The best manuscript editors for hire near Oakland

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Lauren 5 star rating

Oakland, California, USA

Developmental Editor/Copy Editor of Nobel Prize winners and NYT/Amazon bestsellers | 8+ years' experience in trade publishing

Genres: Children's, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Children’s Non-Fiction, Political Science & Current Affairs, and Humanities & Social Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Seven Stories Press
  • Self-employed

Lisa 5 star rating

Oakland, CA, USA

Editor/indexer (20y+) of award-winning nonfiction for major, indie, academic, and nonprofit publishers (e.g., Getty, NPS, Chronicle, PRH).

Genres: Children's, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, History, Nature, Political Science & Current Affairs, and Music.

Work experience:

  • Heyday
  • Self-employed

Jen 5 star rating

Oakland, CA, USA

I am a seasoned (pun intended) editor working on cooking, health and wellbeing, and DIY/craft titles.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, and Health & Wellbeing.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • West Margin Press
  • Weldon Owen

Boris 5 star rating

Oakland, CA, USA

Experienced content and copy editor of academic non-fiction (10+ years). A resource for your scholarly and creative projects.

Genres: Philosophy, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, History, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, Life Sciences, and Sociology.

Work experience:

  • The University of California, Berkeley
  • Stanford University
  • University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, University of Arizona

Mary-Theresa 5 star rating

New York, United States

Award winning editor with 25+ years in traditional publishing. Specializing in genre fiction. Looking to help make good stories well told.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Action & Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Science Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance.

Work experience:

  • Harlequin

Eliza 5 star rating

Maplewood, NJ, United States

I'm a detail-oriented editor, specializing in children's nonfiction, with 10 years of experience at publishing houses and literary agencies

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • Diversion Books
  • Self-employed
  • Leigh Feldman Literary
  • The Bent Agency
  • Callisto Media
  • Rebel Girls

Sandra 5 star rating

Omaha, United States

Skilled nonfiction book editor and book coach in business, true crime, self-help. 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:

  • Metropolitan Community College
  • Self-employed

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Joanna 5 star rating

Oak Park, IL, United States

Seasoned publishing industry professional with agency experience and a keen eye for detail who embraces all aspects of the editorial process

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Thriller & Suspense, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Browne & Miller Literary Associates
  • The Parlor
  • Literary Agency

Parisa 5 star rating

Brooklyn, NY, United States

Former Simon and Schuster editor with 15+ years of experience, specializing in all genres of fiction. I’d love to help get your MS in shape!

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self Employed
  • Simon & Schuster

Andy 5 star rating

Oakland, CA, USA

I am a literary agent and freelance developmental book editor. I also edit and consult on query letters and non-fiction book proposals.

Genres: History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Political Science & Current Affairs, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Writing & Publishing, Young Adult, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Doug 5 star rating

Lago Vista, United States

Extensive experience with constructive editing and detailed proofreading for Manning Publications and interested in broader range of titles.

Genres: Computers & Internet, Non-Fiction, and Technology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Countrywide Financial (now Bank of America)
  • IBM Global Services
  • Countrywide Home Loans (now Bank of America)
  • IBM Advanced Technical Support
  • IBM
  • US Air Force

Kathryn 5 star rating

Chicago, United States

Experienced developmental book editor specializing in parenting books as well as children's PB, MG and YA fiction.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Parenting & Families, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Sourcebooks, Inc.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics
  • The Purcell Literary Agency
  • Entangled Publishing
  • Author Claudia Gray

Elizabeth 5 star rating

Morristown, United States

Former Senior Editor at Ballantine Books; specializes in content editing of non-fiction (self-help, memoir, parenting) and fiction.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Parenting & Families, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Sex & Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Romance, Fiction, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • The Ballantine Publishing Group/Division of Random House, Inc.

Rebecca 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

With 10+ years of experience working at NYC publishers, I've edited 100s of books across genres. Thorough, candid, and easy to work with!

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Picture Books, Young Adult, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Education & Reference, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Disney Publishing Worldwide
  • McGraw-Hill Education
  • Penguin Random House
  • Self-employed
  • Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Education

Ann Leslie 5 star rating

New York City, NY, United States

Over 25 years' editorial experience at a Big 5 publisher and a literary agency, specializing in commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Romantic Comedy, Psychological Thriller, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Harlequin Books
  • Dystel, Goderich & Bourret

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

Dawn 5 star rating

Hoboken, NJ, United States

Experienced, dedicated editor specializing in memoir and literary fiction, with a shelf full of clients' published books.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Literary Fiction, Fiction, Writing & Publishing, Judaism, Religion & Spirituality, Buddhism, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Entertainment, and Contemporary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Reader's Digest
  • O, The Oprah Magazine
  • More Magazine
  • The Literarian
  • Self-employed

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Hire the best developmental editors in Oakland, California

Developmental editors dive into the complex issues of your book, from plot holes to character development. They help you identify flaws by asking you tough questions about plot plausibility, pacing, and structure using their years of experience editing other books in the same genre. With a developmental editor's help, you can bring out the best elements of your work and really make them shine, while learning to let go of unnecessary scenes or wordy passages.

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