The best self help book developmental editing services

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Geoffrey 5 star rating

D.C., DC, United States

20 years experience editing nonfiction books for publishers (Thomas Nelson and Running Press). I love helping authors tell their story.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Political Science & Current Affairs, Humanities & Social Sciences, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Running Press
  • Self-employed
  • Thomas Nelson Publishers

Laura 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Expert developmental and line editor, ghostwriter, and consultant collaborates on all aspects of nonfiction and fiction for adults and kids.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Poetry, Inspirational, Women's Fiction, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Jill Grinberg Literary Management
  • Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
  • Pocket Books
  • Simon & Schuster
  • Penguin USA
  • Theater Communications Group

Jodi 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, United States

I have an MFA and a lot of energy. I work in memoir, fiction, & humor. You'll have fun & learn craft as we go. No AI "writing," please.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Humor & Comedy, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Lila 5 star rating

New York, United States

I specialize in editing nonfiction and academic books, and I'll work with you based on your specific writing style, voice, needs, and goals.

Genres: History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Law, Political Science & Current Affairs, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Sociology, and Health & Wellbeing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Lisa 5 star rating

Berkley, MI, United States

Every sentence matters! My passion is helping your words shine, whether you're at the beginning of your project or you need a final polish.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Travel, Home & Garden, Career Guides, Fantasy, Fiction, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Lauren 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Collaborative former Big 5 editor specializing in biography/memoir, mind/body/spirit, self-help, and women's fiction. Let's work together!

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, LGBTQ Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Women's Fiction, and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Hachette Books
  • Tiller Press (S&S/Simon Element)

Rebecca 5 star rating

Peterborough, NH, USA

Versatile editor and indexer specializing in cookbooks and other prescriptive nonfiction.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Design, DIY & Crafts, Home & Garden, Parenting & Families, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  • Hollan Publishing
  • Time Warner Book Group
  • Random House
  • HarperCollins Publishers

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Anna 5 star rating

Franklin, New York, USA

Making your author dreams come true! Award-winning editor with 16+ years of experience working with beginners and seasoned authors alike.

Genres: Health & Wellbeing, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Inspirational, Business & Management, Biographies & Memoirs, Career Guides, Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • The Daily Star: Upstate Life Magazine
  • Hatherleigh Press
  • StyleMatters
  • Catapult Book Group
  • Self-Publishing Services
  • Author Solutions

Martha E 5 star rating

Winston-Salem, NC, USA

Ivy League–educated developmental editor. I help memoir, prescriptive memoir & self-help authors create books that illuminate and inspire.

Genres: Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Religion & Spirituality, Biographies & Memoirs, Sociology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Music, Inspirational, and LGBTQ Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • .
  • Brown University, Tufts University, Guilford College, UTEP, Smith College, and Providence College
  • Indiana Family and Social Services Administration

Specializing in nonfiction books for both children and adults, I am a friendly and easygoing editor excited to work with you!

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Education & Reference, Parenting & Families, Writing & Publishing, Children’s Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Middle Grade, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Ballard & Tighe, Publishers
  • Entrepreneur Press

Jess 5 star rating

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Award-winning, broad-ranging editor of fiction and nonfiction, specializing in helping you turn your weirdest ideas into fully-fledged work.

Genres: Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Nature, and Entertainment.

Work experience:

  • Quirk Books
  • Electric Literature

Catherine 5 star rating

Fort Collins, CO, USA

Copy editor and developmental editor; award-winning nonfiction author who loves helping authors polish and bring their manuscripts to life

Genres: Education & Reference, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Inspirational, Sex & Relationships, Home & Garden, and New Age.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Allison 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

USA TODAY Bestselling nonfiction book editor with 20+ years' experience. I specialize in personal development, memoir, cookbooks, and kids.

Genres: Home & Garden, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Parenting & Families, Biographies & Memoirs, Sex & Relationships, and Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits.

Work experience:

  • PA Press
  • Wonderwell Press
  • Self-employed

Katie 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Nonfiction editor with an intuitive knack for storytelling & published author who has seen the industry from every possible angle

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Amazon Publishing
  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Book of the Month
  • William & Park
  • Audible
  • Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House

Nora 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Seven years with Writers House literary agency. Six years of freelance. Whether trad or self-publishing, I know what your book needs.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult, LGBTQ Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Children's, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Writers House
  • The Writers Ally
  • Cornerstones US
  • Self-employed
  • Inkitt

Madison 5 star rating

Lawrence, KS, USA

Developmental editor and copyeditor with experience in memoir/biography, adult/YA/middle grade fiction, romance, and trade nonfiction.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Middle Grade Fantasy, Children's, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult, Gaming & LitRPG, Fantasy, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Romantic Fantasy, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Ooligan Press
  • Self-employed

Mariah 5 star rating

Plymouth, CT, USA

Nonfiction developmental editor and copy editor specializing in Christianity, spirituality, parenting, self-help, and wellness.

Genres: Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Parenting & Families, Inspirational, Children’s Non-Fiction, Education & Reference, History, and Humanities & Social Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Operando
  • Callisto Media
  • BookComp

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Hire the best self-help developmental editors

Writing a self-help book is a topical endeavour for an author: you get to share some of the most important lessons you learned, and potentially improve thousands (or millions) of other people's lives with it. But writing a self-help book you can get lost in the the details of balancing scientific research, personal experience, and practical advice — losing sight of the bigger picture. That's why you may want to hire a self-help developmental editor to help you. An editor will help you to make sure that the main idea of your book comes across clearly, and that you only include the necessary bits of research and advice essential for the success of your book.

You can find professional self-help developmental editors at Reedsy, people with decades of experience and who have worked with publishers in the likes of Simon & Schuster and Random House, as well as smaller publishing companies. Pick your favourite editor and request a quote today.

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Apply filters

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Step 2

Browse

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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.