The best horror book developmental editing services

Sign up for free to meet top developmental editors on Reedsy

Ken 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Experienced ms. editor who has worked with NYT bestselling authors of thrillers and romance. I'm also a published author and ghostwriter.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Technothriller, Thriller & Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Legal Thriller, and Horror.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Lindsay 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Freelance editor specializing in YA, SFF, and query packages. Former literary agent with 20 years of experience in NYC publishing.

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

Work experience:

  • Sanford J. Greenburger Associates

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

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

Hugo-nominated and 12 time #1 bestselling author and editor of 21 anthologies, and over 200 novels—let’s make a great story together!

Genres: Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Technothriller, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Writing & Publishing, Non-Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • 25 and Y
  • Wordfire Press

Susan 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Trad and indie fiction editor of SF/F, horror, and romance. Lover of all things nerdy, steamy, and everything in between.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Epic Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense, Space Opera, Science Fiction, Horror, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

John G. 5 star rating

Charlotte, NC, USA

John has written over 40 novels of his own and edited well over 100 novels ranging from debut authors to NY Times bestsellers.

Genres: Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Paranormal Romance, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

📞 Chat with our team

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

Jasmine 5 star rating

Beaverton, OR, USA

As a fantasy author with a Master of Arts in Book Publishing, Jasmine knows the editorial process from every angle.

Genres: LGBTQ Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Literary Fiction, Writing & Publishing, Non-Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Ooligan Press
  • Altonimbus Entertainment (dba Kumoricon)

Beth 5 star rating

Maineville, United States

Seasoned editor and proofreader with more than 20 years of experience in multiple genres. I have worked with several best-selling authors!

Genres: Health & Wellbeing, Non-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, LGBTQ Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Science Fiction, and Dystopian.

Work experience:

  • Self-Employed

James 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Developmental editor with wide ranging experience in genres from middle grade to adult, including books by NY Times best sellers.

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

Work experience:

  • Promethean - The City College of New York's Literary Journal
  • The Bent Agency

Scott 5 star rating

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Developmental and copy editor specializing in speculative fiction. I love helping writers bring their imaginative worlds to life!

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Space Opera, Short Story, Horror, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Outland Entertainment

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

Isabella 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Experienced freelance editor specializing in SFF, horror, and speculative fiction for Adults and YA. Formerly with S&S.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Science Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Simon & Schuster, Touchstone/Atria
  • Self-employed

Olivia 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Developmental editor offering thoughtful, creative collaboration. Specializes in thrillers, suspense, and all things speculative.

Genres: Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Romance, LGBTQ Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, and Romantic Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Publishing Company
  • C&R Press
  • Otis Books
  • Freelance

Leticia 5 star rating

The Woodlands, TX, USA

I am an Editor-at-Large for Kensington Publishing Corp. and founder of a literary agency that champions culturally diverse voices.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, True Crime, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Kensington Publishing Corp.
  • Dafina/Kensington Publishing Corp.
  • Self-employed
  • Ascendant Entertainment

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

Gabriela 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Author/editor for middle grade, young adult novels, and graphic novels. I specialize in thrillers, horror, and fantasy.

Genres: Middle Grade Fantasy, Children's, Fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Young Adult Fantasy, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Penguin Random House
  • Self-Employed

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.