The best developmental editors for hire near Berkeley

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Zack 5 star rating

Berkeley, CA, USA

Zack is a widely published writer and experienced editor. He has helped authors polish their work for more than two decades.

Genres: Anthologies, Fiction, Poetry, Literary Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Oppenheimer Investigations Group
  • Notre Dame de Namur University
  • Cornerstone Research
  • Various Master of Fine Arts Programs

Julia 5 star rating

Berkeley, CA, United States

NYT-bestselling author, book reviewer, and editor. I've helped dozens of clients get published in small and large presses. I love what I do.

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

Work experience:

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

Nikki 5 star rating

Berkeley, CA, USA

Book editor with 10+ years experience in acquisitions /developmental editing. Areas of expertise: travel; hiking/outdoor recreation.

Genres: Travel, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Sports & Outdoors, History, and Humanities & Social Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Avalon Travel/Hachette Book Group
  • Westview Press

Jennifer 5 star rating

Berkeley, CA, USA

Editor w/design background. Experience: Hybrid publishing, licensed publishing, self-publishing. Advocate for authors, readers, publishers.

Genres: Design, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, Fashion & Textiles, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, and Biographies & Memoirs.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Insight Editions
  • Boyle & Dalton

Shire 5 star rating

Berkeley, CA, USA

A fiction/non-fiction editor with wide-ranging interests, I specialize in refining the elements of good writing: voice, style, and grammar.

Genres: Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Romance, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Inkshares
  • Lost Roads Press
  • Farrar, Straus and Giroux
  • New Directions

Meticulous copy and developmental editor of nonfiction, equipped with diverse industry experience and a masters in Publishing.

Genres: History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Political Science & Current Affairs, and Sociology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Kate 5 star rating

Cleveland, OH, United States

Versatile, collaborative nonfiction editor with a master's degree in creative writing and seven years' experience editing education books.

Genres: Education & Reference, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, and Parenting & Families.

Work experience:

  • Solution Tree
  • Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
  • Solution Tree Press

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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

Steven 5 star rating

Vermont, United States

Intuitive, expert editor with 30 yrs experience teaching fiction writing at a major university. Well-published, knowledgeable, honest, kind.

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

Work experience:

  • Miami University, Oxford, OH
  • Colby College, Waterville,ME
  • Self-employed

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

Emily 5 star rating

New York, United States

Bestselling nonfiction book editor. Formerly at Penguin Random House, Macmillan, and Callisto Media.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, True Crime, Political Science & Current Affairs, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, and Sports & Outdoors.

Work experience:

  • Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press, Macmillan
  • Portfolio/Sentinel/Current, Penguin Random House

Julie 5 star rating

New York, United States

I'm an editor with nearly two decades of experience in publishing, most recently at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Short Story, Middle Grade, Children's, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, and Dystopian.

Work experience:

  • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Aja 5 star rating

Austin, United States

Making sure your prose sings, your facts and story are straight, and your unique voice shines through.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Humor & Comedy, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Music, Entertainment, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Simon & Schuster
  • on my porch, at a coffee shop, in far-flung places . . .

Julia 5 star rating

Charleston, SC, United States

Line and copy editor, with content capabilities. I have the most experience in nonfiction, but my favorite edits are middle grade and YA.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • The History Press
  • Newgen KnowledgeWorks
  • Amnet

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

Lindsay 5 star rating

New Jersey, United States

I'm an enthusiastic freelance editor with experience across the industry--bookselling, marketing, publicity, agency, editorial, and writing.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Picture Books, Children's, Christian Fiction, Women's Fiction, Short Story, Middle Grade, Dystopian, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency
  • Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Margaret K. McElderry Books at Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing Division
  • Abrams Books for Young Readers/Amulet Books
  • Candlewick Press
  • Borders Books and Music
  • Verily Magazine

Kelly 5 star rating

Phoenix, United States

I am passionate about the written word! I have 20 years of editing experience in all genres, with special attention to business and travel.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Travel, Poetry, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Immanence Journal
  • Gently Read Literature (GRL)
  • International Artist Publishing
  • Perseus Books Group
  • Self-employed

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Hire the best developmental editors in Berkeley

A developmental editor will play a significant role in shaping the “big picture” of your book and work with you to perfect the themes, characters, and plot of your story. As such, it’s critical to find an editor who’s experienced in your specific genre and knows the publishing industry inside-out. Just as importantly, you’ll want to find a developmental editor who can match your communication and writing style, and can deliver feedback effectively and efficiently. Editor-author relationships are imperative to the success of your book.

If your looking for the perfect editing partner, search no further: the best developmental editors in Berkeley (and the world) are on Reedsy. We vet all of our publishing professionals rigorously to make sure that they meet your standards. Our developmental editors offer constructive critique and the skills needed to make your manuscript the best that it can be. Find your development editor in Berkeley today — just sign up for free to get a quote today.

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