be willing to receive feedback and revise your work.
Who this is not for
The programme does not teach proofreading, copyediting, or nonfiction developmental editing. It does not provide a certificate, unlimited manuscript reviews, or guaranteed clients or income. You will need to keep up with the workload and revise your work after feedback.
How to apply
- Gary sends you the written application.
- You complete and return it.
- Gary reads your application.
- If he offers you a place, he sends the payment details.
- You secure your place by accepting the offer and making the first payment.
Sending your email or application does not guarantee a place.
Dates and availability
- Programme begins
- 1 August 2026
- Applications close
- 1 August 2026
- Duration
- Three months
- Format
- Online, fixed cohort
- Capacity
- Maximum five trainees
Applications are reviewed as they arrive, and the cohort may fill before the closing date.
Questions
Do I need professional editing experience?
No. Beginners can apply. You will need to complete the assignments, listen to feedback, and revise your work.
Is the programme only for fiction?
Yes. It focuses on adult and young-adult commercial and genre fiction. It does not teach nonfiction developmental editing.
Do I have to choose a niche?
No. A starter niche can make positioning easier and is recommended, but it is not compulsory.
How much time will I need?
Allow 4–6 hours a week in Module 1, 8–12 hours in Module 2, and 5–8 hours in Module 3. Orientation adds 3–5 hours during the first week, making that week's combined estimate approximately 7–11 hours.
What happens in the private sessions?
You can discuss your editing decisions, assignment feedback, progress, and questions about the current module. You receive four 30-minute sessions each month.
What feedback is included?
Gary reviews every scheduled weekly assignment once. You may request one review of a revision where another pass would be useful. Further revisions are not included.
Are group Q&A sessions recorded?
Yes. Recordings are made available privately to the cohort and must not be copied, published, or shared.
Do I need my own manuscript?
No. BubbleCow supplies a complete 20,000–30,000-word fiction novella created for the programme.
Will I be ready to work with clients?
That depends on your work. Gary will tell you privately whether you are ready, need more practice in a particular area, or should wait before taking paid work.
Will I receive a certificate?
No. The programme does not issue a certificate and is not formal professional accreditation.
Must I contact prospective clients?
No. You prepare outreach material and practise the first-client process, but you are not required to contact prospects or secure clients during the programme.
How may AI be used?
You may use AI for administration, brainstorming, and checks. You must make your own editing decisions and write your own assignments. Tell Gary about any substantial AI help, and never upload confidential material without permission.
What happens if I miss a private session or submit work late?
You may request to reschedule with at least 24 hours' notice, subject to Gary's availability. Sessions missed without notice are forfeited. Late assignments are reviewed only when Gary's schedule permits.
Can the lessons change?
Gary may change examples, exercises, or lesson order when the group needs more help with a topic. The programme length, mentoring time, assignments, and supervised edit will stay the same.
When do applications close?
Applications close on 1 August 2026 and are reviewed as they arrive. The cohort may fill before that date. Gary normally sends the written application the same working day, or the next working day when you enquire outside UK working hours.
Apply for the founding cohort
Three months. Four private mentoring sessions each month. A complete supervised fiction edit. Practical preparation for launching your business. A maximum of five trainees.