Bill Siever

Bill Siever – Editor

I edit books on every conceivable topic and am also a published author of a hiking guidebook to the southern Berkshires of Massachusetts.

Overview

I'm a hiking guidebook author and freelance editor who spends most of my working time editing full-length manuscripts (mainly novels) as well as book reviews for Kirkus Reviews magazine. I've written a hiking guidebook to my area called "100 Hikes in the Southern Berkshires and Just Beyond," published in the fall of 2024 by K. Daniels and Associates, and I'm very much interested in the natural world. I'm comfortable working on pretty much any genre, from romance novels to materials science. I've edited books by bestselling authors such as Tess Gerritsen and Chris Bohjalian as well as first-time self-published authors. My goal is always the same, no matter who you are: to make your voice shine through as the author, whatever the genre. I believe you'll find that my experience as a published guidebook author will help in working together. While I haven't written a novel, I know a little of what you're going through and will treat your book project with the utmost care it deserves.

Services
Fiction
Classics Historical Fiction Mystery & Crime Young Adult
Non-Fiction
Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences History Nature Political Science & Current Affairs
Languages
English (AUS) English (CAN) English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Kirkus Reviews

Jul, 2023 — Present
I copyedit and proofread over 100 book reviews a month for the children's and Indie sections of Kirkus Reviews magazine.

K. Daniels and Associates (publisher)

May, 2018 — Present
My guidebook is called "100 Hikes in the Southern Berkshires and Just Beyond"; it covers the beautiful area where Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York meet. The Reedsy system won't allow me to add a link, but you can search "Bill Siever, Berkshires hiking" to find the book on the publisher's website.

Media and editing company based in NYC

Jun, 2015 — Present
I line edit, copy edit, and proofread fiction and nonfiction of all genres, based on Chicago style, author preference, and common sense. I've been told that I have a good editing "bedside manner" and have been requested for repeat edits by around 30 authors to date.

Canada-based editing company

Sep, 2014 — Present
I edit work from clients around the world, primarily by ESL authors. The work includes technical journal submissions, PhD dissertations, newsletters, and project reports on everything from materials science to electrical engineering to Buddhist theology.

Academic publisher based in Great Barrington, MA

Jun, 2008 — Sep, 2015 (over 7 years)
As project editor, I edited and revised full-length book manuscripts, produced multi-volume encyclopedias (on China, sustainability, and sports, among other topics), and copy edited, proofread, and wrote articles and marketing texts.

Portfolio

It Will All Work Out: The Freedom of Letting Go

Hart, Kevin

Amazon Original Stories

Slot Machine Fever Dreams (Obsession collection)

Bohjalian, Chris

Amazon Original Stories

All the Lovely Pieces

J.M. Winchester

Motherly love can drive her to the absolute edge…For nine years, Drew Baker has been running from her brutal husband and the dark deeds of the night she left him. Focused on protecting her ten-year-old son, Drew reluctantly settles into a small town, eager to ... read more
From the bestselling author of Good Sam—now a Netflix feature film—comes another Kate Bradley story about the nature of generosity and finding unexpected connections with strangers.TV reporter Kate Bradley arrives in Manhattan ready to take on a challenging ne... read more
A great historian can make clear the connections between the first Homo sapiens and today's version of the species, and a great storyteller can make those connections come alive. David Christian is both. This Fleeting World: A Short History of Humanity makes t... read more
Hike the wild Olympics with less! Many backpackers prepare for the diversity of habitat, topography, and weather in Olympic National Park by overloading their packs with unnecessary clothing and gear. In this book, ecologist and wilderness advocate Aleta Erick... read more
Woven into the Fabric

Tsehai Essiebea Farrell

Scurrying across Stanford’s Quad, Brenna was shocked—suddenly she just knew she was going to Africa. It’s the height of the Black Pride Movement and, unbeknownst to her, the Watts Summer Festival boldly decided to send its next Miss Watts to Africa, a metaphor... read more
A Girl Divided

Ellen Lindseth

An emotional novel of love, loyalty, and faith—and one woman’s exhilarating journey of self-discovery during World War II.Rural China, 1942. Twenty-two-year-old Eugenia Baker exists in a bubble as yet untouched by WWII. Content to help her father with his miss... read more
This is the true story of Charles Langley, an Englishman from London, who became apprentice to a powerful Navajo Indian medicine man in the remote desert of the American Southwest. His early experiences of Navajo witchcraft, divination and healing, and of the ... read more
In a German county north of Hamburg rests a town named Sommerwood, where Ruby and Rosa Muller, two enchanted sisters, live. Engaged to be married, Ruby is a feisty teenage girl, while Rosa is more subdued and mature. One day, their mother becomes ill, and Rosa... read more
Serena has spent her entire life with her loving father in her small village. One day while out looking for adventure, she finds a dazzling emerald in the stream, and her life changes forever. A strange woman appears, warning her that something special will ha... read more
This Is America: A Short History of the United States, the fourth in Berkshire's acclaimed "This World of Ours" series, is a unique and very short introduction to the United States of America, a nation that in recent history has been the most affluent, influen... read more
SINS OF COMMISSION, the fifth novel in the Martha Beale historical mystery series. Sins of Commission conjures up nineteenth-century Philadelphia in an immersive tale of treachery, loyalty, and passion. A case of arson turns lethal, but who was the perpetrator... read more
In the 10-volume Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability, experts around the world provide authoritative coverage of the growing body of knowledge about ways to restore the planet. Focused on solutions, this interdisciplinary print and online publication draw... read more

Bill has 15 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Robin B.

Robin B.

Apr, 2024

Pinned
This was the fourth book Bill edited for me, and he is excellent! He makes certain every sentence in my book is clear and easy for the reader to understand. He tells me where and how to strengthen my story to make it better and what I should cut to streamline it. He not only corrects my mistakes ...
Read more
Bill S.
I love working with Robin, too, and I really appreciate her positivity. I feel like I learn more and more of the art of storytelling every time I work on one of her books. I can't wait to read what...
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Marianne J.

Marianne J.

Jul, 2022

Pinned
Five stars, plus five more! This was my first time working with a proofreader and Bill has been an absolute joy to work with. Bill is kind, friendly, very knowledgeable, professional, easy to communicate with, and does quick work, but is very thorough. Not only did he go through and make excellen...
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Bill S.
Thank you for your kind review, Marianne! I loved working on "Everything About Astronauts" with you, and I can't wait to work with you again. I can tell you know your stuff, and your passion for th...
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Laurinda M.

Laurinda M.

Jun, 2020

Pinned
Since I am a new author, I wasn't sure where to start when it came to editing. I'm very glad I hired Bill. He's been very encouraging and thorough throughout the entire process.
Bill S.
I've really enjoyed working with Laurinda, who's a very talented writer. I love the imagery in "Lily's Cure." I'm looking forward to working with her on her next books!
TheLegendOf M.

TheLegendOf M.

Jul, 2023

Bill is amazing to work with. His notes are clear to understand, his edits are thorough. He is kind and straight to the point and even shares the different rules of writing. I am looking forward to working with him again.
Bill S.
That's very kind of you, Maren, thank you! I look forward to working with you soon, too!
Dave S.

Dave S.

Jan, 2023

Our collaboration wasn’t completed, entirely related to the demands of the project, but Bill was great to work with.
Bill S.
I'm grateful to have had a chance to work with Dave on his project, albeit briefly, and I'm sorry our schedules didn't work out. I'm looking forward to reading the final result!

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