Mark Leggatt - Editor
Mark is a manuscript assessor, editor and author who’s twice topped Blackwell’s bestseller list.
He began his writing career taking advice and receiving manuscript assessments by professionals on his own debut novel, so he knows what it takes to become published and secure an agent.
He’s the author of five books and an Associate Editor for Fledgling Press. Mark has produced detailed editorial reports, manuscript assessments and submission reviews for clients in the UK, EU and North America. He also provides expert advice on submission packs, and how to grab the reader from the first page of your novel.
As an author, he is represented by literary agent Jon Wood at RCW.
Mark has appeared at literary festivals in the UK, US and the EU, and also performs improv as part of the author touring group Four Blokes in Search of a Plot.
Testimonials
– Neil Broadfoot,- Author, and McIllvanney and Dundee International Book Prize nominee
– Ronnie Hewitt, Author
– Mark Lavery, Author
WHY WE LOVE MARK
Mark has a wealth of experience that he puts forward into every assessment we send his way. He’ll give you the tools you need to keep working on your writing craft, as well as addressing the specifics of your manuscript.
WHAT MARK SAYS ABOUT EDITING
Writing editorial reports on your manuscript or submission package is what I love to do. It’s a great feeling to know that you’ve made a difference by passing on the hard-won experience of the journey to being published.
I know it’s a big commitment spending money on professionals to assess your work, because I did the same more than fifteen years ago, and their advice has helped me immeasurably in my career.
I also lead workshops on all aspects of the writing life and how to get published as part of Live Literature, a scheme sponsored by The Scottish Government and The Scottish Book Trust. I have participated in Bridges Beyond Boundaries, a literary programme supported by The British Council in India and Scotland.
One thing to remember is that a great book doesn’t happen by accident, it takes hard work and dedication. As Ernest Hemingway said;
‘It’s none of their business that you have to learn how to write. Let them think you were born that way.’
What Mark works on
Manuscript assessment
Developmental Editing
Agent Submission Pack assessment
Post-editorial guidance
Line-editing
Genres Mark specialises in
Mark's published books
The Silk Road (Connor Montrose Series)
Ex-CIA technician Connor Montrose tracks two suspected terrorists to a deserted mountain village in Tuscany, where he witnesses an attack on a US Air Force troop plane, using a ground-breaking portable Surface to Air (SAM) missile. Unaware that the CIA were also monitoring the suspects, Montrose is blamed for the attack and narrowly escapes. The CIA receive orders from Washington to shoot him on sight, and a shadowy organisation begins to track his every move…
The London Cage: (Connor Montrose Series)
A man who doesn’t exist discovers a weapon that doesn’t exist. The CIA had hoped it would be buried for centuries, but the retreat of the glaciers has revealed a Cold War secret that could bring down the communications and defence systems of every country on the planet. Connor Montrose must find a way to take control of the destructive power and stop the global race towards Armegeddon. Every major country in the world is desperate for the secret. Including his own. He is faced with the choice of betrayal or survival, but either way, he’ll lose.Cold War enemies from Washington and Moscow pursue him across London, and only one young hacker, Kirsty, will stand by his side. Then an old man tells him, “If I had the choice between betraying my friends and betraying my country, I should hope I have the guts to betray my country.” His country needs him, but if he gives up the secret, his friends and those he loves will die. And the killing will never stop.
Names of the Dead: (Connor Montrose Series)
Connor Montrose is running for his life. All that he held dear has been ripped away. Every Western intelligence agency and all the police forces of Europe are looking for him, with orders to shoot on sight. The only man who can prove his innocence, is the man that most wants him dead. Only one woman, a Mossad sleeper in Paris, will stand by his side.With her help, he must now turn and fight.
