Carolyn Haley

Carolyn Haley – Editor

Fiction editor across genres, helping authors at all experience levels prepare their stories for publishing (indie or traditional).

Overview

Fiction is my passion—as editor, writer, reader, reviewer, contest judge—and helping authors with their stories is the best job in the world.


I came to it unconventionally, via two converging pathways: document production for corporate publishers, and personal art/writing/reading. Both channels exposed me to weirdly wide knowledge and experience. They met in the middle in 2006, when I hung out my freelance shingle. Since then I have edited stand-alone and series novels for major traditional publishers, such as Penguin/Berkley/NAL, HarperCollins, and Little, Brown; and indie authors seeking either traditional publishing or self-publishing their books. I work with seasoned pros and first-timers, and all skill levels in between.


The range and diversity of my two-channel experience—subjects from equines to aircraft, genres from romance to steampunk—let me help authors in any fictional realm transform their ideas into stories aimed at the readership they desire.


All stories share the need for mechanical “housekeeping” after the developmental work has been done. I specialize in preserving each author’s unique voice and vision while attending to the four C’s: clarity, consistency, choreography, and comprehension. These translate into content and copy editing. Their purpose is to hone writing craft and story craft to avoid readers going “huh?” and stumbling out of the story.


Through direct experience publishing my own novels, coupled with indirect experience sharing the publishing journey with clients, I’ve learned the ropes from dream and first draft to prize-winning success. I look forward to joining you on your own publishing journey!


In addition to the genres listed, I have a special interest in aviation, equestrian, Western, and motorsport novels, and am seeking manuscripts in those areas.


Currently booking projects for July 2025 onward.

Services
Fiction
Action & Adventure Coming of Age Historical Fiction Mystery & Crime New Adult Romantic Suspense Science Fiction Thriller & Suspense
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • Grand Prize Winner, Chanticleer Book Reviews 2015 Paranormal Fiction Award
  • 2nd Place, West Houston RWA 2019 Emily Award
  • 3rd Place, Feathered Quill Book Awards, 2022 Animal-Adult Category
Certifications
  • Copyediting & Proofreading (Fairfield University)
  • BA equivalent in English/Communications, from work experience and independent study (ongoing)

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2006 — Present
Full-service editorial company helping authors and publishers in fiction and select nonfiction. Clients range from new indie authors to large publishing houses and university presses; also special-interest and university alumni magazines.

Vermont Country Store

Jan, 2000 — Dec, 2005 (almost 6 years)
Copyediting and proofreading, copywriting, page production, and scheduling for the Creative Department of a catalog retailer.

New England Business Journals

Jan, 1998 — Dec, 2000 (almost 3 years)
Copyediting and proofreading, copywriting, and typesetting for a B2B regional newspaper:

Self-employed

Jun, 1993 — Dec, 1997 (over 4 years)
Editing and desktop publishing support for large and small companies and publishers, and independent authors. This was the birth of what would later become my company, DocuMania.

Consultech Communications

Jan, 1989 — May, 1993 (over 4 years)
Copyeditor and compositor for a marketing and direct mail start-up firm serving high-tech companies and publishers.

General Electric

Feb, 1987 — Jan, 1989 (almost 2 years)
Edited, proofread, typeset, and converted all materials in the in the publishing division at GE headquarters.

Portfolio

Made with Reedsy
The Couriers of Herodotus

Williams, Steve

Made with Reedsy
INTO THE NIGHT: THE SUSPENSEFUL STORY OF A CANADIAN BOMBER PILOT

REID, G. A.

Independently published

A Collection of Brevities

Summers, Patrick

Contenti Press

The Lords of the West End: A London Fantasy (The Lords of History)

Blaisdell, Peter

Blaisdell Literary Enterprises

Kill Night: A Twisted Vigilante Tale

Gray, Maximilian

Peculiar Ephemera

Key Change: An Alternative History of Mozart

Summers, Patrick

Contenti Press

Made with Reedsy
No Lack of Sunshine

Kay, Eric

Made with Reedsy
The Look in Her Eyes

Toich, Frank

Made with Reedsy
Three Immortals

Boehmer, Bert-Oliver

Made with Reedsy
CROSSROADS: A Young Woman's Aviation Journey

Salvatore, Gene

Made with Reedsy
Trails of Smoke

Liimatainen, William

Made with Reedsy
The Peak Experiment

Moga, Diana X.

Made with Reedsy
Dustoff One Zero

Jablecki, Dr Joseph S

Made with Reedsy
The Shaman's Stone

Dunham, H. S.

The Christmas Spirit

Fairchild, Elisabeth

The Waking Dream

Steadman, Sage

Steadfast Will I Be

Furlong, Susan Leigh

Fixing Your Stars

Simpson, Steven A.

The Linkage

Stebbins, V. W.

Enchanted Orbit

Simpson, S. A.

In Regalia: a novel

McCormack, Erin L.

The Mission

Eustis, Maureen

Darkness stirs in a world that is ill-equipped to confront it. A prophesied king is born, but not all will benefit from his foretold conquests. In a realm where only clerics are permitted to practice magic, Kibure, a mere slave, draws the attention of much mor... read more
Vol. l contains seventeen adventure filled short tales about pioneers traveling across the American West in the nineteenth-century to settle the vast continent and the dangers and issues they confronted and overcame. The stories are as varied as the pioneer’s ... read more
The Ball Crossing

J.E. Lindberg

Nearly a decade after his service in the Civil War, Francis Hakey is drawn into a world of darkness he can scarcely imagine unfolding in the peaceful landscape of northwestern Vermont. Still troubled by his memories of the war, he confronts a far greater evil ... read more
The Strawberry Field

Barbara Jean Ruther

The Strawberry Field, the story of two sisters: Beth, projecting warmth and caring, a luminous smile; and Alyssa, wickedly mean, rumored to practice sadomasochism. Beth’s husband, Raymond, sees himself as the suave, ultimate, sexually desired specimen. Alyssa ... read more
The Boy: A Novel

Lara Santoro

"Gorgeous, fiercely intelligent, deeply honest, and incredibly entertaining." ---Anne LamottAnna has always been a risk-taker and a free spirit, but now she is raising a young daughter on her own and she has to play it safe. Her twenty-something neighbor with ... read more
Julia spends her days with the dead. This makes sense because she is the first female death investigator for the Virginia Medical Examiner’s Office. She has worked hard to become a forensic artist, recreating faces from only bones. Julia faces new challenges n... read more
Get a taste of justice in the first mystery in national bestselling author Kylie Logan’s Chili Cook-Off series! Romance is supposed to be the spice of life. But Maxie Pierce is so done with bad relationships—well, almost. She just has to get rid of the latest ... read more
Tucked away in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York is the charming town of Gracious Grove, where time moves slowly, gossip spreads quickly, and the scones are to die for… When her fashionable Manhattan restaurant goes under, Sophie Taylor retreats to h... read more
Long May She Reign

Rhiannon Thomas

The Girl of Fire and Thorns meets The Queen of the Tearling in this thrilling fantasy standalone about one girl’s unexpected rise to power.Freya was never meant to be queen. Twenty-third in line to the throne, she never dreamed of a life in the palace, and wou... read more
Alvin Baylor's life is not turning out as expected.He was tasting glory as a cyber-athlete, until scandal ended his career. Now he spends his days at a dead-end job in a constant hangover haze. And with the North America of 2117 fractured into corporate territ... read more
This new fantasy-adventure series from N. D. Wilson, bestselling author of 100 Cupboards, pits a misfit twelve-year-old against a maniacal villain with a deadly vendetta. This one-of-a kind story is must read for fans of Brandon Mull and Soman Chainani, and th... read more

Carolyn has 38 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Vhd L.

Vhd L.

Mar, 2024

Pinned
I engaged Carolyn to copy edit a 85K word historical (animal) fantasy novel, and she has been an absolute delight to work with. She made a serious effort to understand, not just the book I was having her copy edit, but my where this effort fit in to my strategy as an author. Besides doing a thor...
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Steve W.

Steve W.

Jan, 2023

Pinned
As a first-time amateur novelist, I did not know what to expect of the editing process. I wanted and needed the editing assistance, however, I was concerned that my intent and "style" could be lost in the process. Carolyn walked that line expertly and provided me with a vastly improved manuscript...
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Virginia A.

Virginia A.

Feb, 2022

Pinned
I worked with three different editors at major publishing houses when I was actively pursuing traditional publishing, and I want to say that only one of these three came close to providing the kind of specific, insightful, and useful help Carolyn provided. Her method worked well with my preferenc...
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Bonnie B.

Bonnie B.

Mar, 2025

Carolyn is a dream to work with -- highly recommend! She's punctual, thorough, kind and a font of information. I will gladly work with her again.
Bonnie B.

Bonnie B.

Feb, 2025

Carolyn is a superb, kind and exacting editor. I hired her first for an assessment of my 3rd draft novel. Her feedback was so valuable, and I enjoyed working with her so much, that I re-hired her to line and copy edit the manuscript. In both collaborations she was professional, insightful, acce...
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