The best horror book developmental editing services

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Angela 5 star rating

Los Angeles, United States

Editor of more than 1,000 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
  • New York Book Editors

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

Caroline 5 star rating

Cleveland, OH, USA

Developmental editor specializing in romance, thrillers, and mysteries. My clients have been published by Kensington, Skyhorse, and more.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Humor & Comedy, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Historical Romance, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance, and Romantic Comedy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Cleveland State University

Lyndsey 5 star rating

Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, USA

Professional editor of horror/fantasy with over five years' experience helping authors and traditional publishers elevate their novels.

Genres: Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Historical Romance, Romance, and Urban Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Eerie River Publishing (Indie Publishing House)
  • Turner Publishing (Established Traditional Publishing House)

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

James 5 star rating

Fort Collins, CO, USA

I help genre fiction & comics writers see what isn’t working, strengthen story, and hook readers from page one. 10+ years' experience.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Jeppesen/Boeing

Ashley 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

An editor with over ten years experience in prose and video games. When not reading or writing, she's skating or hunting for a good mead.

Genres: Gaming & LitRPG, Fantasy, Fiction, Anthologies, Short Story, Horror, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Electronic Arts
  • Self-employed

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Rachel 5 star rating

Albuquerque, NM, USA

I am a writer, a life-long educator, and an editor who works to help other writers find their voice.

Genres: Coming of Age, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Short Story, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Biographies & Memoirs, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Narrative Magazine
  • Antioch Review
  • Antioch College

Isabella 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Experienced freelance editor of 10+ years, 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

Taz 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Editor at Soho Press, working on literary crime and horror fiction. Let's tell the story you've always wanted to tell!

Genres: Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, Literary Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Soho Press

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)

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

Hannah 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Traditionally Published Author * Former Senior Literary Agent * 10 years editing and selling highly reviewed and bestselling books.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, and LGBTQ Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • KT Literary
  • Trident Media Group

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

Adrienne 5 star rating

West Hartford, CT, USA

Former Amazon Publishing editor w/15 yrs experience, specializing in SFF and nonfiction pop culture. Query review, assessments, dev editing.

Genres: Coming of Age, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Entertainment, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Insight Editions
  • Amazon Publishing
  • Trident Media Group

Parisa 5 star rating

Brooklyn, NY, United States

Former Simon and Schuster editor with 15+ years of experience, specializing in all fiction genres. I’d love to help get your MS in shape!

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self Employed
  • Simon & Schuster

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

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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.

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