Dr Adam Carter
Sociologist · Journal Co-Editor · Editorial Consultant
Editorial decisions in international journals often turn on how an argument is framed, how a contribution is positioned, and whether a manuscript meets implicit anglophone writing conventions.I regularly work with researchers, through my role as co-editor of a Q2 SSCI journal (Families, Relationships and Societies, Bristol University Press), whose scholarship is strong but whose manuscripts aren't quite doing what editors need them to do.My own research is concerned with everyday personal life, qualitative methods and social inequalities. My work was recently shortlisted for the SAGE Current Sociology Best Paper Award 2025 (Q1 SSCI). I am also published in The Sociological Review, European Journal of Cultural Studies, and am soon to be featured in the International Journal of Qualitative Methodology. I have extensive peer review experience, including for Current Psychology, Comedy Studies and Journal of Population Aging. Between editing, reviewing and writing, I have seen the journal publication process from every angle.With this expertise, I provide two kinds of support for your writing: Editorial Strategy, including reviews of your manuscript that address argument, structure, contribution and journal fit; and Language Editing, for copyediting and proofreading.
Abstract & Introduction Check
Strategic feedback on your framing, positioning and clarity of contribution. A standalone service or a first step before a full manuscript review.
$388 · 3-day turnaround
Pre-Submission Manuscript Review
A comprehensive editorial review of your completed manuscript. Annotated manuscript and detailed report covering contribution, structure, journal fit, and prioritised recommendations.
$1,388 · 7-day turnaround
Revise & Resubmit Review
Strategic guidance on responding to an R&R decision. What to prioritise, what to push back on, and how to write a constructive response to the editorial team.
$1,288 · 7-day turnaround
Abstract & Introduction Check
A focused review of your abstract and introduction, with written strategic feedback on framing, positioning and clarity of contribution. This can serve as a standalone service or as a first step before committing to a full manuscript review.
Fee: $388
Turnaround: 3 days
Availability: Limited to 6 per month
Pre-Submission Manuscript Review
A comprehensive editorial review of your manuscript before submission. This review is primarily focused on critical, developmental feedback, though I will also comment on language and expression.
You receive:
1. Annotated manuscript - with comments throughout on argument clarity, structure, positioning, and expression.
2. Comprehensive report - covering theoretical contribution, engagement with the literature, methodological coherence, analytical depth, journal fit, and prioritised recommendations for revision.
Who this is for: Researchers preparing qualitatively driven work for submission to international English-language SSCI-indexed journals.
Fee: $1,388 per manuscript (up to 10,000 words)
Turnaround: 7 days
Availability: Limited to 3 manuscripts per month
Longer manuscripts: Get in touch for a personalised quote.
Revise & Resubmit Review
For when you've received a revise and resubmit decision. This is usually excellent news, but responding effectively can be tricky. Reviewers' comments can be contradictory, vague or demanding. This service advises you on what to prioritise, what to push back on, and how to write a constructive response to the editorial team.
You receive:
1. Revision strategy report - each reviewer point addressed with a recommended action, plus a strategic reading of what the editor is signalling, how the reviewers align or disagree, and where careful handling is needed.
2. Annotated manuscript - comments indicating where and how each reviewer point can be addressed.
Who this is for: Researchers who have received an R&R decision from an international English-language journal (often called 'Minor Revisions' or 'Major Revisions') and want guidance on how to respond.
Fee: $1,288 (manuscript up to 10,000 words + reviewer reports)
Turnaround: 7 days
Availability: Limited to 3 manuscripts per month
Longer manuscripts: Get in touch for a personalised quote.
Academic Copyediting
Substantive language editing for clarity, flow, grammar and consistency. Goes beyond surface correction to meet the stylistic expectations of your target publication.
$488 · 5-day turnaround
Proofreading
Final-pass error checking: typos, punctuation, formatting, reference consistency and adherence to style guidelines.
$288 · 3-day turnaround
Academic Copyediting
Substantive language editing for clarity, flow, grammar and consistency. This goes beyond surface correction to ensure your writing reads naturally and meets the stylistic expectations of your target publication. Suitable for journal articles, book chapters, theses and dissertations.
Fee: $488 (up to 10,000 words)
Turnaround: 5 days
Longer manuscripts: Get in touch for a personalised quote.
Proofreading
Final-pass error checking: typos, punctuation, formatting, reference consistency and adherence to style guidelines. For manuscripts that have already been through substantive editing and need a final polish before submission.
Fee: $288 (up to 10,000 words)
Turnaround: 3 days
Longer manuscripts: Get in touch for a personalised quote.
Common questions about working with me and what to expect.
Can you help if English isn't my first language?
Yes. Much of my work is with scholars writing in English as an additional language. Depending on the service you want, I address structural, rhetorical, framing and contribution issues, or language clarity and flow.
What if I'm not sure which journal to target?
Get in touch anyway. Journal fit is something I can advise on as part of a Pre-Submission Review.
Do you work with scholars outside the UK?
Yes. Most of my clients are based outside the UK, working across different academic traditions and publishing contexts. Everything is handled by email.
How does payment work for international clients?
I invoice in USD and accept bank transfers, Stripe and PayPal. Payment details are included on the invoice.
Do I need to be working in your specific research area?
No. While my own research focuses on personal life, families and inequalities, I am comfortable reviewing a broad range of qualitatively driven work across sociology and related fields. What I assess is argument structure, analytical depth, contribution and journal fit. These cut across topic areas.
What if my manuscript is longer than 10,000 words?
I'm happy to take on larger projects where capacity allows. Get in touch with the details and I'll provide a personalised quote.
Is my work kept confidential?
Yes. I do not share, circulate, or retain your manuscript beyond the scope of the agreed work. If you require a formal confidentiality agreement, I'm more than happy to provide one.
What is the difference between editorial strategy and copyediting?
Editorial strategy addresses your argument, structure, contribution and journal fit, which are hugely important factors in editorial decision-making. Copyediting addresses language, grammar, flow and consistency. They solve different problems, and many manuscripts benefit from both.
Get in touch using the inquiry form below. Let me know what you're working on and how I can help, and I'll get back to you within 48 hours. I only take on a limited number of manuscripts a month to ensure each project receives the time it needs.
Dr Adam Carter — Privacy Notice
This privacy notice explains how I handle your personal information.
Contact details
What information I collect, use, and why
I collect or use the following information to provide and improve products and services for clients:
- Names and contact details
- Occupation
I collect or use the following personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims:
- Names and contact details
- Correspondence
Lawful bases and data protection rights
Under UK data protection law, I must have a "lawful basis" for collecting and using your personal information. There is a list of possible lawful bases in the UK GDPR. You can find out more about lawful bases on the ICO's website.
Which lawful basis I rely on may affect your data protection rights which are set out in brief below. You can find out more about your data protection rights and the exemptions which may apply on the ICO's website:
- Your right of access — You have the right to ask me for copies of your personal information.
- Your right to rectification — You have the right to ask me to correct or delete personal information you think is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Your right to erasure — You have the right to ask me to delete your personal information.
- Your right to restriction of processing — You have the right to ask me to limit how I can use your personal information.
- Your right to object to processing — You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data.
- Your right to data portability — You have the right to ask that I transfer the personal information you gave me to another organisation, or to you.
- Your right to withdraw consent — When I use consent as my lawful basis you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
If you make a request, I must respond to you without undue delay and in any event within one month.
To make a data protection rights request, please contact me using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.
My lawful bases for the collection and use of your data
My lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to provide and improve products and services for clients are:
Contract — I have to collect or use the information so I can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.
My lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims are:
Legitimate interests — I'm collecting or using your information because it benefits you, my business or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. My legitimate interests are:
I retain client names, contact details, and correspondence for 12 months after project completion to deal with any queries, complaints, or disputes that may arise from the editorial services I have provided. This is necessary to ensure I can respond to clients who have questions about work I have delivered, and to protect both parties in the event of a complaint. The data retained is minimal (name, email address, and relevant correspondence only) and the retention period is proportionate to the nature of the service.
For more information on my use of legitimate interests as a lawful basis you can contact me using the contact details set out above.
Where I get personal information from
Directly from you.
How long I keep information
I retain personal information for 12 months after project completion. After this period, all personal data including names, contact details, correspondence, and manuscript files are permanently deleted.
How to complain
If you have any concerns about my use of your personal data, you can make a complaint to me using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.
If you remain unhappy with how I've used your data after raising a complaint with me, you can also complain to the ICO.
The ICO's address:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
Last updated: 16 March 2026