The best biographies & memoir book editing services

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Home > United States > Book Editors > Biographies & Memoir

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)

Ray 5 star rating

Northampton, United States

Developmental editing and copy editing for the nonfiction world: health, nutrition, fitness, tech, and entrepreneurship.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Health & Wellbeing, Sports & Outdoors, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Business & Management, Computers & Internet, and Technology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Winning Edits
  • Rocket Code
  • Amazon Services (Amazon.com)
  • Smart Passive Income
  • Buy Box Experts
  • The Storied Future

Erica 5 star rating

Parrish, United States

Freelance editor offering friendly but thorough editing to independent authors.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, and Health & Wellbeing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Matthew 5 star rating

New York, United States

Editor and writing coach specializing in literary fiction, thrillers, memoir and other narrative nonfiction, business books, and self-help.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Short Story, Mystery & Crime, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Graduate Writing Program, Columbia University
  • Self-employed

Ronit 5 star rating

Detroit, MI, United States

Developmental editor with 10+ years' experience at Doubleday. Honest, detailed, supportive. Book club fiction, literary fiction & memoir.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Coming of Age, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Contemporary Fiction, Cultural & Ethnic, Humor & Comedy, and LGBTQ Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Penguin Random House Inc.
  • Random House Inc.
  • Detroit Metro Times
  • The Daily Orange (Syracuse University)

Anne 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, United States

I'm a former LGBTQ+ Editor in Chief with a film background and years of success nurturing star writers and beginners. Let's tell your story!

Genres: LGBTQ Fiction, Fiction, Plays & Screenplays, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, LGBTQ Non-Fiction, Humor & Comedy, Historical Fiction, Inspirational, and Entertainment.

Work experience:

  • The Advocate
  • Senior Arts & Entertainment Editor
  • Well Again
  • self
  • Self-employed

Tracy 5 star rating

Baltimore, MD, United States

Passionate about helping writers realize their visions. I love picture books (especially rhyme!), young adult, fantasy, memoir, and more.

Genres: Short Story, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Agent Carrie Pestritto (formerly of Prospect Agency, now with LDLA)
  • Marketing Agency
  • University of Baltimore
  • SCBWI MD/DE/WV
  • Self-employed

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Arnie 5 star rating

Kihei, HI, United States

I edit books on psychology, spirituality, social justice, and wellness. I've worked with Thich Nhat Hanh, Joanna Macy, and Jack Kornfield.

Genres: Health & Wellbeing, Non-Fiction, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Buddhism, Religion & Spirituality, Biographies & Memoirs, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and New Age.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Koa Books
  • Parallax Press
  • Whole Earth Bookstore

Lynsey 5 star rating

Missoula, United States

(She/they.) Over a decade of in-house and freelance editorial work for Big 5 publishers & private clients across genres.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Science Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Fordham University Press
  • City College of New York
  • Skadden-Arps Legal Studies Program at City College of New York
  • WHACK! Magazine
  • Penguin Group (USA)
  • Self-employed
  • Penguin Random House

George 5 star rating

Virginia, United States

Experienced copy editor and proofreader of trade books in a wide variety of genres, for readers of all ages.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Children’s Non-Fiction, Middle Grade, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • The Free Lance-Star
  • freelance
  • self-employed and for various companies
  • volunteer

Trinity 5 star rating

Grand Rapids, MI, United States

Copy editor and proofreader with nearly 20 years of experience. I work relentlessly to help your ideas and unique voice shine through.

Genres: Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, LGBTQ Non-Fiction, Inspirational, Biographies & Memoirs, and Health & Wellbeing.

Work experience:

  • SpartanNash (a Fortune 400 Company)
  • Baker Publishing Group
  • Freelance
  • HarperCollins Christian Publishing
  • The Bindery

Patrick 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Hands-on, thoughtful editor specializing in memoir, self-help, thriller, mystery, suspense, and YA fiction. Formerly of Simon and Schuster.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Entertainment, Sex & Relationships, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Thriller & Suspense, Cozy Mysteries, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Self-Employed
  • Simon & Schuster / Simon Pulse
  • Simon & Schuster / Simon Spotlight Entertainment (SSE) and Gallery Books
  • International Creative Management (ICM)
  • Matt DeCoursey Enterprises / Realist Books

Marcy 5 star rating

Montclair, NJ, United States

I am a published novelist. I want you to become one, too. I specialize in literary fiction, YA, women's fiction, thrillers and memoir.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Humor & Comedy, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopian, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Knopf
  • Dow Jones
  • About.com

Andrew 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, United States

Experienced NYC editor. Expert in thrillers, mysteries, science fiction and fantasy, horror, and narrative and military nonfiction/history.

Genres: Action & Adventure, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Entertainment.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Company Name Redacted. Please contact through Reedsy for editorial service.
  • Berkley Publishing Group, Donald I Fine, Inc, Dell, Avon and Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
  • Scovil Chichak Galen Literary Agency, Inc.
  • The Berkley Publishing Group

Barbara 5 star rating

Washington, DC, United States

After working as a nonfiction book editor for years at NatGeo, I know the ins and outs of publishing from ideation to final proofing.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Architecture, History, Nature, Writing & Publishing, Travel, and Sports & Outdoors.

Work experience:

  • National Geographic Society
  • Self-employed

Erik 5 star rating

Minneapolis, MN, United States

Editor with years of in-house experience. Founder of a literary agency. Writer. Host of Print Run Podcast.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Career Guides, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Nature, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Sports & Outdoors, Life Sciences, and Math & Science.

Work experience:

  • Red Sofa Literary Agency
  • Self-employed
  • The Overlook Press
  • Oxford University Press
  • Headwater Literary Management

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
  • The Writers Studio

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Hire the best biography and memoir book editors

Getting your facts straight while writing a novel is tough enough — but doing the same for a biography or a memoir is even tougher. How are you, for instance, supposed to fact-check every single detail about someone else’s life if you’re writing a biography? And if you’re writing a memoir, how are you supposed to know if your own life forms a coherent, satisfying story?

Enter every memoirist or biographer’s best friend, a biography or memoir editor. These editors have the knowledge and experience needed to take a rough draft and help you turn it into a manuscript that sings with life and heart. They can draw from their deep knowledge of the memoir and biography genres, seeing how your work can fit into the market, what readers will expect to find in the story you’re writing, and whether there are any issues with the way you’ve gone about it. Their guidance and expertise can help take your manuscript to the next level, as they can provide edits on big-picture elements as well as proofread all of your words, one at a time.

Hire the best biography and memoir editors in the industry are right here on Reedsy. We vet our editors very carefully, ensuring they’ve got the expertise and experience with esteemed publishers needed to guide their clients to success. Sign up for a free account to browse our editors’ profiles, read through their resumes, and reach out to request a quote today.

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