The best self help book developmental editing services

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Georgette 5 star rating

Carmel, IN, United States

I'm a freelance editor and proofreader who's committed to helping authors produce the best work possible for their audiences.

Genres: Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Picture Books, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Scholastic Reading Counts!

Allison 5 star rating

Jersey City, NJ, United States

Jack-of-all-trades editor specializing in literary fiction and academic work (journal articles, book chapters, dissertations).

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Life Sciences, Math & Science, Writing & Publishing, Sports & Outdoors, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Wiley

Maria 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, United States

Insightful, inspiring Developmental Editor of 25+ years specializing in Historical fiction, Self-Help, Spec fiction. Tailored-to-you edits.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Post-Apocalyptic, Philosophy, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Psychology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Marah 5 star rating

Washington, DC, United States

Incisive editor and collaborative, results-oriented project manager of health, food, and lifestyle books

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Simon & Schuster Trade Paperbacks
  • Scribner

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

Stephanie 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Former HarperCollins Publishers and Delacorte Press acquisitions editor, specializing in mind-body-spirit. Award-winning indie clients.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Religion & Spirituality, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, New Age, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Biographies & Memoirs.

Work experience:

  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Delacorte Press, Bantam Doubleday Dell
  • Self-employed

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

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Kent 5 star rating

Fresno, CA, USA

Nonfiction developmental editor, copy editor, and author coach with 20 years of experience at a traditional book publishing company.

Genres: Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Parenting & Families, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Evan 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Character and structure-focused developmental editor with years of experience working on award-winning literary fiction and nonfiction.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Literary Fiction, Humor & Comedy, Nature, Sports & Outdoors, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Algonquin Books
  • Little, Brown and Company
  • Graywolf Press
  • Self-employed

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

Alice 5 star rating

Colorado Springs, CO, USA

Alice Crider is an author coach and a freelance editor with 20+ years of experience in book publishing.

Genres: Self-Help & Self-Improvement and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • David C Cook
  • WordServe Literary
  • WaterBrook Press

Crystal 5 star rating

San Francisco Bay Area , CA, USA

Collaborative, versatile editor + sensitivity reader with bestselling titles in self-help, mind, body, spirit, and marginalized communities.

Genres: Health & Wellbeing, Non-Fiction, Inspirational, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Religion & Spirituality, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Callisto Media

Judith 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

A longtime professional editor of non-fiction, I can help you to deliver your message and make your book even better than you already are.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Religion & Spirituality, Biographies & Memoirs, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Doubleday
  • Self-employed
  • Atheneum Publishers

Jeanine 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

Best-selling book developer, dedicated talent nurturer, and enthusiastic editor of fiction and nonfiction for ages 0 to teen.

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Parenting & Families, Middle Grade, Social & Family Issues, Young Adult, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Romantic Comedy, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Callisto Media
  • Parragon Books
  • Playmore Inc. Publishers
  • Parachute Publishing

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

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

Tori 5 star rating

Seattle, WA, USA

Nonfiction developmental editor, helping improve structure, tone, and flow. Happy to provide publishing insight and guidance!

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Inspirational, Christian Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Health & Wellbeing, and Home & Garden.

Work experience:

  • The Fedd Agency
  • Self-employed

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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.

How it works

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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.

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.