Roisin Heycock – Editor

‘What a pleasure it was to be able to work with Roisin! The joy wasn't just the expert notes I received, which swiftly improved the work; what I liked best was the comfort of having an industry expert, who was rooting for me. Thank you, Roisin! I would fight ten strong men in your honour! I would wrestle beasts!’
Andrew Clover, author and scriptwriter

I'm a publisher and structural editor with 15 years experience in the trade, where I have commissioned, edited, managed and published at Macmillan, Faber & Faber, Quercus and Hachette. Under my leadership, Quercus won the YA prize, the Guardian Children's Prize and the Waterstone's Prize. I currently work at a major trade publisher and prior to that, I ran the YA and children's list at Oneworld, winner of the Booker Prize 2015 and 2016.

Stuck plots, baggy middle sections, stories in need of a sprinkle of fairy dust: as a development editor I relish helping, shaping and taking my judicious scalpel to an author's work. I am a rigorous, insightful and creative, and take a long-term approach to enable a writer to learn the skills to get better book by book and build a career.

When it comes to your pitch, I have up-to-date and excellent book market experience and the vision to go with it. I have published and marketed a whole range of best-selling and prize-winning books successfully for a number of big-name and independent publishers. I have vast experience of acquisitions meetings for all types of books and still attend them, so I have a sharp sense of what publishers want and how to pitch to them. I have excellent publicity and marketing experience and key industry contacts.

'I was lucky enough to have my debut novel in Roisin's capable hands. She's has great vision and insight, is always supportive and a delight to work with.'
Cat Clarke, best-selling and award-winning author of ENTANGLED, TORN, UNDONE and THE LOST AND THE FOUND

‘I found Roisin’s structural comments to be incisive and perceptive, resulting in a much tighter manuscript. She is very supportive and contactable, encouraging me professionally and attending my author events. Roisin is organised and approachable – I feel lucky to have worked with her.’ Olivia Levez, author of THE ISLAND and THE CIRCUS