The best fiction book editing services

Sign up for free to meet top book editors on Reedsy

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

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

Karli 5 star rating

Clarksville, TN, United States

Editor who specializes in developing manuscripts and is passionate about helping authors craft their best stories!

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • HarperCollins Christian Publishing

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

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

Lindsey 5 star rating

New York, United States

Experienced editor from a Big Five publisher specializing in mystery, suspense, and thrillers.

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

Work experience:

  • Grand Central Publishing
  • Crooked Lane Books

Michele 5 star rating

New York, United States

Copy editor for Penguin Random House for 18 years, experience with bestselling authors of women's fiction, romance, mystery/thrillers.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Romance, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

📞 Chat with our team

Need a hand finding the perfect professional? Our team is here to help. Get in touch for recommendations.

Susannah 5 star rating

Barre, VT, United States

Friendly, supportive editor at Macmillan for 25 years. Teacher of editing. Favorite genres are women's fiction, memoir, historical fiction.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fiction, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Wiley-Blackwell
  • nSight
  • Vermont College of Fine Arts
  • Maponics (Pitney Bowes)
  • Clariant Creative Agency
  • Union Street Media Interactive
  • Self-Employed
  • Editorial Arts Academy
  • St. Martin's Publishing Group, Macmillan Publishers

Maleah 5 star rating

Nashville, United States

Former Thomas Nelson editor with 23 years experience in Christian non-fiction, study products, and Bibles.

Genres: Inspirational, Non-Fiction, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, and Religion & Spirituality.

Work experience:

  • Thomas Nelson (HarperCollins Christian Publishers)
  • Thomas Nelson

Sarah 5 star rating

Saint Paul, United States

Meticulous copyeditor with 19 years of experience helping independent authors polish their sci-fi manuscripts.

Genres: Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Music, Humanities & Social Sciences, Science Fiction, Fiction, Writing & Publishing, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Susan 5 star rating

Tampa, FL, United States

Professional fiction and non-fiction editor with 30+ years' experience helping writers to hone their craft and tell their stories.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Humor & Comedy, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Women's Fiction, Plays & Screenplays, Sex & Relationships, Mystery & Crime, Paranormal Romance, Romance, and Architecture.

Work experience:

  • EC for Books (formerly Ellora's Cave Publishing)
  • Weekly Planet/Creative Loafing Newspapers
  • Tampa Tribune Newspaper
  • Psychological Assessment Resources
  • Arts Council of Hillsborough County
  • Self-employed

Rebecca 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

With 10+ years of experience working at NYC publishers, I've edited 100s of books across genres. Thorough, candid, and easy to work with!

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

Work experience:

  • Disney Publishing Worldwide
  • McGraw-Hill Education
  • Penguin Random House
  • Self-employed
  • Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Education

Erin L. 5 star rating

Seattle, Washington, United States

24+ awards in writing and editing • 30+ books edited • Specialties include nonfiction and poetry • Ph.D. student, lit and creative writing

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Short Story, Poetry, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Nature, and Children’s Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Cavendish Square, Wiley, & other publishers
  • Open Books: A Poem Emporium
  • Killer Visual Strategies
  • Various magazines
  • The Kentucky Standard
  • Sarabande Books
  • Entre Ríos Books

Maya 5 star rating

Charlotte, NC, United States

From the big picture to the tiniest detail, here to help you polish your craft. I work with publishers and individual authors.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Thriller & Suspense, Dystopian, Science Fiction, and Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits.

Work experience:

  • Self-Employed

Ann Leslie 5 star rating

New York City, NY, United States

Over 25 years' editorial experience at a Big 5 publisher and a literary agency, specializing in commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Romantic Comedy, Psychological Thriller, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Harlequin Books
  • Dystel, Goderich & Bourret

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

Meredith 5 star rating

Bothell, WA, United States

Writer, collaborative editor, and writing coach specializing in helping clients tell their best stories.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Nature, Women's Fiction, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Short Story, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • UW Medicine
  • Talaria, Inc.
  • Ashford University
  • Enclara Health
  • North Seattle Community College
  • Antioch University Seattle
  • Self-employed

Browse 2,000+ additional profiles

Create your free Reedsy account and begin requesting free quotes.

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.

How it works

Browse profiles, request quotes, then collaborate.

Step 1

Apply filters

Reedsy is home to thousands of professionals. Select the specific services you need and narrow your search based on your book’s genre and requirements.

Step 2

Browse

Then, browse professional profiles to find out more about their personalities and past projects.

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

Collaborate

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

Reedsy | 3 editors | 2025-05

Work with the best editors in the industry

Sign up to Reedsy and request quotes from editors who shape bestsellers.