I enjoy the solitude of writing – just me, the characters and an unfolding story. I enjoy giving my manuscripts to friends and hearing their thoughts. What I hadn’t realised was the value in having a manuscript appraisal done. When I sent my manuscript to Emma and Lucinda, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. What I got was a detailed report that not only showed me that they know what they are talking about but also gave me the insight I needed to fix the problems and make it complete. They didn’t tell me what to write, they just posed questions, made suggestions – the rest was up to me. I was so impressed with the process and their professionalism that I sent them another manuscript the very next week.
Di Walker author of Everything We Keep, Saving Charli and Unpacking Harper Holt
I’ve worked with the dynamic duo of the Flying Pants editing team, Emma and Lucinda on two books so far with great results. The most recent one is a novel. Over two years, they offered superb feedback on how to make it better, identifying narrative issues, plot holes, and the tricky thing of getting 144k words down to 124k words. Their patient, expert feedback process has the wonderful balance of highlighting what needs to be re-drafted without crushing the writer’s creative spirit. It’s an ideal working relationship where the hard things that need to be said can be said in a safe space with all parties sharing the same vision — getting the manuscript into the best possible shape to take to publishers. I pitched in May 2025 to one of the top five global publishers. They asked for a full manuscript and within four weeks, we were in a meeting discussing publication. By July, a deal memo was issued. I couldn’t have come this far without the expertise of Flying Pants. Stay tuned for publication and book launch in early 2027.
Wow guys, many thanks go out to you both. Such a great detailed appraisal with tonnes of info for a freshie like me. I totally agree on all the amendments you recommended. So excited to get to work enhancing my book with this new knowledge and perspective.
Samaria Lemke author of Little Mister Gets a Sister
Best thing I’ve done for my manuscript! The editorial feedback by Lucinda and Emma at Flying Pants was so worthwhile and really helped me identify key areas to strengthen my work. The report was so well structured with clear guidance, some great helpful tips, and I feel empowered knowing what I need to do now to make my final edits and start pitching to publishers! Lucinda was an absolute joy to communicate with to get it all organised, with super prompt responses and clarity throughout. If you need help finessing your manuscript, I can’t recommend Flying Pants Editing more highly.
Emma Storey
I heartily recommend Flying Pants Editing to any budding or experienced author of children’s books. Emma and Lucinda edited my first novel with professionalism and fine attention to detail. With their encouragement and helpful comments my story has developed far beyond what it was before I submitted it to them for a copy edit. I found their suggestions on ways it could be improved to be very helpful. They had such a gentle way of making subtle hints, without actually telling me what to write, that stirred my imagination and gave me the impetus to develop new story lines and enrich characters. I have enjoyed working with them and look forward to doing so again in the future.
Rosemary May Davison author of The Unicorn Stone: Elena in the Land of Mirrios
I could not recommend working with Flying Pants Editing more highly. Lucinda and Emma were absolute dreams to work with, thorough, efficient, and so helpful. I didn’t know what to expect when receiving my manuscript appraisal, but the level of detail which I was provided helped catapult my book to a level of sophistication I didn’t know was possible. They provided helpful insight and valuable questions that allowed me to enhance the quality of my work through every step of the process – manuscript appraisal, follow-up report, and proofreading. I will be forever grateful for the love, care and kindness they gave to a project that meant so much to me. I will not hesitate for a second to reach out to Lucinda and Emma again for any future writing projects.
It was with great trepidation I sent my novel to Lucinda at Flying Pants. Getting a professional to look over your work, and inviting them to critique it, took some courage. I was prepared to have my dreams of publishing torn into a tattered mess. But this was the opposite of my experience. Lucinda and Emma were so encouraging! After receiving there feedback I had all the motivation I needed to write my second draft. Every suggestion they gave made my story better. It is more cohesive, paced better and structure improved. More importantly, it made me a better author. I cannot recommend Flying Pants highly enough.
R. L. Garth
Flying Pants Editing has been a main stay in my writing journey for a while. Lucinda and Emma’s personalised encouragement and insightful feedback provides me with skills to continue writing and developing as an author.
Whether it is manuscript edit, a structural or picture edit, it always comes with the right amount of helpful advice delivered in a gentle and positive way. This dynamic duo have always offered support and guidance. Don’t think twice, just treat yourself and your manuscript to one of their gold standard services.
It worked for me!
Sue Patterson
Emma and Lucinda performed a manuscript edit of my MG book and gave me incredibly useful guidance, delivered with elegance. In other words it was: Incisive but fair, helpful yet gentle, broad but pointed, humanistic yet analytic, contemporary but historical, insightful yet undogmatic. All of their suggestions have proved useful to me. I would recommend their service without hesitation.
Jon Glass author of the Worcester Glendenis series
I have to say, Flying Pants Editing’s concise and comprehensive edit of my Children’s Picture Book far surpassed my expectations.
Their careful and professional appraisal addressed setting, characters, title, story, structure, text, rhyme and synopsis, whilst offering a practical list of ‘next steps’, that guided me through the changes.
Emma and Lucinda really honed and refined my manuscript, whilst being sympathetic to the plot and characters. The whole process was really exciting and resulted in a story that I am very proud of.
Milly Reynolds Telltale Press
What can I say about the marvellous Lucinda and Emma? They were the shine in my shoes, the icing on my cake, the feather in my cap. It was an invaluable experience to put my manuscript into the hands of someone who could provide trusted feedback from a new perspective. I gained confidence, direction and a great support team.
Tammy Forster
Flying Pants Editing helped us with editing, spell checking and formatting our pitch document to publishers. They were fast and fantastic to work with. It gave us the confidence to know that our presentation was the best it could be. The result was a publishing deal with Allen & Unwin, we are very thankful for their speed and professionalism.
Richard Pritchard co-Author/Illustrator of Wylah The Koorie Warrior
Emma and Lucinda are an amazing team that make the normally fearful experience of editing a book incredibly enjoyable. Their feedback is always prompt, supportive and easy to apply to elevate a manuscript to the best standard. Emma and Lucinda go a step beyond their editing services by providing a clear overview of your story’s themes, where it fits within the market, and other areas that can support your writing such as conferences and publishing services. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Flying Pants team and cannot thank them enough for how they have developed my writing skills. I look forward to working with them again in the future.
Thank you again for all that you guys do. It has been so encouraging working with you both.
Madeleine Birkett
I knew my children’s picture book manuscript was in professional, competent and passionate hands from the very beginning of the editing process.
Lucinda and Emma provided prompt, constructive and creative feedback beyond my expectations, the end result being a story transformed into a highly polished narrative ready for any reader’s eyes.
I see the service Flying Pants Editing provides being an imperative part of my journey to being a published author.
Dayle Gherbaz
I highly recommend Flying Pants Editing! Lucinda and Emma were fantastic from the get go!
Being a first time author, no question was too silly and they were very prompt with their responses and always happy to help every step of the way.
All of their feedback and editing was very in-depth, well explained and professional.
I’m so happy with my first story and couldn’t have done it without them.
10/10 recommendation for these ladies.
Kayla Poots
Gigantic thanks to Lucinda and Emma from Flying Pants Editing for revealing truly magnificent skills while upgrading this journey and story to the place where it belongs. Working with you was exactly what I subconsciously wanted and realistically needed and for that I am forever grateful.
Shlomi Almoslinos author of Yogi on a Journey
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