You know the story.
Now let’s work on the telling.
Some stories percolate for years before we try to pin them down on the page. Maybe yours started as a feeling you couldn’t shake, or a character who showed up uninvited and refused to leave. Maybe it’s been tucked away in notebooks, in voice memos, in the quiet hours after everyone else has gone to sleep.
Now it’s here. Or nearly here. You know in your bones that this story matters. You’ve worked and reworked it so many times, you know every full stop and every dialogue tag. You also know it’s not quite ready. Like every writer, you need someone trained in writing craft to read it with fresh eyes. You need a developmental editor.
Developmental editing where writing craft meets stories that matter.
Meet Sorcha
I’m Sorcha Gunne. I’m a developmental editor with a PhD in English and Comparative Literary Studies and 20 years of experience teaching fiction at universities across the UK, Ireland, and Norway.
I work with writers who care deeply about their craft. People who want more than surface-level notes on their manuscript. People who want to understand why a character arc isn’t landing, or what makes a scene come alive, or how to write across difference with honesty and care.
Think of me as your personal writing professor. I bring the depth of a university-level education in fiction, delivered with warmth, honesty, and a genuine belief in the power of your story.
Craft and conscience
What makes my approach different is what I call the dual lens. I work with every manuscript through the combined focus of writing craft and representation.
Writing craft means the practical foundations of storytelling: structure, character development, voice, pacing, dialogue, scene and summary, and genre conventions. These are the tools that make a story work. I’ve spent 20 years teaching them, and I know how to make them click.
Representation means helping you recognize unconscious bias, move beyond tired tropes and stereotypes, and create authentic, diverse characters and worlds. It means asking whether your characters have real depth and agency, and not just a role in someone else’s arc. Whether the power dynamics in your story are intentional choices or inherited assumptions. It’s about making your story as rich and compelling as it can be.
Better representation makes for better storytelling, a belief born from my experience as a reader, researcher, and teacher.
Maybe this sounds familiar?
You have a story burning inside you. You know it could be something special. But writing fiction is a craft you’ve never had the chance to study. You know what you want to say, but you’re still figuring out how to say it with the skill and precision your story deserves.
Maybe you’ve shown your work to friends or family. They said it was great. And you knew, even as you thanked them, that “great” wasn’t going to help you make it better.
You want honest, expert feedback from someone who understands both the craft of storytelling and the complexity of the themes you’re exploring. You want to know your story is in safe hands, and you want to learn about writing craft, so the next story comes easier.
You want someone who’ll be honest with you, and respectful about it.
The difference craft makes.
That’s what you experience with me. Writers come to me because they have a manuscript they believe in with their heart and soul, but aren’t sure how to strengthen. They leave with a deeper understanding of their craft, and the courage to use it.
My goal is to edit your manuscript and to teach you why certain things work and why others don’t, so you carry those skills into everything you write next. The editorial report you receive is a deep, personalized education in the craft of your story.
How we work together
Every writer works differently, and every manuscript needs something different. So rather than fixed packages, you put together the feedback that feels right for you, from four parts:
Reading: how much of your manuscript would you like me to read?
Assessment: how deep should your report go, and how many craft elements would you like me to look at?
In-line comments: would you like notes in the manuscript itself or just a report?
Calls: would you like to talk it through together?
What happens next
Get in touch. Tell me a little about you and your story and what kind of help you’re after.
We design your package. You choose what you need, and I’ll confirm your price and delivery date. If you’re not sure what you need, we can have a quick 15-minute call and figure it out together.
You fill in a questionnaire. This helps me get to know you and your goals better before I start reading.
I read and write your report, plus in-line comments if you have chosen them.
You get your report. If you’ve booked a call, we can talk it through before or after you read. Any questions afterwards, send them within 30 days.
In their own words
“Sorcha is undoubtedly one of the best and most qualified you’ll find. My first manuscript had already been reviewed by several beta readers, but I knew it still wasn’t quite where it needed to be. Sorcha provided me with one of the most insightful and comprehensive analyses I’ve ever received. Her feedback was incredibly thorough, addressing both the broader scope and finer details of my work, and offering an abundance of material to study and grow as a writer. Working with her felt akin to submitting my manuscript to an attentive and dedicated literature professor, someone who genuinely wants you to succeed and bring out the best in your craft. I’m really excited because I’m more confident that my novel will perhaps be published some day. I’m truly looking forward to collaborating with Sorcha again.”
Update: Since working together, this client has won a literary contest and has published their novel
“Working with Sorcha was a dream. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I would find the kind of help I was looking for, but I took a chance and contacted her. Though it was slightly out of her described services, Sorcha turned out to be open-minded and eager to help with what I needed. What was even better? She had the knowledge and means to deliver that knowledge in a way I could understand. I can’t even tell you how many people I approached for guidance before this, never getting exactly what I needed. Sorcha asked questions, pinpointed my needs, and nailed it! I will definitely be seeking out her services again when I’m ready!”
The expertise behind the edit
PhD in English and Comparative Literary Studies (University of Warwick, UK)
20 years teaching fiction and literary theory at universities in the UK, Ireland, and Norway
Specialist training in gender and postcolonial studies
Pro and Industry Judge, Writing Battle
Member, Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA)
Formal developmental editing training (Liminal Pages + EFA)
Times Higher Education Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts
Based in Oslo, Norway. Working globally.
You don’t have to be ready. You just have to begin.
I work with a small number of clients at a time to give every manuscript the attention it deserves. If you’ve got a story you care about, I’d love to hear about it.
I also work with leaders in business on communication & framing. Find out more.