Cornerstones: Helen and Monica are open for submissions!
Our senior editors are now available for a new bespoke editorial service
Dear authors,
We hope you’re well and enjoying the start of summer! We’re writing to you with the exciting news that Helen and Monica, our senior editors, are now open to submissions.
Helen and Monica will review the first ten pages and synopsis to decide which books they feel they would be able to champion and edit best. They will only be taking on two manuscripts each, and this bespoke editorial package will include: a margin mark-up of your manuscript, an editorial letter, and a brainstorming session.
Monica Chakraverty is the Editorial Director at Cornerstones, having joined recently to head the scouting programme. She has over 20 years’ experience as an editor in the publishing industry, with a number of titles topping the Sunday Times Bestseller List. She worked as an Editorial Director at HarperCollins for many years, commissioning and editing her own list, and also has previous experience working for Picador, Profile Books, Faber Academy, and Dorling Kindersley.
Helen Corner-Bryant spent a number of years in editorial at Penguin before setting up Cornerstones Literary Consultancy in 1998. In 2016, she opened Cornerstones US, creating the world’s first transatlantic literary consultancy. Cornerstones is known for teaching self-editing techniques, providing feedback on all types of genres, scouting for agents, and launching many writers. Helen is a guest lecturer and Honorary Research Fellow of the Centre for Publishing, Department of Information Studies at UCL, and previously lectured at the Columbia Publishing Course at Oxford University. She is co-author of On Editing: How to Edit Your Novel the Professional Way (John Murray, 2018) and director of the Edit Your Novel online course.
Helen’s wishlist includes women's, crime, psychological thrillers, historical, dark YA, and warm, funny MG. Monica’s favourite genres are historical, literary, reading group and non-fiction. She’s looking for off-beat characters, twisty plots and stories that explore identity.
If your manuscript is high-concept, nearing submission, and you have a strong grasp of self-editing techniques, this may be the service for you. Please email the office by Monday 12th June with your double-spaced opening ten pages and one-page synopsis, along with a cover letter for Helen and Monica’s consideration. We’d love to hear from you!
As always, do let us know if we can help with anything. You can contact us at info@cornerstones.co.uk with any writing or editing queries!
Very best,
The Cornerstones team