Jonathan Oliver - Editorial
@jonolivereditor.bsky.social
Award winning editor specialising in genre fiction. Get in touch for a quote or to enquire about availability.
Website: jonolivereditor.co.uk
Website: jonolivereditor.co.uk
Last night's movie was Good Boy. Horror movie from the POV of the dog. Beautifully realised and what a lead. I did want a little more to the roots of the supernatural mystery, but as the POV character is a dog, that's possibly tricky to fully realise.
November 25, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Last night's movie was Good Boy. Horror movie from the POV of the dog. Beautifully realised and what a lead. I did want a little more to the roots of the supernatural mystery, but as the POV character is a dog, that's possibly tricky to fully realise.
Well this is proper lovely. Do check out Lou's books. She's fab.
Of all my editors, one in particular will always be extra-special, and that’s @jonolivereditor.bsky.social. He bought and edited my very first novel, and was always so lovely, so patient, so clever and so funny. As editors go, he set the bar high and I’m so grateful.
I’m very lucky to have worked with editors who are both lovely and really incisive and smart. Every script editor I had at Big Finish was a *delight* (even when I grumbled about them), and all of the novel & short story editors I’ve worked with have been brilliant, and thankfully far smarter than me
November 25, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Well this is proper lovely. Do check out Lou's books. She's fab.
Wrongest moment in cinema? For me it's that bit in Howard the Duck where she goes through his wallet and finds his duck condom. It's not even in its packet.
November 20, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Wrongest moment in cinema? For me it's that bit in Howard the Duck where she goes through his wallet and finds his duck condom. It's not even in its packet.
Last night's movie was Weapons. Strong Roald Dahl meets Rosemary's Baby vibes from this one.
November 17, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Last night's movie was Weapons. Strong Roald Dahl meets Rosemary's Baby vibes from this one.
I can't today, so I'm retiring to the sofa with a book.
November 14, 2025 at 9:21 AM
I can't today, so I'm retiring to the sofa with a book.
Yesterday's movie was Bring Her Back and... bloody hell! I haven't been that shaken by a horror movie in a while. Amazing cast. A very grim movie but one that packs a powerful emotional punch.
November 14, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Yesterday's movie was Bring Her Back and... bloody hell! I haven't been that shaken by a horror movie in a while. Amazing cast. A very grim movie but one that packs a powerful emotional punch.
Can anyone recommend literary agents that operate at the 'literary fiction' end of the market?
November 12, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Can anyone recommend literary agents that operate at the 'literary fiction' end of the market?
The idea of there being 'gatekeepers' in publishing assumes a level of organisation and control that, on the whole, simply doesn't exist.
November 11, 2025 at 8:33 AM
The idea of there being 'gatekeepers' in publishing assumes a level of organisation and control that, on the whole, simply doesn't exist.
My mood has been improved this afternoon by a walk round the village with eldest daughter followed by reading comics.
November 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
My mood has been improved this afternoon by a walk round the village with eldest daughter followed by reading comics.
So that shrinking of the friend circle you get in middle age is fun isn't it?
November 8, 2025 at 12:56 PM
So that shrinking of the friend circle you get in middle age is fun isn't it?
I am upstairs in my office. I can hear Minnie (our cat) snoring on the floor below.
November 7, 2025 at 8:27 AM
I am upstairs in my office. I can hear Minnie (our cat) snoring on the floor below.
Have you cried at the John Lewis Christmas ad yet? Have you? Have you? Why aren't you crying? CRY FOR SANTA! CRY DAMN YOU!
November 6, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Have you cried at the John Lewis Christmas ad yet? Have you? Have you? Why aren't you crying? CRY FOR SANTA! CRY DAMN YOU!
Reposted by Jonathan Oliver - Editorial
Now I am, of course, listening to these legends talk about religion and horror. Here’s mod @joshwinning.bsky.social with @sydneyficant137.bsky.social @jamesbennett.bsky.social and @jonolivereditor.bsky.social, all with very different experiences and beliefs, all fantastic horror writers.
November 2, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Now I am, of course, listening to these legends talk about religion and horror. Here’s mod @joshwinning.bsky.social with @sydneyficant137.bsky.social @jamesbennett.bsky.social and @jonolivereditor.bsky.social, all with very different experiences and beliefs, all fantastic horror writers.
I've managed to get a week ahead of schedule. This hardly ever happens. Part of me is tempted to cram in yet more work, but part of me could really do with a breather.
November 4, 2025 at 12:45 PM
I've managed to get a week ahead of schedule. This hardly ever happens. Part of me is tempted to cram in yet more work, but part of me could really do with a breather.
Last night's movie was Companion, which was a lot of fun, and had a punchier script than I was expecting. A good satire on incels and tech bros. Also, Sophie Thatcher really is superb.
November 4, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Last night's movie was Companion, which was a lot of fun, and had a punchier script than I was expecting. A good satire on incels and tech bros. Also, Sophie Thatcher really is superb.
World Fantasy Con in Brighton was brilliant. It has restored my batteries to see friends and meet new folk. And being on the jury for the awards was a great honour. My fellow judges were the best judges and we're so proud of the winners.
November 3, 2025 at 8:02 AM
World Fantasy Con in Brighton was brilliant. It has restored my batteries to see friends and meet new folk. And being on the jury for the awards was a great honour. My fellow judges were the best judges and we're so proud of the winners.
Do what Tom says. You want spooky? Hell, I do spooky? Available here: blackshuckbooks.co.uk/the-language...
October 29, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Do what Tom says. You want spooky? Hell, I do spooky? Available here: blackshuckbooks.co.uk/the-language...
Parenting SEN daughters is the hardest thing we've ever done, especially as you have to scrabble for support and jump through endless hoops to get it. My favourite bit of last night was the neighbour complaining about the noise, telling me I'm as bad as my daughter.
October 21, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Parenting SEN daughters is the hardest thing we've ever done, especially as you have to scrabble for support and jump through endless hoops to get it. My favourite bit of last night was the neighbour complaining about the noise, telling me I'm as bad as my daughter.
Sad to hear of the passing of Ace Frehley. KISS were a huge part of my teenage years and helped build my brain.
October 17, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Sad to hear of the passing of Ace Frehley. KISS were a huge part of my teenage years and helped build my brain.
Last night's movie was The Well, which I gave up on. It wanted to be classic 70s Italian gothic horror, but it was pretty dreadful.
October 16, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Last night's movie was The Well, which I gave up on. It wanted to be classic 70s Italian gothic horror, but it was pretty dreadful.
Went to church and a garden centre on Sunday. It could only have been more Sunday with an episode of Last of the Summer Wine preceded by 30 mins of Thora Hird with a rundown of the latest Jesus bangers.
October 13, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Went to church and a garden centre on Sunday. It could only have been more Sunday with an episode of Last of the Summer Wine preceded by 30 mins of Thora Hird with a rundown of the latest Jesus bangers.
Hmmm. Just been made aware of this: authors.ai/marlowe/
For clarity, I feel that it can absolutely get to fuck.
For clarity, I feel that it can absolutely get to fuck.
Meet Marlowe: Your fiction critique partner - Authors A.I.
Marlowe is an artificial intelligence that helps authors improve their novels and long-form fiction by comparing their work to its database of manuscripts
authors.ai
October 9, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Hmmm. Just been made aware of this: authors.ai/marlowe/
For clarity, I feel that it can absolutely get to fuck.
For clarity, I feel that it can absolutely get to fuck.
Reposted by Jonathan Oliver - Editorial
From the other side of the desk, though: if you read a book and think it needed an editor, be aware that it very well might have had an editor, but (depending on the circumstances) the author has final say and could’ve just ignored the editor’s advice. Readers don’t know a book’s history.
THIS THIS THIS. the number of reviews I leave asking 'where the hell was the editor?'
An actual hot take: Too many authors are afraid of editors watering down their voice or whatever and not afraid enough of editors letting you put any old slop on the page.
October 9, 2025 at 8:41 AM
From the other side of the desk, though: if you read a book and think it needed an editor, be aware that it very well might have had an editor, but (depending on the circumstances) the author has final say and could’ve just ignored the editor’s advice. Readers don’t know a book’s history.
I have now seen Terrifier. I mean, it achieves what it sets out to do, but this sort of movie leaves me cold.
October 9, 2025 at 7:21 AM
I have now seen Terrifier. I mean, it achieves what it sets out to do, but this sort of movie leaves me cold.
Actually finishing work at a reasonable time and actually having free time? What witchcraft is this?
October 1, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Actually finishing work at a reasonable time and actually having free time? What witchcraft is this?