The best self help book developmental editing services

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Jessica 5 star rating

Jacksonville, United States

Award-winning freelance editor Jessica provides practical, marketable revision advice to clients on all six habitable continents.

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

Work experience:

  • Writers House
  • St. Martin's Press
  • Fox Literary LLC
  • Self-employed

Emily 5 star rating

New York, United States

Bestselling nonfiction book editor. Formerly at Penguin Random House, Macmillan, and Callisto Media.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, True Crime, Political Science & Current Affairs, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, and Sports & Outdoors.

Work experience:

  • Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press, Macmillan
  • Portfolio/Sentinel/Current, Penguin Random House

Matthew 5 star rating

New York, United States

Editor and writing coach specializing in literary fiction, thrillers, memoir and other narrative nonfiction, business books, and self-help.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Short Story, Mystery & Crime, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Graduate Writing Program, Columbia University
  • 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

Adaobi 5 star rating

Bronx, NY, United States

I offer services in proofreading and copyediting for all genres, developmental editing of nonfiction, and project management.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Computers & Internet, Technology, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits.

Work experience:

  • John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Manuscript Coordinator
  • Self-employed
  • Hachette Book Group
  • McGraw-Hill Education
  • Apress
  • Project Lead The Way

Sandra 5 star rating

Omaha, United States

Skilled nonfiction book editor in business/leadership, true crime, selected memoirs. Get from idea to published. I love first-time authors.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Psychology, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and True Crime.

Work experience:

  • Southeast Community College
  • Self-employed
  • Metropolitan Community College

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

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Vi 5 star rating

Portland, OR, USA

After ten years of editing books and supporting authors, I know what publishers (and readers!) are looking for. Let's make your book shine!

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Ooligan Press
  • Portland Review Literary Journal
  • Simon & Schuster UK
  • Transatlantic Literary Agency
  • First Page Sage
  • Scribe Media

Lou 5 star rating

Stamford, CT, USA

I've been in the book business since 1979, and I have a deep passion for a wide range of fiction and for working with writers.

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Entertainment, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Literary Fiction, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Avon Books
  • Self-employed
  • The Story Plant

Jeanne 5 star rating

Portland, OR, USA

Editor/Book Coach/Writing Godmother. I help writers create memoirs, health, spirituality, and self-help books for readers who need them.

Genres: Inspirational, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Nature, Biographies & Memoirs, and Religion & Spirituality.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Carlo 5 star rating

Lyndhurst, NJ, USA

I specialize in fiction (focusing on romance, thriller, and fantasy/sci-fi), narrative non-fiction, and how-to books on writing.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Thriller & Suspense, Writing & Publishing, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Bauer Publishing
  • Northstar Travel Media
  • Dakini Magazine

Paul 5 star rating

Vancouver, WA, USA

I have a PhD in philosophy and two decades' experience in editing nonfiction manuscripts for university presses and independent authors!

Genres: Christian Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Non-Fiction, Judaism, Philosophy, Humanities & Social Sciences, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Biographies & Memoirs, History, and Sociology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Christopher 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

NYT #1 bestselling author, editor & book coach (Hachette, Penguin Random House). I'll help you write a gripping book of your own.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Business & Management, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Plays & Screenplays, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, and Sports & Outdoors.

Work experience:

  • AWOL Media, Inc.

Andy 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

A keen, devoted editor who loves storytelling in all of its forms, with nearly a decade of experience at the center of NYC publishing.

Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Women's Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • The Gernert Company
  • Aram Fox, Inc
  • Self-employed

Ray 5 star rating

Northampton, United States

Developmental editing and copy editing for the nonfiction world: health, nutrition, fitness, tech, and entrepreneurship.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Health & Wellbeing, Sports & Outdoors, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Business & Management, Computers & Internet, and Technology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Winning Edits
  • Rocket Code
  • Amazon Services (Amazon.com)
  • Smart Passive Income
  • Buy Box Experts
  • The Storied Future

Experienced editor with a background in traditional book publishing for self-help, psychology, and lifestyle non-fiction.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Page Street Publishing
  • New Harbinger Publications

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

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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

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.

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.