Darryl Oliver

Darryl Oliver – Editor

Experienced editor and former educator with an excellent editorial eye for plot, pacing, dialogue, and character development.

Overview

With a wide variety of experiences and interests, I make an excellent editor or writer for a great many projects. I specialize in all things editorial. If your query letter, synopsis or manuscript requires any type of structural, proofreading, or plot edits then I'm your editor. My genres include, but are not limited to, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, History, Historical Fiction, Alternate History, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Romance, and Memoir.

I'm currently an Assistant Editor at Getty Publications (J. Paul Getty Museum) where I work with subject matter experts on a number of compelling titles. Previously, I've been an Editorial Assistant with Random House while working as a freelance editor/writer for some time. At Random House, I've worked with numerous award-winning and best-selling authors. As a Random House editor, my expertise goes beyond the page. I'm uniquely suited in assessing the market and helping you shape your manuscript in the best way possible for its readership.

I've formerly been an educator, teaching 9th and 10th grade English. I hold my BA in English and MA in the humanities with an emphasis in history. I look forward to working with you and helping you to pursue your creative vision!

What to expect when working with me:
-A detailed and professional read with clear and open lines of communication.
-After reviewing the manuscript, the manuscript will be returned with notes in track changes in addition to an editorial memo.
-If a second round of edits is agreed upon, feel free to message me as you complete the edits.
-If a second round of edits is agreed upon, the manuscript will be returned once more with notes in track changes in addition to an editorial memo.

**NOTICE: Any and all work done with Reedsy is completely separate from my work at Getty Publications. My opinions are my own and working with me does not imply an endorsement from Getty Publications.**
Services
Fiction
African American Fiction Epic Fantasy Historical Fiction Mystery & Crime Romance Young Adult
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs History
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Getty Publications (J. Paul Getty Museum)

May, 2023 — Present

Edit, project manage, and publish various academic, museum, and trade books.
Work with subject matter experts such as curators, researchers, and professors.
Collaborate with design, marketing, and publicity teams.
Brainstorm ideas for new texts.

My editorial functions include, but are not limited to:
Developmental Editing
Proofreading
Copy Editing

The Muse

Nov, 2022 — Present

Draft and edit branded content to increase client company exposure and highlight client company culture.

MasterClass

May, 2022 — Aug, 2022 (3 months)

Research topics, craft briefs, and edit articles for B2C purposes
Utilize SEO tools (Ahrefs, Clearscope, etc.) and expertise to optimize online content

Penguin Random House

Dec, 2020 — May, 2022 (over 1 year)

I've worked on the latest books by award-winning and bestselling writers including Gary Shteyngart and Angie Kim, as well as debut authors such as Hafizah Geter and The New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham.

My other responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Reading, documenting, and organizing submissions.
Draft pass letters, participate in author/agent calls.
Work with authors and other editors on line, structural, and plot edits.
Work with marketing, publicity, and sales to find the best possible positioning strategy.

Penguin Random House

Sep, 2020 — Dec, 2020 (3 months)

Read submissions for a variety of editors with eclectic lists and drafted rejection letters
Researched comparative titles using MyHouse and assisted with Profit/Loss sheets
Attended editorial, marketing, and design meetings

The Wesley School

Aug, 2020 — Dec, 2020 (4 months)

Create content for and manage the Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts
Manage, update, and write copy for the school website using Finalsite CMS
Photograph and record events to use for marketing material

La Salle High School

Aug, 2018 — Aug, 2020 (about 2 years)

Instructed students in literature, writing, and grammar
Generated an engaging and rigorous curriculum while staying current with best practices

Kimball Publishing

Jul, 2018 — May, 2021 (almost 3 years)

The primary and lead editor on a series of novels, all receiving a 5-star rating on Amazon
Provide grammatical, structural, and plot edits
Work in tandem with author and publisher to achieve best result

Pasadena Black Pages

Jan, 2018 — Jan, 2021 (about 3 years)

Write and contribute articles pertaining to the African-American community
Generate original content after researching popular and compelling topics
Topics include: Voting, Black Role Models, Black History Month, profiles on influential individuals, etc.

Orange Media Network

Jun, 2015 — Jun, 2016 (about 1 year)

Edited, managed, and published Literary Arts Journal.
Managed a team of editors, contributors, and graphic designers.

Darryl has 23 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Trenton B.

Trenton B.

May, 2024

Darryl went above and beyond when working on my manuscript, and all of his feedback made sense right as I read it. He is very professional and worth every penny I spent hiring him. He gave me updates as every payment went through, and every message or bit of feedback I received was 100% personalized to me. I cannot recommend Darryl enough. Seriously.
Darryl O.
Thank you, Trenton! It was an honor working on your project and I can't wait to see where it goes next!
Wanda W.

Wanda W.

Apr, 2024

His comments and suggestions are so thoughtful. His review will help me generate a revised version of my manuscript, which I know will be much better. He caught errors and made suggestions about how to improve my writing. This was worth every penny! I'm so glad I did this. Thanks!
jim F.

jim F.

Jan, 2024

Darryl has been great. He always responds to my questions quickly and had great suggestions for improving my book, which I an now implementing. He went through it paragraph by paragraph, giving me ideas of how it could be better and what he liked. His comments are specific enough to be really helpful, giving examples so you know exactly what he is getting at. I also like his more general commen...
Read more
Tara C.

Tara C.

Jan, 2024

Darryl was unquestionably the best choice of developmental editor for my novel. He clearly stated the strong points and weaker aspects of the story and his suggestions came from the perspective of someone who not only understood what makes a good book, but what could improve my specific book.
Joshua C.

Joshua C.

Nov, 2023

Highly recommended! Shaped and sharpened my query letter into a shining, professional final product! Thanks so much!

Sign up to read more reviews

Create a free Reedsy account to connect with Darryl and thousands of other publishing professionals on Reedsy.

Professionals similar to Darryl

Get a range of offers by requesting quotes from multiple professionals.

April Crane

April C.

I have nearly 20 years of experience editing educational content and developing curriculum at companies such as Google and Disney.

Altadena, CA, USA

100% reply rate

View profile
Trevor Courneen

Trevor C.

Writer/editor with past clients including Newsweek, WWE, Disney. Left-handed, right-brained, down to do any non-fiction, up for a challenge!

New York, NY, USA

99% reply rate

View profile
Olivia Batker Pritzker

Olivia B.

Developmental editor offering thoughtful, creative collaboration. Specializes in thrillers, suspense, and all things speculative.

New York, NY, USA

99% reply rate

View profile