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!

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

Arnie 5 star rating

Kihei, HI, United States

I edit books on psychology, spirituality, social justice, and wellness. I've worked with Thich Nhat Hanh, Joanna Macy, and Jack Kornfield.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Koa Books
  • Parallax Press
  • Whole Earth Bookstore

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

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

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

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

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Laurie 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Editor of National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalists and bestselling authors at Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon and Schuster, Macmillan.

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • St. Martin’s Press a division of Macmillan, USA
  • Hyperion, a division of ABC/Disney
  • HarperCollins, a division of Newscorp
  • Dutton, a division of Penguin Group USA, Pearson
  • Simon & Schuster, a division of CBS
  • Hyperion, a division of the Walt Disney Comapny
  • Rizzoli Books

Maria 5 star rating

Santa Rosa, CA, USA

I've completed 50+ projects in current events, leadership, thrillers/susp./mystery, YA, historical-fi, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary ....

Genres: History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Political Science & Current Affairs, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime, Cultural & Ethnic, Biographies & Memoirs, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Justin 5 star rating

Detroit, MI, USA

Experienced literary agent / independent editor specializing in memoir, literary fiction, and nonfiction of all kinds. Let's work together!

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Parenting & Families, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Sex & Relationships, Sports & Outdoors, and Travel.

Work experience:

  • Aevitas Creative Management

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

Annie 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

I’m a literary agent w/ over 17 years of experience in the publishing industry. I work on a range of adult and YA fiction and nonfiction.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Margret McBride Literary Agency
  • Zoetrope: All-Story

Daniel 5 star rating

Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

A seasoned and devoted editor with over 27 years in trade and scholarly publishing, from fiction to history to memoir.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, Religion & Spirituality, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Coming of Age.

Work experience:

  • The University of Alabama Press
  • Rizzoli International Publications

Aaron 5 star rating

Buffalo, NY, USA

I am Editor in Chief of a literary publication and former English professor who loves all forms of creative writing—both poetry and prose.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Poetry, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Nature, Religion & Spirituality, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Writing & Publishing, and Contemporary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • SUNY Erie
  • Wild Roof Journal
  • Hawkes Learning
  • Ohlinger Publishing Services
  • The Closed Eye Open

Bridget 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

Passionate, collaborative editor with 20+ years experience at Chronicle Books: nonfiction, art, design, creativity, illustrated, photography

Genres: Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Photography, Inspirational, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Architecture, Entertainment, Nature, and Design.

Work experience:

  • Chronicle Books

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

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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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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.

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