Elyse Lyon

Elyse Lyon – Editor

Put your book in expert hands! Editor for NYT+WSJ bestselling authors. Specializes in character-driven fiction. Kind, empathetic, precise.

Overview

My background is in literary fiction, though as an editor, I've primarily worked on genre fiction. I've edited manuscripts by numerous New York Times bestsellers, a few National Book Award winners, and a Booker Prize winner, among many others. I've worked on various other types of memoir and trade nonfiction, particularly business and self-help, and I have experience guiding authors through the self-publishing process.


I love character-driven novels and thoughtful writers driven by craft, ideas, or both. Particular interests include literary fiction, crime/mystery novels, historical fiction, and anything involving classical music. I strive to meet the needs of each project individually, listening to the client and working together to find the approach best suited to the manuscript at hand. I'm also happy to work on most types of subject matter: I'm always interested in hearing what authors have to say, and I'm not easily offended.


My superpower is The Chicago Manual of Style (I received my copyediting certificate from the University of Chicago Graham School). I'm an American living in Edinburgh, Scotland, so I have experience with both US and UK English. I've also lived extensively abroad, including in Germany, Vietnam, and eastern Europe, which can be useful when editing books set in far-flung locations.


I'm a Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders, and I'm also a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association. I'm a senior editor for my primary client, meaning that I work in a collaborative environment where editors learn from one another and constantly hone our skills. I also engage in regular professional development: currently, I'm pursuing a certificate in developmental editing for fiction, and I'm a judge in this year's IPNE Book Awards.


Please reach out; I'd love to hear from you!

Services
Fiction
Contemporary Romance LGBTQ Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery & Crime Psychological Thriller Romantic Comedy Romantic Fantasy Women's Fiction
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • Editing certificate, University of Chicago Graham School
  • Advanced Professional Member, Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading

Work experience

Self-employed

May, 2010 — Present

I've worked with academic publishers, self-published authors, memoir writers, and many other types of client in my capacity as a freelance editor.

Portfolio

Variation: A Novel

Yarros, Rebecca

Montlake

In the Likely Event

Yarros, Rebecca

Montlake

The Answer Is No: A Short Story

Backman, Fredrik

Amazon Original Stories

Cover Story

Lacey, Rachel

Montlake

Bad Reputation

Barry, Emma

Montlake

The Reunion Dinner (Busybodies collection)

Sutanto, Jesse Q.

Amazon Original Stories

Staged (Busybodies collection)

Cosimano, Elle

Amazon Original Stories

A Classic Case (Busybodies collection)

Thompson, Alicia

Amazon Original Stories

The Naturalist Society

Vaughn, Carrie

47North

Pike Island: A Thriller

Wirt, Tony

Thomas & Mercer

A Very Bad Thing

Ellison, J.T.

Thomas & Mercer

My Temptation: Kingston Lane, Book 1

T L Swan

Brilliance Audio

The Elias Network (Caspian Anderson)

Gervais, Simon

Thomas & Mercer

Friends with Secrets: A Novel

Gunderson, Christine

Lake Union Publishing

Where Butterflies Wander: A Novel

Redfearn, Suzanne

Lake Union Publishing

Lies and Other Love Languages: A Novel

Dev, Sonali

Lake Union Publishing

The Promise of Tomorrow

Taylor, Mary Ellen

Montlake

Blood Mountain (Jodi Luna Book 2)

Valdés, Alisa Lynn

Thomas & Mercer

Made with Reedsy
The Paper Boys (The Brent Boys)

Clarence, DP

This Impossible Brightness: A Novel

Klagmann, Jessica Bryant

Hurt for Me

Levy, Heather

Almost Surely Dead

Akhtar, Amina

Please Tell Me

Omer, Mike

Role Playing

Yardley, Cathy

Just Stay Away

Wirt, Tony

Shadow Sister: A Novel

Marcott, Lindsay

Runaway Groomsman

Quinn, Meghan

The Fires: A Novel

Björnsdóttir, Sigríður Hagalín

When the Rain Ends

Taylor, Mary Ellen

Elyse has 11 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Dan H.

Dan H.

Nov, 2023

Pinned
You can stop looking now. Your search for a copy editor ends right here. As a debut author, it was really important to me that I worked with someone who was not just an extremely experienced copy editor, but someone who got me, got my story, and believed in my project. In Elyse, I got that in spades. We got along instantly and I was so impressed by her commitment to going above and beyond ...
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Elyse L.
I absolutely can't wait to work with you again, Dan! So thrilled to have had the chance to contribute to your debut, if only in my small copyeditorial way :-)
George S.

George S.

Oct, 2024

Elyse, thank you for your consummate professionalism, your amazing insights, but most of all, your kindnesses and encouragement. I had to wait for Elyse to finish projects that were in her pipeline, and it was worth every second. When I got her first round of edits, I could immediately see that it raised the aesthetics of my novel to any of those produced by the big houses, leaving my voice in...
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Elyse L.
You've been a joy to work with, George! I loved the challenge of working with your style, and I'm thrilled that you've been so happy with our collaboration. One of my favorite things about editing ...
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Brandon K.

Brandon K.

Jul, 2024

Elyse was incredible! Quick to the response, quick with her work, and delivered everything she promised with quality. I will definitely be sending her more work in the future, and will recommend her to any aspiring writers I meet!
Elyse L.
Thanks so much for your kind review, Brandon! I absolutely loved working with you and would be thrilled to see more of your work. Best wishes!
Melissa M.

Melissa M.

Jul, 2024

Elyse was a dream to work with! She is kind, communicative, and highly skilled. Her feedback and suggestions not only improved my writing but also made the reading experience of my novel much more enjoyable. I learned a lot during our collaboration and I can't wait to apply what she taught me to future projects. Oh, and she delivered early! I have worked with a lot of professionals on Reedsy an...
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Elyse L.
Thanks for making my day with your kind words, Melissa! I had such a wonderful time during our collaboration, and I'm so excited that you plan to work with me again! Can't wait.
Cathee S.

Cathee S.

Apr, 2024

Elyse is an extraordinary copyeditor! I enjoyed every minute of our collaboration. Her thoroughness, clarity, and attention to detail astounded me. She dug into the nuances of my manuscript and unearthed historical details that added color and credence to the story. Her style sheet reflected a deep understanding of the type of novel I was writing, and she described each character’s idiosyncras...
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Elyse L.
You were a dream to work with, Cathee! I’m still thinking of your book, and I’d be thrilled to have the pleasure of working with you again. Sending my best wishes always!

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