“I’ve had some wonderful manuscript reads from Cornerstones over the years. Their feedback on my first manuscript was invaluable in developing my writing; without it, I don’t think I’d have ever started my second. Now, after signing with The Soho Agency in 2020, I have a two-book deal with Headline.”

– Jessica Irena Smith, The Summer She Vanished (Headline, 2023)

“It took me a while to realise there was no shame in asking for professional advice [...] My Cornerstones editor provided me with the perfect blend of enthusiasm and constructive criticism. My book went on to win a three-book deal with Constable, an imprint of Little, Brown. No literary consultancy can guarantee you will get published, but Cornerstones clearly have the calibre to help you get there.”

– Tom Benjamin, A Quiet Death in Italy (Constable, Little, Brown, 2019)

“From the moment I first started working with Cornerstones, I felt like I was in a safe pair of hands. They made great editing suggestions, from the minor to the major, and were also a fantastic support whenever I had a crisis of confidence. I don’t think I’d have had the courage or the confidence to submit to agents without them.”

– Polly Phillips, My Best Friend’s Murder (Simon & Schuster, 2021)

“I think, for me, the most important aspect of working with Cornerstones is the feeling of taking yourself seriously as a writer. It is a big investment to think of having professional feedback in this way but I’d received so many rejections while also feeling that I couldn’t give up on these characters and this story just yet.”

– Julie Ma, Happy Families (Welbeck, 2021)

“I had some wonderful mentoring with Cornerstones at first draft stage which was incredibly helpful, and through the support of Helen and the team, I worked towards a final draft and managed to get myself an agent.”

– Kate MacDougall, London’s Number One Dog Walking Agency (Bonnier, 2021)

“I’ve just had the thrilling experience of signing with a top agent, which would not have happened without Cornerstones’ help. Helen and her team read my MS from start to finish, provided invaluable feedback, arranged agency introductions and here I am! It was worth every penny and I can’t thank you enough.”

– Vanessa Moore, One Thousand Days and One Cup of Tea (Octopus, Hachette, 2021)

"My Cornerstones editor was thorough, detailed, and always positive. I could not recommend them more to get your manuscript in shape. Thanks to the team I went on to secure an incredible agent and publisher. Thank you Cornerstones for making a dream come true!"

— Ericka Waller, Dog Days (Transworld, 2021)

"Without working with Alison at Cornerstones, I'm not sure that I would have finished the book. She filled me with much-needed confidence and was a guiding light throughout the difficult first draft."

— Charlotte Levin, If I Can't Have You (Mantle, Pan Macmillan, 2020)

“Cornerstones offered crucial help at a time when I really needed it. Thanks to the team for matching me with the right editor: my manuscript transformed from something that had previously only given me panic into a story that inspired confidence.”

— Roshani Chokshi, The Gilded Wolves (Wednesday Books, 2019)

“I would describe Cornerstones as a doorway into the world of publishing (having first walked round the outside peering in through the windows).”

– Beth Merwood, The Five Things (The Wild Rose Press, 2021)