The best short story book developmental editing services

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Stephen 5 star rating

Maplewood, United States

Top editor for 30+ years, novelist, sf/f story writer, poet. Specializes in NF and SF/F. I'll help you write a book you're proud of.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, Sports & Outdoors, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Avon Books
  • Wiley
  • Amacom
  • Thomas Dunne Books

Julia 5 star rating

Philadelphia, PA, USA

7+ years experience teaching writing and editing client manuscripts. I'm also the author of the YA novel THE LAST TRUE POETS OF THE SEA.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Short Story, Contemporary Fiction, and LGBTQ Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Author Accelerator
  • Blue Stoop

John 5 star rating

Stockton, CA, USA

I have many years of experience in a wide array of editing and writing duties in a wide variety of genres.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Short Story, Agriculture, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Computers & Internet, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, Geography, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Philosophy.

Work experience:

  • Oxford University Press
  • MTKG, Inc.
  • University of California Press

Pamela 5 star rating

Woodstock, IL, USA

Developmental editor, writing coach; 25+ years helping fiction and memoir writers deepen and shape their work, and strengthen their voices.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Fantasy, Health & Wellbeing, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Literary Fiction, and Short Story.

Work experience:

  • DePaul University, Loyola University
  • Multiple Chicago-Area Publishers
  • Self-employed

Jack 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Award winning fiction writer published by FSG. Former editor at The Paris Review, Fortune, Newsweek. I'm religious about narrative.

Genres: Short Story, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Fortune Media Group
  • Time, Inc. / Meredith
  • Newsweek International
  • The Paris Review
  • Self
  • Stanford Continuing Studies
  • Princeton University

Erin L. 5 star rating

Seattle, Washington, United States

24+ awards in writing and editing • 30+ books edited • Specialties include nonfiction and poetry • Ph.D. student, lit and creative writing

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Short Story, Poetry, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Nature, and Children’s Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Cavendish Square, Wiley, & other publishers
  • Open Books: A Poem Emporium
  • Killer Visual Strategies
  • Various magazines
  • The Kentucky Standard
  • Sarabande Books
  • Entre Ríos Books

Anne 5 star rating

Croton-on-Hudson, NY, USA

Meticulous editor with a special focus on literary projects.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Writing & Publishing, Short Story, Middle Grade, Children's, and Classics.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • A Public Space
  • Words Without Borders
  • Associate Editor / Assistant Editor
  • Irene Skolnick Literary Agency

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Diana 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Diana M. P. is a Hugo Award-winning editor, expert in sci-fi, fantasy, horror, young adult, comics & middle grade.

Genres: LGBTQ Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Middle Grade, Children's, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Tor Books, Tor Teen, Starscape & Tor.com Publishing at Tom Doherty Associates
  • Tor.com
  • Science Fiction Book Club
  • Self-employed
  • Erewhon Books

Scott 5 star rating

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Developmental and copy editor specializing in speculative fiction. I love helping writers bring their imaginative worlds to life!

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Space Opera, Short Story, Horror, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Outland Entertainment

Martin Roy 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

Professional editor and national award-winning author with a wide range of experience in fiction and nonfiction publishing.

Genres: Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Historical Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Cozy Mysteries, Military Science Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Naval Health Research Center
  • San Diego Business Journal
  • San Diego Magazine
  • The Log Newspapers
  • Palm Springs Desert Sun

Sarah Lyn 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Developmental editor with 10+ years of experience at publishers + lit mags. Here for your stories, essays, novels, memoirs, and hybrid work!

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, LGBTQ Non-Fiction, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, LGBTQ Fiction, Fiction, Short Story, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Literary Fiction, and Writing & Publishing.

Work experience:

  • Soft Skull Press
  • Catapult Books
  • Catapult (magazine)
  • Penguin Random House
  • Publishers Weekly
  • Self-employed
  • The Rumpus
  • The Rumpus

Jamie 5 star rating

Wausau, Wisconsin, USA

Experienced editor, tutor, and coach passionate about engaging storytelling and vibrant characters. All ages and experience levels welcome!

Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction, Coming of Age, Literary Fiction, New Adult, Young Adult, Nature, Non-Fiction, and Short Story.

Work experience:

  • Rowman & Littlefield
  • Self-employed
  • SuperPROTEIN Studios Inc.

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, Short Story, Humor & Comedy, Nature, Sports & Outdoors, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

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

I enjoy working on all sorts of projects with people who need help with grammar. My main areas are business and English.

Genres: Political Science & Current Affairs, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies, Historical Fiction, Fiction, and Short Story.

Work experience:

  • Lexington Books
  • Golbon

Bess 5 star rating

Denver, CO, USA

I'm an experienced writer/editor who has worked in book publishing. I specialize in editing anthologies, memoirs, and business books.

Genres: Anthologies, Fiction, Short Story, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book
  • Orison Books
  • American Animal Hospital Association
  • Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
  • Fairchild Fashion Media

Mayada 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Editor of prize-winning literary fiction. Formerly at Bloomsbury Publishing. Arabic-to-English translator.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Short Story, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Anthologies, Contemporary Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, and Sociology.

Work experience:

  • Bloomsbury Publishing Qatar Foundation (BQFP)
  • Self-employed

Ashley 5 star rating

Jersey City, NJ, USA

A supportive and collaborative editorial professional with 10+ years’ experience across print and digital—and a total bookworm.

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Literary Fiction, and Short Story.

Work experience:

  • Prairie Schooner, University of Nebraska
  • History Press
  • Publishers Weekly
  • CreateSpace, an Amazon.com Company
  • Milkweed Editions
  • Yemassee Journal
  • Self-employed
  • Compose.ly
  • Turner Publishing
  • The Book Incubator

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Hire the best short story developmental editors

Writing and publishing a short story might seem easier than writing a novel, but in truth they can still be very hard to put together. A short novel means you've got to play your cards (or better say, words) right. That's why you should consider to hire a short-story developmental editor to revise your structure, form, plot, and character development.

At Reedsy, you can find thoughtful, experienced professional short story developmental editors who have worked with publishing companies and published short stories themselves. If you want your short-story to meet the industry standards and expectations, sign up to and request a quote today.

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Step 3

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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

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