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Would you like some help with your book or script?
I have more than 20 years' experience working across book publishing, journalism and film.
Non-fiction Books
I have worked in publishing since 2006, as a commissioning editor at Old Street Publishing since May 2023, as a non-fiction editor at Bloomsbury from 2022-23, and previously at Amber Books Ltd and Weldon Owen UK.
As a freelance editor, I have experience in commissioning, structural edits and copy-editing, with clients including HarperCollins, Little, Brown, Omnibus Press Ltd, Elwin Street Productions and even the United Nations.
I have worked with authors such as Pico Iyer, Frank Dikötter, Lucy Lethbridge, Mark Wormald, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, Flora Fraser and Kavita Puri.
I have edited non-fiction books ranging from biography such as Michael Peppiatt's Giacometti in Paris: A Life (Bloomsbury, 2023) to popular science in Adam Zeman's The Shape of Things Unseen: A New Science of Imagination (Bloomsbury, 2024) and Gwynne Dyer's Intervention Earth (Old Street, 2024) and illustrated titles such as Michael Kerrigan's Amazing Churches of the World (Amber, 2020) and Lawrence Joffe's Abandoned Sacred Places (Amber, 2019), among others.
I have also worked with Writers & Artists and The Literary Consultancy, helping new writers develop their work so that it is ready to present to the industry.
As an author, I have written popular history for adults - Dark History of Hollywood (updated in 2023 as The History of Hollywood) - and for children - Disasters.
I have also worked for The Mail on Sunday and the Daily Mail, finding non-fiction books to serialise.
Film and TV projects
I'm a graduate in screenwriting from the National Film & Television School, where my work included two award-winning short animation films, co-written and directed by Matthew Hood. I have worked for The Literary Consultancy for many years and, before that, read hundreds of scripts for Film4 and The Works.
Testimonials
I couldn’t have been more fortunate in the editor who helped my first book The Catch through the production process, a first round of readings and then into paperback. Kieron Connolly is an accomplished writer as well as editor, and offered his expertise and experience with a rare quiet warmth and reassurance, combining wise and practical advice with real sensitivity and efficiency. I’m hugely grateful.
Mark Wormald, author of The Catch: Fishing for Ted Hughes (Bloomsbury)
It’s a special pleasure to work with an editor who is himself a writer, with a feel for words and for an audience and with a gift for seeing things from both sides of the table. I suspect that anyone who gets to work with Kieron will consider himself—or herself—lucky indeed.
Pico Iyer, author of The Half Known Life: Finding Paradise in a Divided World (Bloomsbury)
I can thoroughly recommend Kieron as an editor who is calm, reliable, efficient, creative and always good-humoured. He has a logical head and can untangle knots in plots whilst working to a tight schedule.
Philip Steele, author of Escape the Mummy’s Tomb
(Blue Streak Books)
Kieron edited my novel in its early days and gave me very specific advice on what I needed to improve in terms of plot structure as well regarding certain aspects of my writing such as setting and dialogue. I would highly recommend Kieron and am very grateful for the detailed written feedback and the valuable discussion.
Siya Turabi, author of The Last Beekeeper
(One More Chapter/HarperCollins)
Kieron did a structural edit on my travel book and memoir, The Bicycle Clip Diaries. He was detailed and contentious throughout. His editing work was excellent and his comments incredibly useful in guiding the book towards a final product.
Although an inherently challenging process, it was made pleasurable by Kieron’s amiable tone and thorough professionalism.
Nick Raistrick, author of The Bicycle Clip Diaries
I found Kieron a close and careful but un-fussy editor, quick to spot my mistakes or infelicities but never inclined to intervene just for the sake of it. I really feel he got the best out of me as a writer.
Michael Kerrigan, author of Amazing Churches of the World
(Amber Books Ltd)
Contact
If you would like help shaping a non-fiction book or novel, are keen for a professional read of your screenplay, or are looking for a ghostwriter, please get in touch.