Mary Novak

Mary Novak – Editor

Developmental editor in spaces where fantasy and romance overlap: paranormal romance, fairytale retellings, historical fantasy

Overview

I'm a passionate editor of genre fiction. You can count on me to take your light entertainment very seriously.


The developmental edits you'll receive from me come in three parts. First, I'll attach hundreds of comments to your story calling attention to each specific issue I find. I will also send you a detailed editorial letter that discusses your story's quality and flow on a more holistic level. My critique style is honest and kind. You'll get direct feedback and actionable suggestions that will leave you feeling energized and excited to dive into your revisions.


After you've had time to digest my written feedback I include some consultation time as the final part of my editing package. We'll set up a time to chat about your story in light of my feedback. This friendly, light discussion often proves invaluable in generating concrete solutions to the most challenging problems in the story. I find that when we bring together our two minds, both wanting the absolute best for your story, the results can be miraculous.

Services
Fiction
Dark Romance Epic Fantasy Historical Mysteries Humor & Comedy Romantic Comedy Romantic Fantasy Urban Fantasy Young Adult Fantasy
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

May, 2015 — Present

I'm a freelance developmental editor. I have worked in many genres, but most of my work comes from YA fantasy romance and urban fantasy.

Portfolio

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing Book Coaching
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing Book Coaching
Developmental Editing Book Coaching
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Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Breaking Destiny

Walters, Mitty

Developmental Editing Book Coaching
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Unwanted (Emergence)

Walker, Catherine M.

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing Book Coaching
Developmental Editing Book Coaching
Agent Lydia Standish and Agent Thomas Gantreau from the Bureau of Magic & Oddities are investigating the cause of an MME (Major Magical Event) at the Black Rock Research and Development facili... read more
Developmental Editing Book Coaching

Mary has 6 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Emma T.

Emma T.

Nov, 2024

I had an incredible experience working with Mary. She was fabulously professional, thorough, and truly invested in my story and characters. Her insights were spot-on, and it was clear she had a deep intuition and understanding of my vision. Mary took the time to connect with the direction I wanted for my story, advocating wholeheartedly for the narrative and each character's journey. Her feedba...
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June V.

June V.

Nov, 2024

Mary is an absolute joy to work with. She gave me excellent ideas on reorganizing my manuscript and pointed out areas for improvement that I hadn't yet considered. She is insightful, thorough, and professional, and I would absolutely work with Mary again. My highest recommendation!
Jon P.

Jon P.

Nov, 2024

I had the opportunity to work with Mary and am so glad that I did. Mary did a developmental review of my manuscript and found numerable opportunities for improvement. With her feedback, I am confident I will have a dynamite second draft. No hesitation in recommending Mary for development edits.
Candice M.

Candice M.

Oct, 2024

Mary has been a pleasure to work with. Very professional with great insight into what makes a story and character work. She is flexible on time and available to talk at length about any concerns. She has talked me through character arcs and subplots to make the work richer and better!
Bridgette T.

Bridgette T.

Sep, 2024

Absolutely above and beyond any expectations. Totally got what I was trying to do, and gave me amazing/feedback thoughts to help me actually execute it. Could not rec enough.

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