The best developmental editors for hire near San Diego

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Chris 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

Hi, I'm a longtime comic-book/graphic novel editor and editorial director, with 15+ years experience in helping others build their worlds.

Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comics Non-Fiction, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Kate 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

Current associate publisher at Silver Dolphin Children's Books. 17+ years of experience. Five-star book coach from concept to publication!

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children's, and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Silver Dolphin Books, Readerlink
  • Klutz, Scholastic
  • Hameray Publishing
  • Houghton Mifflin

Sabine 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

After more than 20 years as a newspaper writer/editor, I can make your book on food, drink, travel, and interior design come to life.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Cox Enterprises
  • McClatchy
  • Self-employed

Annie 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

Award-winning children's book editor. Specialties include: picture books, fantasy world building, character development, and multiple POVs.

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

Work experience:

  • Albert Whitman & Company
  • Simon & Schuster
  • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  • Self-employed

Amy 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

I'm a writer who specializes in food and travel content. I've edited books, written books as well as copy for web, packaging and blogs.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Kristen 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

PhD-trained editor helping experienced fiction writers elevate their craft with kind, insightful feedback and strategic guidance

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Historical Romance, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, and Coming of Age.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Chronicle Books
  • Columbia University

Gregory 5 star rating

San Antonio, TX, USA

I am an experienced nonfiction editor specializing in art publications, academic titles, educational materials, and self-help/trade books.

Genres: Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Photography, History, Education & Reference, Architecture, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

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Staci 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

Versatile editor, published author with 10+ years experience including NYT bestselling authors. Memoir, spirituality/religion, romance.

Genres: Inspirational, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Religion & Spirituality, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Contemporary Romance, Romance, and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Broadleaf Books

Nicole 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

I am an editor and project manager specializing in contemporary visual and performing arts, as well as art history.

Genres: Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, and Photography.

Work experience:

  • Institute for Studies on Latin American Art (ISLAA)
  • Self-employed
  • Prompt

Bridget 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

Passionate, collaborative editor with 20+ years experience at Chronicle Books: nonfiction, art, design, creativity, illustrated, photography

Genres: Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Photography, Inspirational, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Architecture, Entertainment, Nature, and Design.

Work experience:

  • Chronicle Books

Taryn 5 star rating

San Jose, CA, USA

~Query enthusiast~ Plot puzzle solver & character demystifyer. I'm here to enhance YOUR voice & vision. 10+ years in trad pub.

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

Work experience:

  • The Quarto Group
  • Disney Publishing
  • Disney Creative Entertainment
  • Self-employed
  • Andrea Brown Literary, Movable Type Management, The Bent Agency
  • KiwiCo

Danielle 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

I help thought leaders turn their big ideas into books.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Parenting & Families, Humanities & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, New Age, Finance & Accounting, and Math & Science.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • IBISWorld
  • Pepperdine University

Danielle 5 star rating

San Carlos, CA, USA

Let's get your book publication ready! I'm a seasoned editor and author coach with expertise in kidlit, memoir, and new adult.

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

Work experience:

  • Cañada College
  • Self-employed
  • iWrite Marketing
  • Hewlett-Packard Company
  • Stanford University
  • Diablo Magazine
  • University of California Press
  • The Learning Company

Crystal 5 star rating

San Francisco Bay Area , CA, USA

Collaborative, versatile editor + sensitivity reader with bestselling titles in self-help, mind, body, spirit, and marginalized communities.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Callisto Media

Kathy 5 star rating

San Diego, United States

Freelance copyeditor and proofreader offering 25 years of experience in scientific and educational publishing

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Medicine, Nursing, & Dentistry, Math & Science, Nature, Action & Adventure, Classics, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, Education & Reference, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Academic Press (Elsevier Science/Harcourt)
  • Academic Press
  • Brian F. Smith and Associates (Archaeologist)
  • Converse Consultants West
  • Cajon Valley, Mountain Empire, and Palm Middle Schools
  • Self-employed

Martin Roy 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

Professional editor and national award-winning author with a wide range of experience in fiction and nonfiction publishing.

Genres: Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Historical Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Cozy Mysteries, Military Science Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Naval Health Research Center
  • San Diego Business Journal
  • San Diego Magazine
  • The Log Newspapers
  • Palm Springs Desert Sun

Carolyn 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

I'm a health & wellness editor with 15 + years of experience developing profitable content & manuscripts that educate & engage readers.

Genres: Health & Wellbeing and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Callisto Media
  • Linkwell Health

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Hire the best developmental editors in San Diego, California

You may be asking, what’s a developmental editor and why should I hire one? While most editors are known for correcting grammar and punctuation, these editors will work with you to fix up everything from the structure of your story to plot holes and characterization — all while keeping you positive and motivated. They may suggest re-writes or recommend which “darlings” to kill off, as William Faulkner once so famously put it.

Finding the right developmental editor is hard because it depends on trust. It’s not a teacher-student relationship, but more like a co-working situation in which you improvise and feed off each other’s chemistry and excitement for the work. At Reedsy, you can submit offers to up to 5 developmental editors at once and interview them all to be sure you’ve found the right fit. To get started, sign up for a free account today.

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