As an American writer, when your masterpiece is ready to be published, the last thing you want is to be sending out a manuscript that will alienate a proportion of your readers. However, if you have failed to cater to British English, customs and familiarities, you may just be doing that.
I can go through your novel manuscript and make two main types of suggestions:
- Change the spelling and punctuation to suit British readers
- Change the social references, common sayings, shop and product names to alternatives that Brits will be able to relate to.
This will save you from losing your readers over an unnecessary reference that makes no sense to them but doesn’t confuse an American at all. For instance, a British schoolgirl will most likely be wearing a school uniform, studying maths, not math, and nipping into Tesco rather than Walmart on her way home and then eating macaroni cheese, not mac and cheese, for her tea. If she’s 16, it’s not yet legal for her to drive but she can legally drink when she turns 18.
Who is anglicising novel manuscripts suitable for?
Any American writer who wants their text to be relatable to British readers can be a really suitable candidate for my novel anglicising services.
Who is this service not suitable for?
The service is not suitable for people whose story is very clearly set in a specific American situation (e.g. the White House) or location (e.g. New York). If the character of a city plays a vital role in your novel, it is impossible to switch to a different location overseas and retain the heart of the story. Similarly, if your novel is centred on the demographic make-up of an area or the fact that it borders with a particular country or is known for a particular industry, this may not be a good fit.
Essentially, if the identity of the novel is very much set around its locality, this service is not appropriate.
How much does it cost to anglicise my novel?
The fees start at £10 per 1000 words. So a 40,000-word transcript would cost £400 GBP.
If you are interested in this service, get in touch and we can discuss how I can help you.