Lillian Boyd

Lillian Boyd – Editor

Experienced full-service editor specializing in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and romance. Let's take your book to the next level!

Overview

I’m a full-service editor with over a decade of experience in genre fiction. I worked as a content manager for four years while editing manuscripts as a side-hustle before realizing that all I wanted to do was work with authors, and I’ve been freelancing ever since, doing everything from proofreads to line edits and full structural overhauls.

Give me space truckers and haunted houses. Give me gothic romances and werewolf heists and slapstick splatterpunk. I love dialogue that my brain won’t stop chewing on hours after I should have already fallen asleep. I love enormous emotions and characters that are extremely bad at talking about them. I’m a sucker for found family, technology doing things that technology has no business doing, monsters doing their best, and enemies-to-lovers romances.

I want to help your story find the piece it’s missing and shape it into the thing that got you excited about writing it in the first place. Whether you need someone to get down in the trenches with you and figure out the brass tacks of your story beats, or just need proofreading before you send it out, I would love to collaborate and make something beautiful together. Let’s go to work!

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Here's what some of my clients have said!

"Lillian offered insightful suggestions about both big-picture structural edits and fine-grained prose edits, all of which improved my final draft. She is also funny and kind and great to work with, which are essential qualities in an editor." -Felicia Davin, author of the Gardener's Hand trilogy

"Lillian has been a strong editor since the day we first met. She most recently edited a short story of mine ("Gender Reveal Box, 16.95") in the Spring issue of Fireside Magazine, 2021), and her turnaround of edits was quick and they got right to the heart of the story. It's a weird story, but Lillian got the whole scope and got a better ending out of me. Definitely recommended." -John Wiswell, author of "Open House On Haunted Hill"

"Lillian provided a stellar sensitivity read, with insightful and incisive comments about a central nonbinary character. Working with her was easy and an absolute pleasure." -Nino Cipri, author of Defekt, Finna

Services
Fiction
Dystopian Fantasy Horror LGBTQ Fiction Post-Apocalyptic Romance Time Travel
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • EFA Member

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2019 — Present
I've edited, critiqued, and developed over four dozen manuscripts as a freelance editor since 2019 across a wide variety of genres, primarily science fiction, fantasy, and horror. I've done line and copy edits, full developmental fixes from start to finish, and sensitivity reads.

Internet Brands

May, 2015 — Jan, 2019 (over 3 years)
As a content manager, I edited, wrote, and produced daily content for websites under the Internet Brands umbrella, including Fodor's Travel, FlyerTalk, and WebMD. I also managed freelance writers who wrote for Internet Brands and maintained quick turnaround times for publication.

Portfolio

Made with Reedsy
Oh F*ck! Dinosaurs!

Bruno, Dave

Schmuckies

Made with Reedsy
Imber

Mistina, Deborah

Moon Bear Books

Charmed and Dangerous

Page, Shelly

Joy Revolution

Made with Reedsy
The End of the World: Rise of the After Lord (The Primordial Engine Book 1)

Gilchrist, H.S.

Dystopian Sunrise Press

Made with Reedsy
The Dead Weight

Salazar, Jo

Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
Hera's Curse: Book One of the American Noir Trilogy

Griffin, Shaun

Thorpe-Bowker

Copy Editing
The Clockwork Empire

Johnson, Lucas J.W.

Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
Behemoth Strides

Cannon, J.F

Written by locals, Fodor’s Colorado is the perfect guidebook for those looking for insider tips to make the most out their visit to Denver, Boulder, Vail, Aspen and beyond. Complete with detailed maps and concise descriptions, this Colorado travel guide will h... read more
Written by local experts, Fodor's travel guides have been offering advice and professionally vetted recommendations for all tastes and budgets for 80 years.New Orleans is a vibrant, bursting-at-the-seams melting pot of a city that famously inspires indulgence.... read more
Ready to experience San Diego? The experts at Fodor’s are here to help. Fodor’s San Diego travel guide is packed with customizable itineraries with top recommendations, detailed maps of San Diego, and exclusive tips from locals. Whether you want to find the pe... read more
Ready to experience Los Angeles? The experts at Fodor’s are here to help. Fodor’s Los Angeles travel guide is packed with customizable itineraries with top recommendations, detailed maps of Los Angeles, and exclusive tips from locals. Whether you want to loung... read more
Written by locals, Fodor’s Chicago is the perfect guidebook for those looking for insider tips to make the most out their visit. Complete with detailed maps and concise descriptions, this Chicago travel guide will help you plan your trip with ease.Fodor's Chic... read more
Book One in the Fractured Galaxy trilogy, Random Walk is the story of three U.S. Air Force Space Command astronauts: Colonel Derek Williams, a mild-mannered, experienced space traveler; Captain Jacob Mendez, the ship's playful navigator; and civilian Vicky Abr... read more
Aidan Blackwood barely survived an unethical experiment by Quint Services. Researchers there robbed him of his ability to access the Nowhere, a void between worlds that allows him to teleport. Aidan plans to destroy the company and the man behind it, trilliona... read more
In Upright Women Wanted, award-winning author Sarah Gailey reinvents the pulp Western with an explicitly antifascist, near-future story of queer identity.“That girl’s got more wrong notions than a barn owl’s got mean looks.”Esther is a stowaway. She’s hidden h... read more
There were two secrets in Varenx House, and Alizhan was one of them.Alizhan can’t see faces, but she can read minds. Her mysterious ability leaves her unable to touch or be touched without excruciating pain. Rescued from abandonment and raised by the wealthy a... read more
Scrubby, hidden weeds snatched at their clothes like hands. No further, they whispered, go back. Ornithologists Danielle Wright and Luca Navarro are trying to save the Caddo Lake wetlands from an oil pipeline. Local boat tour guide Harper Benoit is trying to s... read more

Lillian has 106 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Eva B.

Eva B.

Dec, 2025

Her attention to detail blew me away. And then her professionalism, timeliness, and cordiality topped it all. All her comments were thoughtful and showed understanding and investment in my story. She understood the story right from the first few pages. To me, this alone was invaluable. I would de...
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Callistus B.

Callistus B.

Nov, 2025

Working with Lillian was a breeze. Her promptness and cordialness went a long way. The feedback she gave showed she really understood the project's bones and was quite thoughtful in addition to helpful.
Fernando P.

Fernando P.

Oct, 2025

Working with Lillian has been a deeply rewarding experience. Her edit notes were not only impactful and insightful, but they also demonstrated a genuine investment in the story I’m crafting. Every comment felt purposeful, not just about mechanics or structure, but about enhancing the emotional re...
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Bloom N.

Bloom N.

Oct, 2025

Very professional and does her job very well!!
John M.

John M.

Oct, 2025

To me, the most meaningful review in the editorial world is: would the author use that person again? Not only would I use Lillian again – I have! This is my second engagement with Lillian and her professionalism, timeliness and attention to detail, is second to none. I would be pleased to work to...
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