The best developmental editors for hire near Kansas City

Sign up for free to meet top developmental editors on Reedsy

Jen 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, USA

Thorough and encouraging editor of fantasy, romance, and mystery. 10+ years editing for indie authors. 3+ years at Hallmark Publishing.

Genres: Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Comedy, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, and Romantic Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Hallmark Publishing
  • Self-employed

Diane 5 star rating

Lawrence, Kansas, United States

My sweet spot is MG and YA fiction. I'll help you find your story (ornery manuscripts don't scare me!) and figure out how to tell it.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Lisha 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, USA

I am a fiction, nonfiction, and technical editor and proofreader. I am also a traditionally published author of children's books.

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Olsson
  • Self-employed

Allison 5 star rating

Jersey City, NJ, United States

Jack-of-all-trades editor specializing in literary fiction and academic work (journal articles, book chapters, dissertations).

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Life Sciences, Math & Science, Writing & Publishing, Sports & Outdoors, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Wiley

Bev 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

NYT bestselling editor/ghost specializing in business, memoir, and self help. I help first time authors publish books that change the world

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Ashley 5 star rating

Jersey City, NJ, USA

A supportive and collaborative editorial professional with 10+ years’ experience across print and digital—and a total bookworm.

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Literary Fiction, and Short Story.

Work experience:

  • Prairie Schooner, University of Nebraska
  • History Press
  • Publishers Weekly
  • CreateSpace, an Amazon.com Company
  • Milkweed Editions
  • Yemassee Journal
  • Self-employed
  • Compose.ly
  • Turner Publishing
  • The Book Incubator

Trace 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

Editor specializing in spirituality, religion, and self-help with 25 years of experience at Penguin Random House and Paulist Press.

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

Work experience:

  • Paulist Press
  • Penguin Random House

📞 Chat with our team

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

Griffin 5 star rating

Park City, UT, USA

Book Editor | Fiction Developmental Editor | Copyediting and Proofreading Services.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Lindsay 5 star rating

Salt Lake City, UT, USA

Highly acclaimed author with 10+ years' experience as an editor, author mentor, and ghostwriter. Specializes in MG, YA, and adult.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Jon 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, USA

Professional book editor and writer with a soft spot for non-fiction. I'm also a frequent traveler and (occasional) travel writer.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Travel, Music, Humanities & Social Sciences, History, Geography, and DIY & Crafts.

Work experience:

  • Freelance
  • Skyhorse Publishing

Rachael 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

Experienced children's book editor who's passionate about helping you bring your stories to life.

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

Work experience:

  • Sterling Children's Books
  • Children's Book Academy
  • Self-employed
  • Hello Prosper

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 . . .

Brooke 5 star rating

Denver, United States

Experienced (9+ yrs in-house, 18+ yrs freelance), nonfiction editor specializing in assessments, development editing, and copy editing.

Genres: History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Music, Philosophy, Entertainment, Parenting & Families, Biographies & Memoirs, and Children’s Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Chicago Review Press
  • Perseus Books Group (now Hachette)
  • Westview Press in the Perseus Books Group (now Hachette)
  • Self-employed

Abby 5 star rating

Portland, United States

Dedicated editor of children's books specializing in middle grade and YA fiction. Worked at HarperCollins, Disney-Hyperion, and Scholastic.

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

Work experience:

  • HarperCollins
  • Disney-Hyperion
  • Scholastic
  • Self-employed

Georgette 5 star rating

Carmel, IN, United States

I'm a freelance editor and proofreader who's committed to helping authors produce the best work possible for their audiences.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Middle Grade, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Education & Reference, and Children’s Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Scholastic Reading Counts!

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

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

Browse 2,000+ additional profiles

Create your free Reedsy account and begin requesting free quotes.

Hire the best developmental editors in Kansas City, Missouri

Every manuscript has to be edited before publication. The developmental edit is the first part of this process, and the one that most drastically changes a manuscript, as it involves extensively evaluating plot development, character arcs, pacing, and story structure. From changing the order of events to rewriting entire scenes or condensing action for a faster pace, a manuscript emerges on the other side of developmental editing as a much sharper version of itself.

A developmental editor in Kansas City will be able to use their inside understanding of publishing trends and genre tropes to advise you on the specific areas that need improvement in your own project. This is a collaborative process, where you and your editor work consider solutions to problems together, and arrive at a tighter, more controlled manuscript.

Hire a developmental editor in Kansas City today to give your book its best chance of success. Reedsy has a large selection of talented and experienced editors, all individually vetted, so why not sign up and request a free quote today?

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

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.