The best developmental editors for hire near Boston

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Emily 5 star rating

Boston, MA, USA

Editor specializing in romance, fantasy, and YA, with experience editing NYT bestsellers. Author with Simon and Schuster + HarperCollins.

Genres: Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Women's Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Romantic Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary Fiction, and Romantic Comedy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Simon & Schuster
  • Orlans PC

Lynne 5 star rating

Boston, MA, USA

Editor, novelist, family counselor. Whether it's fiction or nonfiction, I love to help writers find the emotional heart of their stories.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Parenting & Families, Mystery & Crime, Historical Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Psychology, and Humanities & Social Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Grub Street Writers
  • GrubStreet Writers
  • Wheelock College

Rikhi 5 star rating

Boston, MA, USA

Hi, I'm Rikhi: a senior publisher professional with over fifteen years' experience in developing authors to bestselling & breakout success.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Health & Wellbeing.

Work experience:

  • Flight Books (with Penguin Random House and Steven Bartlett)
  • Heligo Books at Bonnier Books UK
  • Self-employed
  • Zed Books

Fast, friendly editor who is alarmingly fond of Dystopian novels. Also: Sci-fi, all Fantasy, Women’s Fiction, YA, Christian-yes, absolutely.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Technothriller, Thriller & Suspense, Contemporary Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Romantic Fantasy, Romance, Middle Grade, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • SNHU
  • Wheelock College
  • Self-employed

Lori 5 star rating

Boston, MA, USA

Trad published author of 7 novels inc. KISS, MARRY, KILL (Harper, 4/7/26) & NPR Book of the Day ROMANTIC FRICTION (2025). Query specialist.

Genres: Children's, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Biographies & Memoirs.

Work experience:

  • Charlesbridge Publishing
  • Grub Street

Erin 5 star rating

Boston, MA, USA

A former Scholastic editor with over a decade of experience, who loves kidlit and delights in text.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, and Action & Adventure.

Work experience:

  • Scholastic Inc.
  • Self-employed
  • Viable Paradise

Children’s book editor; experience with picture books, early readers, middle grade, and NF

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle Grade Fantasy, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Charlesbridge Publishing
  • HMH
  • Boston Renaissance Charter Public School
  • EdSights

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Jenn 5 star rating

Leawood, KS, United States

I am an award-winning author and editor of books for children and young adults. I specialize in humor, fantasy, and scifi.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Humor & Comedy, Picture Books, Children's, Action & Adventure, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Children’s Non-Fiction, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Brittany 5 star rating

Rye, United States

Experienced cookbook editor and proofreader with a background in nonfiction publishing.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Nature, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • Cider Mill Press Book Publishers
  • Book Passage Bookstore
  • Saint Mary's College of California
  • MARY: A Journal of New Writing
  • The Music Hall

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

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

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

Lauren 5 star rating

Boston, MA, USA

Literary agent specializing in YA and children's literature, upmarket fiction, and projects in the religion/spirituality space.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Freelance
  • Flatiron Books
  • Pen and Press
  • Pearson PLC
  • Kenyon Review
  • Lucinda Literary

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

Nevin 5 star rating

Portland, OR, United States

My goal is to guide writers to their best work, to coach them in eloquence and clarity, to lead them to their best stories and storytelling.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Children’s Non-Fiction, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Scholastic
  • Penguin Random House
  • Government Technology magazine
  • Self-employed
  • Green Bean Books
  • Portland State University

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

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

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Hire the best developmental editors in Boston, Massachusetts

The best books require a lot of structural changes, even when you're truly pleased with your first draft. A developmental editor in Boston can turn your work into a bestseller — and they’re the first type of editor you should look at hiring, before you even think about smaller changes.

Developmental editors will look at the “big picture” of your story, fixing overarching and fundamental issues or inconsistencies with theme, plot, character development, and setting. Your professional will work alongside your creative voice to help you convey your story in the clearest way possible.

You can find all the best local developmental editors in Boston right here at Reedsy. Our community of professionals is vetted intensively so we only offer the best — many of whom have prior experiences working with the biggest publishers. Sign up to Reedsy to explore our community and kickstart your editing journey.

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