Dan Larsen - Editor
Fiction editor for over 20 years. Top NYC publishers. Over a thousand titles. Endorsed by bestselling authors. All levels of editing.
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Overview
I have been a freelance editor for 20 years-plus, focusing exclusively on fiction. Over that time I have edited well over a thousand titles, most of them for top New York publishers, including three of the Big Five, and many of them (at a guess, a few hundred anyway) ending up on bestseller lists.
My past publishing clients have included Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster), St. Martin's Press, Houghton Mifflin, Time Warner, Disney, Walker, and Kensington. From 2005 until 2018 I worked only with Penguin and Harlequin. I did copyediting for Penguin and line (or substantive) editing for Harlequin.
For the past couple of years I have been working directly with authors by way of referrals from a professional editing group. As of this year I am semiretired and am limiting most of my editing to working directly with authors, to help them look their best in print. With my experience, I have an insider's view on what publishers want. More importantly, on what works and what doesn't work in fiction.
And if you want to self-publish, you need an editor even more than if you plan to go with traditional publishing; it's all on you to get it right. You won't have the expertise and experience of a publisher's staff of professionals to polish your work till it's marketable.
So, what are my specialties? Well, really, my specialty is fiction. Remember, I've done close to fifteen hundred titles so far. And the elements of fiction apply to all the genres--with only minor variances. That said, there are genres I have worked in far more than others. Thrillers and romance probably make up half of my total output. Mysteries, paranormal, horror, fantasy, YA, and westerns (doesn't anyone write westerns anymore?) cover most of the other half. And please note, a genre like "thriller" includes a wide range of subgenres. Same for "paranormal" and so on.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. I'm an author myself. I have ten titles in print, some of which go back to 1990, in a popular juvenile series, with several million copies sold. Mentioning this is almost anticlimactic for me, though. My first love was, and will always be, editing.
“Copy editors can easily make or break a good book, can turn a good book into a great book, an interesting book into a gripping book. I’ve had some dreadful copy editors and some good ones. Dan is the best!” –Faith Hunter, the New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock series
“Dan Larsen was the copyeditor for my Tango Key books when I was at Kensington. He’s terrific! And he remains my favorite copyeditor!” –TJ MacGregor, the bestselling Tango Key series
“A good copyeditor is an essential component to any novel, and with his keen eye, diligence and attention to detail Dan Larsen's has proved invaluable time and again.” –Tom Wood, the international bestselling Victor Assassin series
“Dan Larsen has a very good grasp of grammar and punctuation, and is proficient in observing appropriate style guidelines. He is also knowledgeable about many topics that come up in various novels. I’ve worked with Dan for more than a decade and always found him to be a reliable and conscientious professional.” –Daniel Walsh, assistant director, Production Editorial, Berkley (Penguin Random House)
My past publishing clients have included Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster), St. Martin's Press, Houghton Mifflin, Time Warner, Disney, Walker, and Kensington. From 2005 until 2018 I worked only with Penguin and Harlequin. I did copyediting for Penguin and line (or substantive) editing for Harlequin.
For the past couple of years I have been working directly with authors by way of referrals from a professional editing group. As of this year I am semiretired and am limiting most of my editing to working directly with authors, to help them look their best in print. With my experience, I have an insider's view on what publishers want. More importantly, on what works and what doesn't work in fiction.
And if you want to self-publish, you need an editor even more than if you plan to go with traditional publishing; it's all on you to get it right. You won't have the expertise and experience of a publisher's staff of professionals to polish your work till it's marketable.
So, what are my specialties? Well, really, my specialty is fiction. Remember, I've done close to fifteen hundred titles so far. And the elements of fiction apply to all the genres--with only minor variances. That said, there are genres I have worked in far more than others. Thrillers and romance probably make up half of my total output. Mysteries, paranormal, horror, fantasy, YA, and westerns (doesn't anyone write westerns anymore?) cover most of the other half. And please note, a genre like "thriller" includes a wide range of subgenres. Same for "paranormal" and so on.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. I'm an author myself. I have ten titles in print, some of which go back to 1990, in a popular juvenile series, with several million copies sold. Mentioning this is almost anticlimactic for me, though. My first love was, and will always be, editing.
“Copy editors can easily make or break a good book, can turn a good book into a great book, an interesting book into a gripping book. I’ve had some dreadful copy editors and some good ones. Dan is the best!” –Faith Hunter, the New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock series
“Dan Larsen was the copyeditor for my Tango Key books when I was at Kensington. He’s terrific! And he remains my favorite copyeditor!” –TJ MacGregor, the bestselling Tango Key series
“A good copyeditor is an essential component to any novel, and with his keen eye, diligence and attention to detail Dan Larsen's has proved invaluable time and again.” –Tom Wood, the international bestselling Victor Assassin series
“Dan Larsen has a very good grasp of grammar and punctuation, and is proficient in observing appropriate style guidelines. He is also knowledgeable about many topics that come up in various novels. I’ve worked with Dan for more than a decade and always found him to be a reliable and conscientious professional.” –Daniel Walsh, assistant director, Production Editorial, Berkley (Penguin Random House)
Languages
English (US)
Fiction
Fantasy
Mystery & Crime
Paranormal Romance
Romance
Thriller & Suspense
Urban Fantasy
Women's Fiction
Young Adult
Certifications
- qualified (through testing) for substantive fiction editing, copyediting, and proofreading with the Christian Editor Connection
Work experience
freelance editor
Self-employed
January, 2017
–
Present
(almost 4 years)
Candlewick is a children's publisher. I do mostly YA fiction for them, copyediting. For Baker Book House I do proofreading, copyediting, and fiction editorial evaluations. The CEC is a professional editors' group (all of us are qualified through testing), through whom I work directly with authors (fiction only) by way of leads.
freelance editor
Self-employed
January, 2000
–
January, 2018
(about 18 years)
I worked for Kensington (then and currently the largest independent publisher in the world) and Dorchester for about ten years. For both of these I did nothing by fiction. Lots and lots of thrillers, romance, paranormal--I rode out the vampire surge that lasted several years, did my fair share of witch and warlock titles, and handled a pretty wide range of horror--mysteries, and westerns. The latter genre included many titles by bestselling authors like Ralph Cotton, Ralph Compton, and William Johnstone. The main imprints from Kensington were Pinnacle and Zebra, and from Dorchester it was Leisure Books and Love Spell.
Sometime in 2005-06 I started working for both Penguin and Harlequin. My workload from these two companies gradually increased till I had to drop somebody. Dorchester made that choice easy for me, as it folded in 2010. And as for Kensington, I was gradually becoming unhappy with my work as new imprints were created with genres I didn't care for and the fun stuff (mentioned above) I was used to started disappearing. So I said good-bye to Kensington and freed myself up to be able to say yes to anything Penguin and Harlequin had for me. Which, it turned out, was a lot! I worked directly for the managing editor at Penguin, who sent me about half of his workload every month. For me that meant four or five titles a month. The Penguin imprints I got most of my work from were NAL (formerly New American Library) and Signet. Both of these, alas, are gone now since Penguin's merger with Random House.
freelance editor
Self-employed
January, 1989
–
April, 1992
(about 3 years)
I started my freelance editing career with Walker Publishing Co., which then had a strong (and highly acclaimed) fiction department. Peter Rubie was the fiction editor then. (Rubie is a bestselling novelist himself who went on to create one of NYC's most successful and prestigious literary agencies.) Then I became part of Pocket Books, for whom I was a regular for a couple of years. I also did occasional jobs for a few other companies, including those mentioned above.
I was off to a great start and having the time of my life, but then one of those "life" things hit me hard and derailed my . . . well, everything. I left freelancing and just camped out awhile, keeping a roof over my head but not much more.
Then several years later, when I figured I'd hidden out long enough, I decided to make the effort to get my life back on track. This involved reeducating myself, studying all my old grammar and composition and usage books, taking a couple of editing courses, reading the Chicago Manual of Style and Words into Type (etc.) all over again, and so on. This process took well over a year, all of 1998 and part of 1999. In the fall of 1999 I was ready and back in the game.
And loving life again!
Portfolio (30 selected works)
The Final Hour (Victor)
Tom Wood
The enigmatic assassin Victor returns in an explosive thriller from the international bestselling author of A Time to Die and The Darkest Day. SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE... Victor is the ultimate predator. He surfaces to kill, then disappears into thin air. But he’s a disposable commodity for the powerful people he works for—both the good guys and the bad. And no one has his back. Especial... read more
Shadow Rites (Jane Yellowrock)
Faith Hunter
Jane Yellowrock has her hands full in the latest novel in the New York Times bestselling series that captures “the essence of urban fantasy” (SF Site). Slaying vampires is child’s play for skinwalker Jane Yellowrock. But handling the complicated politics of New Orleans’ supernatural players is another story... Jane is keeping the peace between visiting groups of witches and vamps in the city, ... read more
Wired (Buchanan/FBI)
Julie Garwood
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“Once again, Garwood delivers another suspenseful, highly entertaining and romantic story line in Wired.”—The Associated PressA beautiful computer hacker and a bad-boy FBI agent must collaborate—in more ways than one—in the sizzling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood.Allison Trent doesn’t look like a hacker. In fact, when she’s not in... read more
The Veil (A Devil's Isle Novel)
Chloe Neill
A brand new series from New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill. Seven years ago, the Veil that separates humanity from what lies beyond was torn apart, and New Orleans was engulfed in a supernatural war. Now, those with paranormal powers have been confined in a walled community that humans call the District. Those who live there call it Devil's Isle. Claire Connolly is a good girl with ... read more
Edge of Danger (Deadly Ops Series)
Katie Reus
The new Deadly Ops novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Shattered Duty—in the series that delivers “fast-paced romantic suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat!”* When an assassin tries to kill undercover DEA agent Tucker Pankov the same week his boss is taken out, Tucker has good reason to be paranoid. And when other members of his elite team are not only targeted,... read more
The Doll's House (A Helen Grace Thriller)
M. J. Arlidge
Detective Helen Grace is on the trail of a twisted serial killer in this riveting thriller in the “gripping” (USA Today) international bestselling series.Ruby wakes up in a strange room. Her captor calmly explains that no one is looking for her. No one wants her. Except him.When the body of a woman is found buried on a secluded beach, Detective Helen Grace is called to the scene. She knows rig... read more
Love, Alice
Barbara Davis
A sweeping southern women’s fiction novel about forgiving the past one letter at a time—from the author of When Never Comes.A year ago, Dovie Larkin’s life was shattered when her fiancé committed suicide just weeks before their wedding. Now, plagued by guilt, she has become a fixture at the cemetery where William is buried, visiting his grave daily, waiting for answers she knows will never com... read more
Summer of the Geek (Geek High)
Piper Banks
The third compulsively readable book in the smart and witty series about a high school for gifted students. Miranda Bloom has scored an adorable, lacrosse-playing boyfriend, Dex McConnell, and an awesomely easy summer job looking after a ten year old mini-genius, Amelia. This summer is going to be sweet... Then reality puts the brakes on everything. Though Dex and Miranda are official, she fee... read more
Wedded Bliss (The Wicked Worthington Series)
Celeste Bradley
From the New York Times bestselling author of I Thee Wed comes a Wicked Worthingtons novel of a love that will not be denied.... As a ship’s captain, highborn bastard Morgan Pryce has spent his life sailing away from England. The last thing he needs is a wife. But when he fears that his titled half brother, Neville, is about to be snared by a gold digger, Morgan aims to protect Neville by tric... read more
Witch
Christopher Pike
Julia is a young woman with extraordinary powers, with the ability to heal people. She comes from a tradition of witches, but before Julia's mother died, she warned her never to look in water that had moonlight shining on it. Unfortunately she does - and she sees a vision of the future.
Winter Halo (An Outcast Novel)
Keri Arthur
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Souls of Fire novels comes the second in the futuristic fantasy series that will make you want to keep the lights on... When the bombs that stopped the species war tore holes in the veil between worlds, they allowed entry to the Others. Now, a hundred years later, humans and shifters alike live in artificially lit cities designed to keep the da... read more
New Leaf (Mystic Creek)
Catherine Anderson
The New York Times bestselling author of Silver Thaw returns to Mystic Creek in a novel about a love that inspires the courage to start over…and the strength to reclaim a dream. When Taffeta Brown was viciously betrayed by her wealthy husband, she lost everything—including custody of their daughter, Sarah. Now that Taffy has moved to Mystic Creek, Oregon, to start over, she unexpectedly meets ... read more
The Demonists (A Demonists Novel)
Thomas E. Sniegoski
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Fallen series and the Remy Chandler series, a new dark fantasy series filled with demons, exorcisms, and the fight against the worst that hell has to offer... There is more to our world than meets the eye—darker things, crueler things. Exorcist John Fogg and his wife, psychic medium Theodora Knight, know what lurks in the shadows. But even they... read more
Permanently Booked (The Ladies Smythe & Westin)
Lisa Q. Mathews
The Final ChapterSemi-reformed party girl Summer Smythe is finally feeling at home at the Hibiscus Pointe retirement community. All that’s left to do is replace her late grandma’s massive book collection with a TV. Donating them to the community library is the perfect solution—until she finds the librarian buried in books. Literally.Summer and her sleuthing partner, longtime resident Dorothy W... read more
The Bridesmaid Wore Sneakers (The Daughters of Dancing Falls)
Cynthia Thomason
It takes courage to fall in love To everyone in her rural Ohio community, Jude Foster O'Leary's dead husband is a war hero. Yet how can she forgive him for choosing the military over his family when they needed him most? And now the charitable foundation she established in his name is in danger of going belly-up, until Liam Manning comes to the single mother's rescue. But the financial adviser... read more
DEAD OF WINTER (Louis Kincaid Book 2)
P.J. Parrish
Available for the first time in eBook! Read the thriller that launched the award-winning New York Times bestselling Louis Kincaid series.In the quaint tourist town of Loon Lake, Mich., a killer is taking his vengeance. One by one, the bodies of cops are found, brutally executed, with mysteriously coded death cards placed with each corpse – the gruesome signature of a psychopath. And the only s... read more
Black Water (Book Club Edition)
T.J. MacGregor
Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Fans of the Twilight Zone should relish MacGregor's newest offering (after Out of Sight); reading this spine-tingling suspense novel is like spiraling headfirst into the most disturbing episode ever aired. As Mira Morales and her teenage daughter, Annie, prepare to return via motorboat to their home in the Florida Keys, Mira is knocked unconscious and A... read more
Ride the Storm (Cassie Palmer)
Karen Chance
Cassie Palmer can see the future, talk to ghosts, and travel through time—but nothing’s prepared her for this. Ever since being stuck with the job of pythia, the chief seer of the supernatural world, Cassie Palmer has been playing catch up. Catch up to the lifetime's worth of training she missed being raised by a psychotic vampire instead of at the fabled pythian court. Catch up to the powerfu... read more
The Lost Plot (The Invisible Library Novel)
Genevieve Cogman
After being commissioned to find a rare book, Librarian Irene and her assistant, Kai, head to Prohibition-era New York and are thrust into the middle of a political fight with dragons, mobsters, and Fae.In a 1920s-esque New York, Prohibition is in force; fedoras, flapper dresses, and tommy guns are in fashion: and intrigue is afoot. Intrepid Librarians Irene and Kai find themselves caught in t... read more
Summers' Horses (Ralph Cotton Western Series)
Ralph Cotton
Will Summers is a horse trader with a reputation that intimidates the most lawless of men. When the coldblooded Bendigo Brothers make off with his horses, they don't know what they're in for. Summers has a history of tracking down animals, and when he finds them he'll be sure to give them his own special brand, and let them live long enough to feel the burn...
The Ghost of Apache Creek (Ralph Compton)
Ralph Compton, Joseph A. West
A man with nothing left to lose finds a reason to fight in this Ralph Compton western.Requiem, formerly known as Apache Creek, is a town that has seen better days. After a plague of cholera swept through the streets, the only folk left behind are ghosts, including Marshall Sam Pace. Even though he’s still living and breathing, three years of solitude have turned Sam into a phantom—a lonely man... read more
Blood Storm (The Books of Blood and Iron)
Steven Harper
From the author of Iron Axe comes the second Book of Blood and Iron…Ages ago, those who had the ability to change their shape lost it, leading to endless bloody battles for supremacy between the races—until one reluctant hero stepped forth to restore peace to the world.… Even though Danr the half troll ended centuries of fighting, he still is not living the quiet life he longs for. Rumors have... read more
Pouncing on Murder (A Bookmobile Cat Mystery)
Laurie Cass
Curl up with the latest from the national bestselling author of Borrowed Crime...Springtime in Chilson, Michigan, means it's librarian Minnie Hamilton's favorite time of year: maple syrup season! But her excitement fades when her favorite syrup provider, Henry Gill, dies in a sugaring accident. It’s tough news to swallow...even if the old man wasn’t as sweet as his product. On the bookmobile r... read more
Printer in Petticoats (Harlequin Historical)
Lynna Banning
This town's not big enough for both of us… Self-proclaimed spinster Jessamine Lassiter is striving to keep Smoke River's newspaper afloat when Cole Sanders rides into town to start up a rival paper. Emotions run high as Cole's constant, infuriating presence causes sparks to fly both in and out of the office! But does he truly desire Jess, or is he just waiting to put her out of business? Whate... read more
The Witch's Quest (The Decadent Dames)
Michele Hauf
The witch’s redemption…Kelyn Saint-Pierre always had a bit of a thing for Valor Hearst. But after he makes a harrowing sacrifice to save the tomboyish witch from a gruesome death, Kelyn’s certain that any spark between them is gone forever.Valor wishes she’d known about Kelyn’s crush before she ruined everything. There may be a way she can repay her smoking-hot champion…but it won’t be easy. C... read more
Fractured Memory (Love Inspired Suspense)
Jordyn Redwood
Fractured Memory by Jordyn Redwood released on Jul 05, 2016 is available now for purchase.
Necessary Evil
David Dun
When a private jet containing enough infectious toxins to destroy most of humanity crashes into the rugged California high country during a blizzard, an expert mountaineer and a female FBI agent discover the wreakage and its deadly contents, and soon they become the targets of a deadly assasin who will stop at nothing to conceal a conspiracy. Original.
James Becker, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Treasure of the Templars and The Lost Testament, delivers a breakneck thriller continuing the adventures of antiquarian bookseller Robin Jessop and encryption expert David Mallory.While trying to decipher what few clues they have managed to recover about the Templar’s secrets, Jessop and Mallory discover that the legendary “treasure” ... read more
The Christmas Triplets (Cupid's Bow, Texas)
Tanya Michaels
The Christmas Triplets by Tanya Michaels released on Nov 08, 2016 is available now for purchase.
The latest deliciously appealing mystery from the author of Death of a Chocolate Cheater... Anxious to take a break from bustling San Francisco, Darcy and her Aunt Abby pack up the food truck and head for the apple festival at Apple Valley, California. Aunt Abby is sure her almond apple tarts will be a hit and Darcy wants to collect more recipes for her food truck cookbook. But when a fellow g... read more
Dan has 9 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
I selected Dan for my proofread because of the thoroughness of his offer, and because I really liked some of his suggestions from the short piece I submitted to receive quotes. I was looking for someone meticulous and professional, and I received way more than I expected.
The proofread was done in a professional manner in the expected time. Dan reached out to me several times throughout the pr...
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Chris Cranford, July 2020
Working with Dan Larsen was an educational as well as an enjoyable experience. I hired Dan to provide both line and copy edits for a thriller novel. Dan is extremely knowledgeable about the craft of storytelling and made me aware of several important points that will greatly improve my writing. Dan's professionalism was evident by his prompt and insightful replies to all my questions and concer...
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MJ Javani, May 2020
I love working with Dan. He doesn't baby me. He tells me what I need to know. He also tells me what I like to know. He pointed out a conversation that made him laugh. That felt good to read. He is also nice about how he talks to me. I thought my manuscript was very clean. I had gone through it so many times. Well, Dan proved his worth and I thank him.
Diane Dupree-Dempsey, April 2020
I contacted Dan a month before I needed his service for a Developmental Edit. He reviewed my sample and give some tips before letting me know it would be a better idea to contact him closer to the time I needed him so he could have a clearer picture of what needed done. I'm glad he did, too. It gave me the time to finish my own editing until I was sure the story was clear. Reading my second sam...
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Robert Martin, December 2019
Dan was fantastic, professional, and thorough. Even sometimes funny, which I appreciate. His knowledge shines through with his suggestions, and I feel like I will be a stronger writer now after working with him. From the initial contact on, he has been easy to work with and accommodating to my, perhaps insecure, questions. When I first started hunting for an editor, I expected a long delay, but...
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Tim Mills, November 2019
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