The best book editors for hire in the United States

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Sarah 5 star rating

Springfield, United States

Nonfiction editor formerly of Wiley and Pearson. I help authors create AWESOME books, including #1 bestsellers on Amazon.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Education & Reference, Home & Garden, Technology, Health & Wellbeing, and Inspirational.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Pearson Learning Solutions
  • John Wiley and Sons

Fran 5 star rating

New York, United States

Results driven editor, formerWriters House Bridgerton agent, edited major award winners, working from slush pile to success in publishing.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, Thriller & Suspense, Historical Romance, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Writers House
  • youbloom music festival

Peggy 5 star rating

Philadelphia, United States

Food and Lifestyle Writer | Cookbook Editor and Consultant | Content Strategist | Recipe Developer and Tester

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, Health & Wellbeing, Home & Garden, Weddings, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • Self Employed
  • Clarkson Potter/Random House

Mary-Theresa 5 star rating

New York, United States

Award winning editor with 25+ years in traditional publishing. Specializing in genre fiction. Looking to help make good stories well told.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Action & Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Science Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance.

Work experience:

  • Harlequin

Andrea 5 star rating

Birmingham, United States

Editor and food writer with over 10 years of experience creating cookbooks on a wide range of cooking subjects.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Time Inc Books

Kathy 5 star rating

San Diego, United States

Freelance copyeditor and proofreader offering 25 years of experience in scientific and educational publishing

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Medicine, Nursing, & Dentistry, Math & Science, Nature, Action & Adventure, Classics, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, Education & Reference, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Academic Press (Elsevier Science/Harcourt)
  • Academic Press
  • Brian F. Smith and Associates (Archaeologist)
  • Converse Consultants West
  • Cajon Valley, Mountain Empire, and Palm Middle Schools
  • Self-employed

Will 5 star rating

Chicago, United States

Trusted copy editor and proofreader for romance, mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, and suspense.

Genres: Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Romance, Espionage, Thriller & Suspense, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Urban Fantasy, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Berkley Publishing (Penguin Random House)
  • Harlequin Romance (HarperCollins)
  • Orbit Books / Redhook (Hachette)

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Ross 5 star rating

Baltimore, MD, United States

Editor w/20+ yrs exp committed to nurturing authors' voices, refining narrative vision and elevating storytelling with empathy and precision

Genres: Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Coming of Age, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Horror, and Legal Thriller.

Work experience:

  • University of Maryland, College Park
  • Towson Univeristy
  • Gotham Writing Workshop, New York City
  • Self-employed
  • University of Maryland College Park

Elizabeth 5 star rating

Morristown, United States

Former Senior Editor at Ballantine Books; specializes in content editing of non-fiction (self-help, memoir, parenting) and fiction.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Parenting & Families, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Sex & Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Romance, Fiction, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • The Ballantine Publishing Group/Division of Random House, Inc.

Wayt 5 star rating

Seattle, United States

Award-winning science writer, editor, and publishing consultant for high-profile media. Also produce videos, podcasts, and presentations.

Genres: Computers & Internet, Non-Fiction, Technology, Engineering, Math & Science, Physics & Chemistry, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Engineering & Materials Science, and Life Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Intellectual Ventures
  • Self-employed
  • Scientific American

Lisa 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Developmental editor of narrative nonfiction (and book proposals) with 35+ years' experience at major trade publishers in NYC.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Political Science & Current Affairs, Psychology, and Health & Wellbeing.

Work experience:

  • PublicAffairs
  • Self-employed
  • Carol Publishing Group
  • Viking Penguin
  • Random House
  • University of Texas

Julia 5 star rating

Berkeley, CA, United States

NYT-bestselling author and editor. I've helped dozens of clients write their books and get published. I'd love to work with you!

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Political Science & Current Affairs, Education & Reference, Historical Fiction, Fiction, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • The Los Angeles Times
  • El Financiero de Mexico
  • Wired News
  • The New York Times
  • Stanford University

Stephen 5 star rating

Maplewood, United States

Top editor for 30+ years, novelist, sf/f story writer, poet. Specializes in NF and SF/F. I'll help you write a book you're proud of.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, Sports & Outdoors, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Avon Books
  • Wiley
  • Amacom
  • Thomas Dunne Books

Deborah 5 star rating

Woodstock, United States

I have over 20 years' experience editing popular nonfiction and fiction, with a recent focus on psychology, philosophy, and current affairs.

Genres: Political Science & Current Affairs, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Nature, Philosophy, Psychology, Economics, Biographies & Memoirs, Health & Wellbeing, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • The Communication Initiative
  • Freelance
  • Alan Bernhard Creative Enterprises (ABCE)

Sean 5 star rating

Denton, TX, United States

Editor of bestselling, award-winning middle grade, YA, and adult books, specializing in fantasy and sci-fi. Let's make your book stand out!

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade Fantasy, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Romantic Fantasy, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Andrea Hurst and Associates, LLC
  • Andrea Hurst and Associates
  • Self-employed
  • Relay Publishing, LLC
  • The Editorial Department

Melissa 5 star rating

New York, United States

Editor of award-winning, bestselling YA, romance, and genre fiction, with 13+ years experience at Macmillan

Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Comedy, Fantasy, New Adult, Young Adult, and Young Adult Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Tor Books (Macmillan)
  • Self-employed
  • Samhain Publishing

Alicia 5 star rating

Boston, United States

Editor with 10+ years' experience in content development, copy editing, and proofreading. Avid learner & lover of the written word.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Career Guides, Non-Fiction, Technology, Anthologies, Classics, Writing & Publishing, Education & Reference, and Business & Management.

Work experience:

  • Macmillan Learning
  • Bedford/St. Martin's
  • Brown University
  • Grey Line Entertainment
  • O'Reilly Media

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Hire the best book editors in the United States

Done with your first draft, but have no idea how to proceed? It’s true that there are several different types of editing, and the type you need will depend entirely on the state of your book — but being the author yourself, it’s unlikely you can be objective about its strengths and weaknesses.

So to save money on unnecessary or premature edits, hire someone to give your book an editorial assessment first. These editors look at your work and offer clear, concise feedback about areas in which you need to improve. This might be anything from weird spacing to gaping plot hole, so brace yourself for the gamut of editorial suggestions.

Of course, it’s possible that your assessment will come back with a stamp of approval and just one note: publish. But it’s more possible that an editorial assessment of a rough draft will come back with at least a few suggestions. The good news is that, after getting a thorough editorial assessment, you know exactly where you stand — it takes the nerve-racking guesswork away, so you can move forward with your publishing journey.

To discover the most perceptive and knowledgeable editors for hire in the United States, start looking on Reedsy today.

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