The best manuscript editors for hire in the United States

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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

Brooke 5 star rating

Denver, United States

Experienced (9+ yrs in-house, 18+ yrs freelance), nonfiction editor specializing in assessments, development editing, and copy editing.

Genres: History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Music, Philosophy, Entertainment, Parenting & Families, Biographies & Memoirs, and Children’s Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Chicago Review Press
  • Perseus Books Group (now Hachette)
  • Westview Press in the Perseus Books Group (now Hachette)
  • Self-employed

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

Steven 5 star rating

Vermont, United States

Intuitive, expert editor with 30 yrs experience teaching fiction writing at a major university. Well-published, knowledgeable, honest, kind.

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

Work experience:

  • Miami University, Oxford, OH
  • Colby College, Waterville,ME
  • Self-employed

Holly 5 star rating

Springfield, United States

Experienced fiction editor, formerly with Samhain Publishing. I specialize in romance and other genre fiction.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, LGBTQ Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Psychological Thriller, New Adult, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Samhain Publishing, Ltd
  • Self-employed
  • Mundania Press
  • Lyrical Press

Maya 5 star rating

Charlotte, NC, United States

From the big picture to the tiniest detail, here to help you polish your craft. I work with publishers and individual authors.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Thriller & Suspense, Dystopian, Science Fiction, and Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits.

Work experience:

  • Self-Employed

Wayt 5 star rating

Seattle, United States

Award-winning science writer, editor, and publishing consultant for high-profile media. Also produce videos, podcasts, and presentations.

Genres: Computers & Internet, Non-Fiction, Technology, Engineering, Math & Science, Physics & Chemistry, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Engineering & Materials Science, and Life Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Intellectual Ventures
  • Self-employed
  • Scientific American

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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

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: Young Adult, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Middle Grade, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Education & Reference, and Children’s Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

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

Jenn 5 star rating

Leawood, KS, United States

I am an award-winning author and editor of books for children and young adults. I specialize in humor, fantasy, and scifi.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Humor & Comedy, Picture Books, Children's, Action & Adventure, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Children’s Non-Fiction, and Non-Fiction.

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

Adam 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

I'm a New York City-based editor specializing in commercial nonfiction, and have worked on several NYT-bestselling titles.

Genres: Humor & Comedy, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Political Science & Current Affairs, Humanities & Social Sciences, Travel, Entertainment, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, and Technology.

Work experience:

  • Penguin Books
  • Abrams Books
  • Public Affairs Books
  • Perseus Books Group
  • The Overlook Press
  • Sterling Publishing
  • Apollo Publishers

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

Lindsay 5 star rating

New Jersey, United States

I'm an enthusiastic freelance editor with experience across the industry--bookselling, marketing, publicity, agency, editorial, and writing.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Picture Books, Children's, Christian Fiction, Women's Fiction, Short Story, Middle Grade, Dystopian, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency
  • Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Margaret K. McElderry Books at Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing Division
  • Abrams Books for Young Readers/Amulet Books
  • Candlewick Press
  • Borders Books and Music
  • Verily Magazine

Katie 5 star rating

New Haven, United States

I'm a versatile, seasoned editor who can edit in a variety of genres, from outdoor adventure to family-friendly topics and nature to DIY.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, DIY & Crafts, Health & Wellbeing, Nature, Sports & Outdoors, and Parenting & Families.

Work experience:

  • Globe Pequot Press (FalconGuides)
  • Globe Pequot
  • Taunton Press

Ross 5 star rating

Baltimore, MD, United States

Editor w/20+ yrs exp committed to nurturing authors' voices, refining narrative vision and elevating storytelling with empathy and precision

Genres: Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Coming of Age, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Horror, and Legal Thriller.

Work experience:

  • University of Maryland, College Park
  • Towson Univeristy
  • Gotham Writing Workshop, New York City
  • Self-employed
  • University of Maryland College Park

Anne 5 star rating

New York, United States

Experienced freelance book editor with a particular interest in literary fiction and memoir.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Women's Fiction, Fiction, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Short Story, Coming of Age, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Counterpoint/Soft Skull Press
  • Massie & McQuilkin Literary Agency
  • Library Journal
  • Freelance

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Hire the best manuscript editors in the United States

Finally finished the first draft of your book, and ready to enlist manuscript editing services? If you’re about to embark on your very first round of editing, look for a developmental editor — someone who will look beyond surface errors like typos and perform a “big picture” edit, offering suggestions for a coherent plot structure and intuitive flow. Put simply, they’ll assess your manuscript on a whole-book and chapter level.

Once you’ve worked with a developmental editor, it’s time to move on to a copy edit, or the section/paragraph level, where your editor will closely review tone and language style, offering feedback and advice on how you can best revise your own work. They’ll closely examine the text and point you toward helpful resources like a style guide that can help the quality of your writing remain consistent.

Finally, we advise all authors to work with a proofreader. The last round of manuscript editing before publication, proofreading serves as quality control that confirms the readability and presentation of your project, getting rid of any remaining spelling or grammar mistakes.

Wondering where you can hire a manuscript editor in the United States? Right here on Reedsy. We have hundreds of top-notch American manuscript editors who have experience working with bestselling authors like Stephen King and Neil Gaiman. Sign up and start browsing their portfolios today, or simply request a quote from any editor who looks like the right fit for your book. You can also contact our professionals directly to ask any questions you have about the manuscript editing services they offer.

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