The best biographies & memoir book developmental editing services

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Home > United States > Developmental Editors > Biographies & Memoir

Adam 5 star rating

Asheville, United States

Nonfiction book editor with 17+ years of experience in digital and print publishing. Reader advocate and prose polisher.

Genres: Humor & Comedy, Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Political Science & Current Affairs, Sports & Outdoors, Biographies & Memoirs, Business & Management, Entertainment, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Soomo Learning
  • Oxford University Press
  • HarperCollins Publishers

Andrew 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, United States

Former New York trade editor of thrillers, mysteries, science fiction and fantasy, horror, and narrative and military nonfiction/history.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Company Name Redacted. Please contact through Reedsy for editorial service.
  • Berkley Publishing Group, Donald I Fine, Inc, Dell, Avon and Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
  • Scovil Chichak Galen Literary Agency, Inc.
  • The Berkley Publishing Group

Stephanie 5 star rating

Schwenksville, PA, United States

Editor, proofreader, reader. Wrangler of run-away trains of thought and foxhound puppies.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Education & Reference, and Parenting & Families.

Work experience:

  • Temple University Press
  • Penn State Press
  • ASTM International
  • Self-employed

Laura 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Expert developmental and line editor, ghostwriter, and consultant collaborates on all aspects of nonfiction and fiction for adults and kids.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Poetry, Inspirational, Women's Fiction, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Jill Grinberg Literary Management
  • Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
  • Pocket Books
  • Simon & Schuster
  • Penguin USA
  • Theater Communications Group

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

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

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

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Glenn 5 star rating

Colorado Springs, CO, United States

Experienced editor for university presses (MIT, Harvard, etc.) and scholars (Princeton, U of Toronto, etc.); published award-winning books.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Economics, Humanities & Social Sciences, Biographies & Memoirs, Political Science & Current Affairs, Sociology, History, Law, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • The Frederick News-Post
  • Capital News Service (Washington, D.C.)
  • American Journalism Review

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

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

Geoffrey 5 star rating

D.C., DC, United States

20 years experience editing nonfiction books for publishers (Thomas Nelson and Running Press). I love helping authors tell their story.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Political Science & Current Affairs, Humanities & Social Sciences, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Running Press
  • Self-employed
  • Thomas Nelson Publishers

Meredith 5 star rating

Bothell, WA, United States

Writer, collaborative editor, and writing coach specializing in helping clients tell their best stories.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Nature, Women's Fiction, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Short Story, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • UW Medicine
  • Talaria, Inc.
  • Ashford University
  • Enclara Health
  • North Seattle Community College
  • Antioch University Seattle
  • 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

Kevin C. 5 star rating

Fort Worth, TX, USA

I work in non-fiction and fiction, but I specialize in broad-minded Christian non-fiction, particularly engaging the arts and pop culture.

Genres: Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Entertainment, Business & Management, and Religion & Spirituality.

Work experience:

  • OnFire Books
  • Dallas Baptist University
  • BaptistLIFE
  • New Identity Magazine
  • Imaginatio et Ratio: A Journal of Theology and the Arts
  • GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT
  • Farotech
  • Seshat Press (formerly Capucia Publishing)

Sandra 5 star rating

Port Hadlock, WA, United States

Developmental editor helping professionals transform real-world expertise into compelling, best-selling, market-ready books and series.

Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Historical Mysteries, Espionage, Thriller & Suspense, Military Science Fiction, Medical Thriller, Biographies & Memoirs, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Writers' International Forum
  • BAE Information Systems Technology
  • Manufactured Homes Magazine
  • Crooked Lane Books

Sam 5 star rating

Vancouver, WA, USA

English + Spanish editor for over ten years. Focus on Personal Growth Nonfiction + Romantic Historical Fiction. Your book, your voice.

Genres: Sex & Relationships, Non-Fiction, Historical Romance, Romance, Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Biographies & Memoirs.

Work experience:

  • Tyndale House Publishers
  • BCV

Anne 5 star rating

Croton-on-Hudson, NY, USA

Visionary editor with a focus on literary fiction and expertise in literary magazines and independent publishing.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • A Public Space
  • Words Without Borders
  • Associate Editor / Assistant Editor
  • Irene Skolnick Literary Agency

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Hire the best biographies and memoirs developmental editors

Piecing together the final elements of your biography’s first manuscript is as much a celebration as it is the beginning of a whole new writing journey: the developmental edit. After poring over reading materials for hours researching, you’re going to struggle viewing the bigger picture of your work objectively.

Developmental edits involve looking at the wider picture and identifying potential problems in your overall structure, pacing, and presentation of the people involved. Particularly when writing about real people and sensitive topics, hiring someone to check your work is a weight off your shoulders.

You’ll need an expert who has the experience to back up their revisions. To find the best editors in the industry, head over to Reedsy. All of our publishing professionals, many of whom have experience in the Big 5 publishers, are vetted thoroughly — and they’re waiting to work with you next. Sign up for free to connect today.

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