Abbey McLaughlin

Abbey McLaughlin – Editor

Flexible, intuitive editor with eight years' experience in Christian fiction and nonfiction. Previously a Proverbs 31 editor (Lysa T)!

Overview

I'm Abbey! Thanks for stopping by.

I'm an open-minded, professional editor skilled in cultivating all sorts of nonfiction and fiction storytelling! I have advanced experience in the Christian publishing industry and seeking more in the contemporary fiction world!

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Still here? Sweet! Here’s the unabridged version:

My writing career began in 3rd grade when I wrote my first book (not to brag, but it filled an entire composition notebook, which is what mattered the most to me at the time). Fast forward a smidge, and I got a bachelor's degree in English & Creative Writing from Indiana Wesleyan. I was published twice for my short stories and hired as a copy editor for a small publishing co!

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I have professionally edited within many contexts and genres! My first "gig" was with Pique Publishing, working mostly with a small magazine. Then, academic copy editor for more academic nonfiction. My favorite job was Proverbs 31 Ministries.

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For 2 years, I served as a content editor for P31, specifically helping with devotions and First 5 Bible studies. I worked one-on-one and as a team with writers and staff members to create rich content for tens of thousands of readers. A family emergency pulled me away from this amazing job, but freelancing is pretty darn cool.

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That’s the history—here’s the present. I’m smart, but I want to be smarter. I attend professional development seminars (thank you ACES and EFA!), other conferences, networking groups, work with mentors, and pick up new side-skills!

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My editing style tends to be mildly blunt and reader focused (giving 'em a good experience). I'd rather be clear and straightforward than risk confusion by over-sugarcoating. That said, tell me what works best for you. I'm happy to accommodate.

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I think it's easier to tell if writers+editors are a match through a call, so if that doesn’t scare you, let’s do it! I WANT questions (none of yours are dumb). This is supposed to be FUN!

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I’m not here to misrepresent my services. That's why I offer FREE sample edits for line and copy editing + proofreading, plus the fun consults.

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I want your book to succeed. It is a reflection of your amazing ideas and creativity, but also my editing, so I obviously take that seriously! (Also, I'm GenZ, so every other sentence has to end with an exclamation point!)

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Let's be honest. We all have flaws too, and I'm not going to sell my weaknesses as strengths, so here are my pain points ⬇

I have diagnosed narcolepsy, which is a sleep disorder.

I answer messages within 72 hours (often sooner), but all meetings have to be scheduled as my hours vary. It also means I need a lot of pre-planned wiggle room and grace with deadlines.


Whew! I hope I didn't lose you.

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Okay, honestly, I’m so flattered you read this all. Your time is so valuable. Let me know when you wanna gab!


GRATEFULLY,

Abbey

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Christian Non-Fiction Parenting & Families Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Christian Fiction Contemporary Fiction
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • Member of ACES: the Society for Editors
  • Member of the EFA

Work experience

Proverbs 31 Ministries

Jan, 2020 — Sep, 2021 (over 1 year)

I love working for this nonprofit, doing developmental edits on Bible study material. A book I proofread for this company, that was self-published, was later purchased by HarperCollins.

Self-employed

Sep, 2021 — Present

I've been working one-on-one with amazing authors, both seasoned and brand-new, to create fantastic pieces of written artwork since September 2021. I provide competitively detailed and insightful developmental, line, and copy editing, as well as proofreading, for a wide range of genres. I'm living the dream!

Apex CoVantage

Sep, 2018 — Jan, 2020 (over 1 year)

Pique Publishing, Inc.

Jan, 2016 — Jan, 2020 (about 4 years)

Portfolio

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Beautiful Ashes

McGuire, Beth Shuey

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Unclaimed Son

Altair, Day

Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
The Pull: River Pack Saga

Morten, Mary

Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
The Challenge: River Pack Saga

Morten, Mary

Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
The Dragon Child: Magic and Darkness

Nescher, Jared

Dragon Child Publishing

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
David Warrior

Fergusson, John

Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
Encouragement from the Head Coach

Prewitt, Roger

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Tu Success!: A Journey from Pain to Purpose

Mariatu Browne

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
Sometimes We Wear Pajamas to Church

Talley, Jennifer

Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
1 Peter: The Grace of Exile

Holdridge, Nate

Jesus Famous

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Parenting Through the Ranks

Harakal, David

Falcon Guides

Proofreading
Redeemed: Discovering Identity After Trauma

Kolenda, Rebecca

RK Publishing

Editorial Assessment
Graclin's Miracle

Anderson, Katie

Psalms 34 Ministry

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Open Mike

Hill, Mike

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Why the Wait?

Moraldo, Kizzy

Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Editorial Assessment
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing

Abbey has 88 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Julie M.

Julie M.

Aug, 2024

Pinned
Abbey is a true professional when it comes to editing—she is simply the best! She is a great communicator and kept me up-to-date with everything. I loved what she did to my manuscript—it is a brighter, easier-to-read, professional version of what I sent her. I would highly recommend Abbey for any...
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Denette S.

Denette S.

Aug, 2024

Pinned
Could not have asked for a better person to help with my book. This project is so dear to me and Abbey met me every step of the way. The developmental edit process was a breeze with her help and I can't wait to work with her more on this project and even hopefully on future projects. Abbey has an...
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Abbey M.
Denette don't make me cry!!!
Jared N.

Jared N.

Jul, 2024

Pinned
I had several editors go through my work before I found Abbey. She is by far the best editor I have ever dealt with. She was a lot more professional than the other editors. She didn't overcharge me for her work, the pricing was extremely fair. In the end, she went above and beyond what I paid her...
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Abbey M.
Jared :') This book was so much fun to work on, and I can't wait for the sequels!!
Jen C.

Jen C.

Mar, 2025

As a new author I came in very naive to a lot of what writing a book entails. I feel Abbey did a good job of helping me understand the basics of our agreement. Collaborating with her worked well for my flexible schedule and I was satisfied with the finished edits. I am thankful for all her feedba...
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Benji R.

Benji R.

Mar, 2025

Abbey was a pleasure to work with. Very professional and helpful, she went above and beyond to help me meet my goals. I hope Abbey is available for my next project!

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