The best horror book developmental editing services

Sign up for free to meet top developmental editors on Reedsy

Holly 5 star rating

Springfield, United States

Experienced fiction editor, formerly with Samhain Publishing. I specialize in romance and other genre fiction.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, LGBTQ Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Psychological Thriller, New Adult, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Samhain Publishing, Ltd
  • Self-employed
  • Mundania Press
  • Lyrical Press

Matt. 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

Best-selling/award-winning editor specializing in genre fiction (horror, sci-fi, fantasy) and sequential art narrative (yup, comics.)

Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction, Fantasy, Plays & Screenplays, Science Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Comics Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Entertainment, and Action & Adventure.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment
  • Heroic Signatures
  • Encyclopocalypse Publications
  • Northampton Community College

Matt 5 star rating

Evanston, IL, USA

NYC-trained editor (Doubleday) specializing in manuscript assessments and developmental editing for crime/mystery, and daring genre fiction.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Fiction, True Crime, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Horror, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Doubleday & Co.
  • The Carol Mann Agency

Philip 5 star rating

Seattle, WA, USA

Former managing editor at Wizards of the Coast, working extensively in fantasy, SF, horror, thriller, literary, and narrative non-fiction.

Genres: Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Gaming & LitRPG, Space Opera, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Wizards of the Coast
  • 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

Josiah 5 star rating

Louisville, KY, USA

Epic Fantasy/LitRPG-focused editor with 9 years' experience and 500 novels under my belt. Do you want to grow? Let's talk.

Genres: Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Gaming & LitRPG, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, and Urban Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Erin 5 star rating

Boston, MA, USA

A former Scholastic editor with over a decade of experience, who loves kidlit and delights in text.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, and Action & Adventure.

Work experience:

  • Scholastic Inc.
  • Self-employed
  • Viable Paradise

📞 Chat with our team

Need a hand finding the perfect professional? Our team is here to help. Get in touch for recommendations.

Wes 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Mystery/thriller/horror enthusiast and accomplished Executive Editor with 15 years' experience in the book industry. Keep me turning pages!

Genres: Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Espionage, Literary Fiction, Sports & Outdoors, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Grand Central Publishing
  • Little, Brown/Mulholland Books
  • Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency

Amanda 5 star rating

Charlottesville, VA, USA

Independent press cofounder, experienced editor, insightful reader. Edits literary and genre fiction at all stages of development.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Poetry, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Psychological Thriller, LGBTQ Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Coming of Age, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Independent Press
  • C&R Press
  • Virginia Tech
  • Freelance

T.S. 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

A NYT bestselling and award-winning editor of children's and YA/teen fiction with 16 years of experience at Top 5 publishing imprints.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Middle Grade Fantasy, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, LGBTQ Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Azantian Literary Agency
  • Jimmy Patterson Books/Little, Brown (Hachette Book Group)
  • Inkyard Press/Harlequin Teen (Harper Collins)
  • Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group)

Paul 5 star rating

Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

Editor with twenty years' experience at Tor Books and Donald Maass Literary Agency. I specialize in science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Horror, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Donald Maass Literary Agency
  • Tor Books

Tiara 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

I'm an editor at a Big 5 publisher with over 10 years of industry experience working on picture books, middle grade, YA, and romance novels.

Genres: African American Fiction, Fiction, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Children's, Picture Books, Romance, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Penguin Random House
  • HarperCollins
  • Macmillan

Karen J. 5 star rating

Flagstaff, AZ, USA

Professor of English with over 15 years experience mentoring writers, one book, three edited collections, and 40+ other publications.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Young Adult, Education & Reference, Non-Fiction, Entertainment, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Northern Arizona University

David 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

20+ years of editing and publishing expertise to elevate your manuscript with clarity and craft while preserving your authentic voice.

Genres: Short Story, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Espionage, Thriller & Suspense, Horror, Space Opera, Science Fiction, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Freelance
  • Hearst Business Media
  • Sleeping Giant

Kerry 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

I'm interested in thoughtful, voice-driven manuscripts. I especially love stories that include queer characters and/or speculative elements.

Genres: LGBTQ Fiction, Fiction, Time Travel, Science Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Contemporary Fiction, and Coming of Age.

Work experience:

  • Henry Holt & Company
  • Curtis Brown, Ltd.
  • One Story Magazine
  • JMH Scouting

Chris 5 star rating

Philadelphia, PA, USA

I am an expert in genre fiction, with years of experience evaluating short fiction. I want your wildest stories to find a published home.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Short Story, Horror, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Clarkesworld Magazine
  • Geekadelphia

Patrick 5 star rating

Saint Paul, MN, USA

Accomplished writer/editor with 19+ years of progressive publishing experience focused on developmental editing & pitch consultation

Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Comics Non-Fiction, Entertainment, Humor & Comedy, Horror, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Ten Speed Press / Penguin Random House
  • Watson-Guptill Publications / Penguin Random House
  • Oxford University Press

Browse 2,000+ additional profiles

Create your free Reedsy account and begin requesting free quotes.

Hire the best horror developmental editors

Do you know what’ll send a shiver down your spine more than any horror book? Avoidable mistakes tainting readers’ views of your work and distracting from the story you want to tell. If you felt the hairs on the back of your neck rise at the thought, don’t worry. There’s a way to save yourself: hire a horror book developmental editor.

They’ll analyze your horror book to identify (and fix) issues with your pacing, structure, and character building. While changing large aspects of something you’ve spent hours working on might haunt you at first at first, these large-scale rewrites are a literary life saver.

You’ll want to hire a developmental editor with specialism in horror books, who won’t be spooked by genre nuances — and we’ve got your back. The Reedsy Marketplace is home to the top editors in the industry, who’ve worked with bestselling horror authors like Stephen King, so you can always trust their expertise. What are you afraid of? Join us and connect with them today.

How it works

Browse profiles, request quotes, then collaborate.

Step 1

Apply filters

Reedsy is home to thousands of professionals. Select the specific services you need and narrow your search based on your book’s genre and requirements.

Step 2

Browse

Then, browse professional profiles to find out more about their personalities and past projects.

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.