The best fiction book editing services

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Jessica 5 star rating

Jacksonville, United States

Award-winning freelance editor Jessica provides practical, marketable revision advice to clients on all six habitable continents.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Historical Fiction, Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Women's Fiction, LGBTQ Non-Fiction, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Writers House
  • St. Martin's Press
  • Fox Literary LLC
  • Self-employed

Eliza 5 star rating

Maplewood, NJ, United States

I'm a detail-oriented editor, specializing in children's nonfiction, with 10 years of experience at publishing houses and literary agencies

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • Diversion Books
  • Self-employed
  • Leigh Feldman Literary
  • The Bent Agency
  • Callisto Media
  • Rebel Girls

Rachel 5 star rating

New York, United States

Literary agent turned editor of fiction & select memoir where narratives and protagonists have distinct, identifiable voices.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Humor & Comedy, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Middle Grade, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • Dystel & Goderich Literary Management
  • Self-employed

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

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

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

Gene 5 star rating

Houston, United States

Creative, experienced editor of novels, children's books, and poetry. Let's prepare your manuscript for publication together.

Genres: Action & Adventure, Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Poetry, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Uptown Stories
  • Simon & Schuster
  • Scholastic
  • HarperEntertainment
  • Daniel Weiss Associates/17th Street Productions
  • Denver Quarterly
  • San Jacinto College South

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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. No AI.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Sports & Outdoors, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Avon Books
  • Wiley
  • Amacom
  • Thomas Dunne Books

Anne 5 star rating

New York, United States

Experienced freelance book editor with a particular interest in literary fiction and memoir.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Women's Fiction, Fiction, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Short Story, Coming of Age, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Counterpoint/Soft Skull Press
  • Massie & McQuilkin Literary Agency
  • Library Journal
  • Freelance

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

Amy 5 star rating

Township of Washington, NJ, United States

Friendly, thorough, supportive editor/proofreader for your novel. Experience in romance, historical, LGBTQIA+, mystery, YA, sci-fi, fantasy.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Mystery & Crime, Education & Reference, Non-Fiction, Literary Fiction, Young Adult, and LGBTQ Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
  • Great Minds

Brooke 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Passionate picture book editor with 15+ years' editorial experience for companies including Disney and Penguin.

Genres: Picture Books, Children's, and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Disney Publishing Worldwide
  • Penguin Random House
  • Sterling Publishing

Andrew 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, United States

Former New York trade editor of 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

Kelly 5 star rating

Stamford, CT, United States

I am a detail-oriented lover of books and grammar always looking to eradicate all the typos.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Time Travel, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Bantam Doubleday Dell
  • Self-employed
  • Private Practice/Center for Medical Weight Loss

Joanna 5 star rating

Oak Park, IL, United States

Seasoned publishing industry professional with agency experience and a keen eye for detail who embraces all aspects of the editorial process

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Thriller & Suspense, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Browne & Miller Literary Associates
  • The Parlor
  • Literary Agency

Michael 5 star rating

St. Louis, MO, United States

Editor of award-winning literature and NYT bestsellers, with 13 years' experience at Penguin Random House, Macmillan, and Hachette.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Action & Adventure, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • The Laryngoscope Journal
  • Self-employed
  • Graphic World, Inc
  • Penguin Random House

Beth 5 star rating

Maineville, United States

Seasoned editor and proofreader with more than 20 years of experience in multiple genres. I have worked with several best-selling authors!

Genres: Health & Wellbeing, Non-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, LGBTQ Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Science Fiction, and Dystopian.

Work experience:

  • Self-Employed

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Hire the best fiction editors

You know the saying — behind every great work of fiction is a great editor. Ask any author, and they’ll confirm exactly how important their editor was to the success — and existence — of their book. After all, there’s a reason why one of the first people that authors thank in their acknowledgements chapter is usually their editor.

“Fiction editing” is quite a broad term that encompasses multiple types of editing across several genres. One of these is developmental editing, where the editor helps the author improve the overall structure and plot of their story by offering feedback on character development, pacing, and other key fiction elements. Another is copy editing, which zeroes in on the individual lines of the story, making sure that each line is clear, concise, and stylistically consistent with the rest of the manuscript. A third type is proofreading, which checks works of fiction for spelling or typographical mistakes.

Fiction editors tend to specialize in a number of genres, like children’s books, romance, or science fiction — specializing means they can stay on top of genre conventions and tropes and keep up with new market trends. On Reedsy’s marketplace, you can search for fiction editors by genre, by selecting the category that best fits your project. Having had years of experience working at Big 5 publishers, our editors know exactly what it takes to spot common issues recurring in each genre and launch a bestseller. They’ve edited New York Times bestselling titles authors like George R.R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, and Margaret Atwood — and now they’re ready to help perfect your masterpiece-in-the-making.

To browse their portfolios and start working with a professional fiction editor today, simply sign up for a free account on Reedsy.

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Step 2

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Step 3

Request quotes

Request quotes from up to five freelancers at any time. They’ll look at your sample pages to give you a tailored quote as well as a sense of how they work.

Step 4

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Once you agree on terms and a timeline, you’ll start collaborating using the many communication and editing tools available on Reedsy.

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