The best cookbook book developmental editing services

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Peggy 5 star rating

Philadelphia, United States

Cookbook/nonfiction editor, writer & project manager w/ 20+ yrs in publishing. Also offering recipe development and testing.

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

Work experience:

  • Self Employed
  • Clarkson Potter/Random House

Andrea 5 star rating

Birmingham, United States

Editor and food writer with over 10 years of experience creating cookbooks on a wide range of cooking subjects.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Time Inc Books

Abigail 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Nonfiction editor for 20-plus years, transforming raw concepts into polished books on lifestyle, cooking, health, how-to, and more.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Fashion & Textiles, and Photography.

Work experience:

  • (Independent)
  • Watson-Guptill Publications, an Imprint of the Crown Publishing Group
  • Brioni
  • Universe Publishing, a Division of Rizzoli International Publications

Thea 5 star rating

Austin, TX, USA

Big 5 publishing house editor specializing in fiction, mystery/thriller, cookbooks, self help, design and lifestyle.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Psychological Thriller, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Hachette Book Group
  • SKLA
  • Penguin Random House

Margaret 5 star rating

Overland Park, KS, USA

Copy editor and proofreader looking to help make your literary dreams come true!

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction, and Inspirational.

Work experience:

  • Andrews McMeel Universal
  • AAPC Publishing

Kerri 5 star rating

Cottondale, FL, USA

18+ years of publishing experience in developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading. Specializing in non-fiction how-to books.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, Education & Reference, Home & Garden, and Sports & Outdoors.

Work experience:

  • Cedar Lane Press
  • Caslon Publishing
  • Spring House Press
  • Self-employed
  • Fox Chapel Publishing

Marina 5 star rating

Maplewood, NJ, USA

Experienced, award-winning author, editor, writing coach, & professor guiding writers in adult, YA, middle grade fiction & nonfiction.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Cultural & Ethnic, Historical Fiction, New Adult, Young Adult, Social & Family Issues, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits.

Work experience:

  • MARINA
  • William Paterson University

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Erin 5 star rating

Seattle, WA, USA

Devoted, thoughtful editor specializing in literary & experimental fiction, cookbooks, and select narrative nonfiction.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Nature, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • GoodTherapy.org
  • YES! magazine

Sally 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Thoughtful and compassionate book editor with more than a decade of experience in publishing. Specialties include self-help and health.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Inspirational, New Age, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Hay House

Gabrielle 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

An experienced non-fiction lifestyle editor who specializes in cooking, gift book, travel and outdoors categories.

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

Work experience:

  • Penguin Random House
  • Extra Crispy (Time Inc.)
  • Journal of Italian Cinema and Media Studies
  • Thrillist

Katie 5 star rating

Maplewood, NJ, USA

Published novelist, magazine editor and journalist, experienced ghostwriter--and encouraging, nurturing mentor.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Short Story, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, and Inspirational.

Work experience:

  • Parents Magazine
  • O, The Oprah Magazine

Rebecca 5 star rating

Peterborough, NH, USA

Versatile editor and indexer specializing in cookbooks and other prescriptive nonfiction.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Design, DIY & Crafts, Home & Garden, Parenting & Families, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  • Hollan Publishing
  • Time Warner Book Group
  • Random House
  • HarperCollins Publishers

Stephanie 5 star rating

Bellingham, WA, USA

Experienced nonfiction editor with 20 years experience, providing thoughtful editing that strengthens your work while preserving your voice.

Genres: Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Calendars, Children’s Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, History, Biographies & Memoirs, and Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • The Quarto Group
  • Plural Publishing, Inc.

Joe 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

30+ yrs. editing fiction & nonfiction. I polish, strengthen, and bring out the best in your manuscript. Free sample available.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Entertainment, Sex & Relationships, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Solution Tree Press
  • Self-employed

Ashley 5 star rating

Charleston, SC, USA

Award-winning culinary content creator, cookbook author, and founder of Little Black Skillet, the “little black dress” of recipe websites.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Travel, Home & Garden, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • eMeals
  • Callisto Media
  • Hearst
  • Oxmoor House Books
  • Self-employed

Mark 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

I'm an experienced (400+ books, many bestsellers) nonfiction editor with a real passion for sports, fitness, health, self-help, and memoir.

Genres: Sports & Outdoors, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Children’s Non-Fiction, and Business & Management.

Work experience:

  • Rodale Books
  • Sports Publishing
  • Skyhorse Publishing
  • McGraw-Hill Trade
  • Lyons Press
  • Diversion Books
  • Kevin Anderson & Associates

LGBT+ editor specializing in fiction and nonfiction. 5+ years in developmental editing, sensitivity editing, copyediting, and proofreading.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, DIY & Crafts, Entertainment, and Fashion & Textiles.

Work experience:

  • Page Street Publishing Co.
  • Ploughshares
  • Harvard Education Publishing Group

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Hire the best cookbook developmental editors

Just finishing up your cookbook and wondering about hiring a developmental editor? By now, you’ll have probably spent a long time perfecting recipes — so you’ll know the importance of ensuring every ingredient is combined in the right order, at the right speed, and in the right amount. It’s just the same with books but, like with a recipe you’ve loved since childhood, it’s hard to be objective about big picture issues when you’ve spent time with it.

A cookbook developmental editor is like your supportive sous-chef and your biggest critic all in one, analyzing the wider picture and suggesting fixes for your structure, layout, and your recipe introductions.

That said, you’ll need an expert with a strong portfolio to back up their criticisms: here at Reedsy, we only accept the top 3% of professionals, so you can trust your editor’s skills. Sign up for free to connect today.

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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

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Once you agree on terms and a timeline, you’ll start collaborating using the many communication and editing tools available on Reedsy.

Reedsy | Developmental editing — find the gem | 2024-09

Find the gem in your early draft

The best developmental editors in the industry are on Reedsy. Come meet them.