The best fantasy book developmental editing services

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Tracy 5 star rating

Baltimore, MD, United States

Passionate about helping writers realize their visions. I love picture books (especially rhyme!), young adult, fantasy, memoir, and more.

Genres: Short Story, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Agent Carrie Pestritto (formerly of Prospect Agency, now with LDLA)
  • Marketing Agency
  • University of Baltimore
  • SCBWI MD/DE/WV
  • Self-employed

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

Angela 5 star rating

Los Angeles, United States

Editor of more than 800 books. I specialize in sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural, horror, mystery, thriller, YA, and dystopian fiction.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, LGBTQ Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Alyson Books
  • Self-employed

Steven 5 star rating

Vermont, United States

Intuitive, expert editor with 30 yrs experience teaching fiction writing at a major university. Well-published, knowledgeable, honest, kind.

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

Work experience:

  • Miami University, Oxford, OH
  • Colby College, Waterville,ME
  • Self-employed

Kate 5 star rating

Baltimore, United States

Former S&S editor w/20 years of experience editing NYT bestselling & award-winning authors such as Nova Ren Suma & Kekla Magoon.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Romantic Comedy, New Adult, Young Adult, Romantic Fantasy, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Simon & Schuster Children's Books

Erin 5 star rating

Los Angeles, United States

Experienced writer, editor and agent with an MFA in Creative Writing. I have edited New York Times bestselling books and series. 10+ years

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade Fantasy, Romance, Thriller & Suspense, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, and Urban Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • The Industry
  • tNY Press
  • Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC
  • Self-employed

MaxieJane 5 star rating

Riverside, WA, USA

MaxieJane is a writer, educator, and editor with an MFA from Bennington Writing Seminars and Ph.D. from the University of Delaware.

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Fiction, Action & Adventure, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Biographies & Memoirs, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Southern New Hampshire University
  • Self-employed
  • United States Air Force Academy
  • U.S. Air Force
  • U.S. Air Force Academy

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Lee 5 star rating

Sacramento, CA, USA

I am comics. I am thematic storytelling. I am writing and editing with intention. I am the process that helps creators achieve their goals.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Picture Books, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Humor & Comedy, and Themes & Motifs.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Lauren 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Peripatetic editor of genre and literary fiction since 2015, working with publishers and imprints under Macmillan, Penguin, and Tor.

Genres: LGBTQ Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Historical Romance, Romance, Science Fiction, LGBTQ Non-Fiction, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Hamilton College

Jennifer 5 star rating

Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Children's Editor specializing in Picture Books, Chapter Books, MG and YA. At Scholastic, I edited The Hunger Games! Stories are my passion.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Picture Books, Middle Grade Fantasy, Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Scholastic
  • Self-employed
  • Joseph-Beth Booksellers

Megan 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

A 20 year veteran of the publishing industry, Megan spent a decade at Simon & Schuster and has acquired and edited many bestsellers.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Thriller & Suspense, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance.

Work experience:

  • Simon & Schuster
  • Freelance

Matt 5 star rating

Jersey City, NJ, USA

I'm a literary agent with more than a decade of experience in genres spanning science fiction/fantasy, nonfiction, and graphic novels.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Comics Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Tobias Literary Agency
  • David Black Agency
  • Aaron Priest Agency
  • Charles River Labs
  • Penguin Random House
  • New Leaf Literary & Media
  • The Rights Factory

David 5 star rating

Richmond, VA, USA

Editor of 500+ books (SF/F and thriller/mystery), for bestsellers including Hugh Howey (Silo), AG Riddle, Anne Frasier, Nick Cole & more.

Genres: Military Science Fiction, Science Fiction, Fiction, Technothriller, Thriller & Suspense, Action & Adventure, Contemporary Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Space Opera, and Post-Apocalyptic.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • WarGate Books

Lou 5 star rating

Stamford, CT, USA

I've been in the book business since 1979, and I have a deep passion for a wide range of fiction and for working with writers.

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Entertainment, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Literary Fiction, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Avon Books
  • Self-employed
  • The Story Plant

Brandon 5 star rating

Indianapolis, IN, USA

Copy and Dev Editor working primarily within the Progression Fantasy and LitRPG world, focusing on world building and interpersonal growth.

Genres: Gaming & LitRPG, Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Military Science Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera, and Steampunk.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Portal Books
  • Aethon Books
  • Schinhofen Books

Kit 5 star rating

Boston, MA, USA

Queer editor of New York Times, Tor, and Elle best books ▪ interested in LGBTQ+ fiction and genre (sff, spec fic, romance) ▪ she/her

Genres: LGBTQ Fiction, Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, and Contemporary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Macmillan
  • Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency
  • Self-employed
  • Ploughshares
  • Emerson College
  • Bywater Books

Becky 5 star rating

Houston, Texas, USA

Award-winning editor who provides feedback and specific direction to help you develop the best possible novel. Sample edits w/every project!

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Middle Grade Fantasy, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Fiction, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Team Marketing Report
  • Simon & Schuster/ Page Street Publishing

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Hire the best fantasy developmental editors

There are a lot of moving parts for authors to juggle in the fantasy genre. It’s a genre that requires rich and original imagination, and requires its writers to think carefully about setting, characterization, and wielding the two in parallel to craft an intriguing and satisfying narrative arc.

From identifying redundant scenes to spotting crucial transitions currently lacking, a fantasy developmental editor can help you deal your story’s big picture. Is the plot’s resolution plausible and persuasive? Have you left any loose threads? Does the beginning hook the reader in enough?

Hiring one of our fantasy developmental editors can help you answer all of these questions. The professionals on our marketplace have been carefully vetted, and have extensive experience working with Big 5 publishers and bestselling authors. Sign up to Reedsy today to browse their profiles and talk to them about your project.

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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

Collaborate

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