Elayne Becker – Editor

As an author and former “Big Five” editor, I have always been passionate about the written word. Few things feed my soul as much as diving into a manuscript and working with writers to hone and strengthen their craft, so that the final product on the page reflects the vision in their heads. After working as an Associate Editor at Tor Books for several years, I now partner with new authors outside Reedsy every month as a freelance editor, and I’m a novelist whose work is represented by CAA and published by Tor Books. Thanks to these experiences, I have garnered extensive industry knowledge and editorial expertise.

I offer freelance editorial services for the manuscript revision and submission preparation stages. With a passion for speculative fiction, I specialize in fantasy (including romantasy and historical fantasy), science fiction*, magical realism, and climate fiction across age categories: adult, young adult, and middle grade.

SERVICES OFFERED:

- Developmental edit: I provide an editorial letter, on average 6-8 pages in length, with feedback to help strengthen your manuscript as a whole. Categories I examine commonly include plot, pacing, characterization, worldbuilding, romance, and magic systems. Includes one pass.

- Line edit: I provide feedback on the individual line level with regard to: pointing out and clearing up any points of confusion or inconsistency; strengthening dialogue; tightening; characterization; grammar; and rhythm/prose. Includes one pass.

- Query: I provide feedback on the conceptual and in-line levels to help you hone your query letter. Includes two passes.

- Synopsis: I provide feedback on the conceptual and in-line levels to help you hone your synopsis. Includes two passes.

*Note that the science fiction manuscripts I've edited have not yet been published, so you won't see this genre reflected in my portfolio. That said, rest assured my tenure at a premier SFF publisher and my ongoing editorial work have given me a thorough understanding of how to edit SF.

TESTIMONIALS:

“Elayne is an editing whiz at every level and super knowledgeable about the publishing industry. Her guidance not only set me on a path to write a much stronger manuscript, but also made me aware of my overall blindspots and helped me grow as a writer."

—Carli J. Corson, author of It’s a Love/Skate Relationship

“Elayne’s ability to crawl inside a story and pull all the threads together is astounding. Her skill, her instinct, and her innate talent are obvious.”

—Jillian Boehme, author of Stormrise

“I am extraordinarily grateful for Elayne’s guidance on my manuscripts. She caught sight of my vision, the heart behind the words, and worked with me to refine, sharpen, and distill each element so that I might best tell the story I longed to tell.”

—Joanna Hathaway, author of Dark of the West

“I can’t recommend Elayne enough! Her creative eye is unmatched, her notes always thought-provoking and transformative. She’s one of the best I’ve ever worked with!”

—Erika Lewis, author of Kelcie Murphy & The Academy for Unbreakable Arts