The best developmental editors for hire near San Diego

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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

Dan 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

Professional copy editor since 2008. I love YA. Clients include Scholastic, Mattel, Klutz, Penguin Random House, and Hachette Book Group.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, Non-Fiction, and Life Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • San Diego Magazine
  • Klutz
  • Columbia Art and Literary Journal
  • Illumina

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

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

Carey 5 star rating

San Rafael, CA, United States

I am an editor who loves helping authors revise and refine their work so it is clear, precise, and ready for publication.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, Health & Wellbeing, Travel, Sports & Outdoors, Parenting & Families, and Design.

Work experience:

  • Chronicle Books
  • Self-employed

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

Jennifer 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

I have 10 years of experience working in publishing in development, editorial, royalties, and literary agenting.

Genres: Literary Fiction and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency

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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

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

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

Conor 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

A transplant from Hollywood, I love working w/ writers of all formats to take stories to the next level, particularly in speculative fiction

Genres: LGBTQ Fiction, Fiction, Plays & Screenplays, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Space Opera, Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, and Humor & Comedy.

Work experience:

  • Fox Broadcasting Company
  • Original Film
  • Eleven11 Productions
  • Self-employed

Rebecca 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

Fiction editor. Previously HarperCollins, David Higham Books, Amazon Studios. Offering editorial assessments, developmental edits, and more.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Coming of Age, Literary Fiction, Humor & Comedy, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Amazon Studios
  • John Cabot University and British School Group
  • David Higham Associates
  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Self-employed

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

Marisa 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

Marisa is a book editor specializing in women's wellness, self-improvement, and the motherhood journey.

Genres: Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Parenting & Families, Health & Wellbeing, and Sex & Relationships.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

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

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

Sandra 5 star rating

Omaha, United States

Skilled nonfiction book editor and book coach in business, true crime, self-help. Get from idea to published. I love first-time authors.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Psychology, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and True Crime.

Work experience:

  • Southeast Community College
  • Self-employed
  • Metropolitan Community College

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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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