The best romance book developmental editing services

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Rachel 5 star rating

New York, United States

Literary agent turned editor of fiction & select memoir where narratives and protagonists have distinct, identifiable voices.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Humor & Comedy, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Middle Grade, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • Dystel & Goderich Literary Management
  • Self-employed

Joanna 5 star rating

Oak Park, IL, United States

Seasoned publishing industry professional with agency experience and a keen eye for detail who embraces all aspects of the editorial process

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

Work experience:

  • Browne & Miller Literary Associates
  • The Parlor
  • Literary Agency

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

Tera 5 star rating

South Bend, United States

Editor with 10+ years of experience specializing in developmental edits and copy editing, with a focus on romance and all romance subgenres.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, LGBTQ Fiction, Women's Fiction, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Entangled Publishing
  • Samhain Publishing
  • Kensington Lyrical
  • Self-employed

Lara 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

A consummate professional with over 20 years experience in the publishing industry, specializing in genre fiction and pop culture.

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Entertainment, Non-Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Time Travel Romance, and Historical Romance.

Work experience:

  • The Lotts Agency
  • Trident Media Group
  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Various

Chersti 5 star rating

Provo, United States

20 yrs editing with NYT/international/indie bestsellers such as Brandon Sanderson and Demi Winters. Adult Fantasy/SF/Suspense + all YA.

Genres: Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Gaming & LitRPG, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Space Opera, and Post-Apocalyptic.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Cedar Fort
  • Leading Edge

Nicole 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Former Big 5 editor with 10+ years of experience in fantasy, romance, horror, and any combination therein. Let's get cooking!

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Romantic Fantasy, Science Fiction, Epic Fantasy, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • InterVarsity Press
  • Del Ray (Penguin Random House)
  • Self-employed

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Sean 5 star rating

Denton, TX, United States

Editor of bestselling, award-winning middle grade, YA, and adult books, specializing in fantasy and sci-fi. Let's make your book stand out!

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade Fantasy, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Romantic Fantasy, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Andrea Hurst and Associates, LLC
  • Andrea Hurst and Associates
  • Self-employed
  • Relay Publishing, LLC
  • The Editorial Department

Kaitlin 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

A seasoned television executive bringing story development skills to a new space.

Genres: Plays & Screenplays, Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Romance, Short Story, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Medical Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, and Humor & Comedy.

Work experience:

  • WV Entertainment
  • Blondie Girl Productions
  • CBS

Micaela 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

A New York based editor with a love for bringing the brightest of stories to life through fiction filled with beautiful words and imagery.

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Coming of Age, Romantic Comedy, Romance, Humor & Comedy, Literary Fiction, and Contemporary Romance.

Work experience:

  • Henry Holt
  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Chicago Review Press
  • Reedsy

Janice 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

A professional published writer for more than twenty years and a private editor for published writers and writers looking to be published.

Genres: Action & Adventure, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Plays & Screenplays, Romance, Thriller & Suspense, Biographies & Memoirs, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Simon and Schuster

Marcia 5 star rating

Plymouth, NH, USA

As an experienced story-focused editor and published author, I help bring out your voice and make your writing the best it can be.

Genres: Education & Reference, Non-Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Parenting & Families, and Art.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Plymouth State University

Alicia 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Editor for romance, mystery, and book club fiction, with over 14 years of publishing experience across three of the largest publishers.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Romantic Comedy, Romance, Romantic Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Magical Realism, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • St. Martin's Press
  • Penguin Random House
  • Amazon Publishing

Beth 5 star rating

Guilford, Connecticut, USA

Experienced editor of award-winning fiction and non-fiction with a keen eye for detail and 15+ years of industry experience.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Romance, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Chick Lit, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Penguin Random House (South Africa)
  • Private
  • Self-employed
  • Random House Struik

Kimberly 5 star rating

Montvale, NJ, USA

Full time editorial freelancer (and former managing editor) working as a proofreader, copyeditor, development editor, and project manager.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Thriller & Suspense, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Sterling Publishing
  • John Wiley and Sons
  • BenBella Books

Tiffany 5 star rating

Fort Worth, TX, USA

An editor specializing in romantic fiction with over ten years' experience. Worked for Penguin Random House, Macmillan, and Entangled.

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

Work experience:

  • Entangled Publishing
  • Macmillan Publishers
  • Penguin Random House
  • Self-employed

Lauren 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Peripatetic editor of genre and literary fiction since 2015, with clients, 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

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Hire the best romance developmental editors

So you’ve outlined your characters, written a couple of drafts, and finally have a manuscript, complete with a happy ending? To make sure that everything is jiving in your newest romance title, hire a romance developmental editor who can help you sort out your narrative structure, fill any plot holes, and make sure there’s chemistry between your characters.

The editors at Reedsy have years of experience working with indie authors and in traditional publishing alike. With a finger on the pulse, they keep up with current trends and demands of the market. Sign up for a free account today to browse and shortlist editors — some of whom have worked with popular romance authors like Jill Mansell and Cecilia Ahern, to name just a couple.

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Step 2

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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.

Reedsy | Developmental editing — find the gem | 2024-09

Find the gem in your early draft

The best developmental editors in the industry are on Reedsy. Come meet them.