The best cookbook book developmental editing services

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Julia 5 star rating

Charleston, SC, United States

Line and copy editor, with content capabilities. I have the most experience in nonfiction, but my favorite edits are middle grade and YA.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • The History Press
  • Newgen KnowledgeWorks
  • Amnet

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

Lisa 5 star rating

Oakland, CA, USA

Editor/indexer (20y+) of award-winning nonfiction for major, indie, academic, and nonprofit publishers (e.g., Getty, NPS, Chronicle, PRH).

Genres: Children's, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, History, Nature, Political Science & Current Affairs, and Music.

Work experience:

  • Heyday
  • Self-employed

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

Marah 5 star rating

Washington, DC, United States

Cookbook ghostwriter and editor who knows both sides of the desk. Food, health, and lifestyle books, from proposal to manuscript.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Simon & Schuster Trade Paperbacks
  • Scribner

Perrin 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, United States

Cookbooks are my specialty—books I have edited have won or been finalists for James Beard, IACP, and Gourmand awards.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Health & Wellbeing, Home & Garden, Economics, and Humanities & Social Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Agate Publishing
  • Self-employed

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Mira 5 star rating

River Edge, NJ, USA

Editor for NYT bestselling cookbooks, romance, and devotionals | Specializing in polished, publishable prose—including AI-assisted drafts

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, and Inspirational.

Work experience:

  • Radish Fiction
  • Avalon Books
  • John Wiley & Sons
  • Dorchester Publishing Company
  • Self-employed

Experienced editor of fiction and nonfiction who has worked with Penguin Putnam, Random House, Felony & Mayhem, and DK Publishing.

Genres: Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Humanities & Social Sciences, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Judith 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

A longtime professional editor of non-fiction, I can help you to deliver your message and make your book even better than you already are.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Religion & Spirituality, Biographies & Memoirs, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Doubleday
  • Self-employed
  • Atheneum Publishers

Marisa 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Book coach, developmental editor, and author • 30 years in publishing • Self-help, wellness, psychology • First-time authors • BIPOC

Genres: Health & Wellbeing, Non-Fiction, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Parenting & Families, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Children’s Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, and Sex & Relationships.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • BabyCenter.com
  • New Harbinger Publications
  • Weldon Owen
  • Chronicle Books
  • Avalon Travel Publishing (Hatchette Book Group)
  • Seal Press (Hatchette Book Group)

Joan 5 star rating

Santa Barbara, CA, USA

I'm a longtime book and magazine editor, focusing on nonfiction. I've also written 8 books on travel, popular history, and crafts.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Travel, Business & Management, True Crime, and Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Anna 5 star rating

Winston-Salem, NC, USA

An editor for nonfiction and literary fiction, I specialize in memoir, travel, historical fiction, fantasy and thrillers.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Literary Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Travel, Thriller & Suspense, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • John F. Blair, Publisher
  • Lookout Books
  • Self-employed
  • Barefoot Books
  • Dialogist Journal
  • Ecotone Journal
  • The Porch Writers' Collective
  • Tennessee Humanities' Tennessee Young Writers Workshop

Emma 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Dedicated, creative editor with an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and years of experience at a top New York City literary agency.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Short Story, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Political Science & Current Affairs, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • McCormick Literary
  • The Iowa Writers' Workshop
  • Atheneum (a division of Simon & Schuster)

West 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Copyedits and proofreads books on cookery, wellness, and science and math. Production editor for scientific journals at Cell Press by day.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, and Math & Science.

Work experience:

  • Cell Press
  • Penguin Random House - DK
  • The Experiment

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

Jain 5 star rating

Dallas, TX, USA

As a developmental editor, I make sure your text is organized, well thought out, consistent, accessible and enjoyable to read.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Photography, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Plays & Screenplays, Home & Garden, Philosophy, and Humanities & Social Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

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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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