Misha Kydd – Editor

Hello! As a book publishing professional with over eight years editorial experience at both trade and academic publishers, including Workman, Taylor & Francis, and Penguin Random House, I love helping authors refine and develop their projects. I'm passionate about honoring authorial intention and respecting your unique voice while editing.

I'm currently an in-house production editor for Penguin Young Readers, where I copyedit and proofread YA, graphic novels, middle grade, and picture books across genre. In addition, I love working on adult fiction, with a soft spot for quirky fantasy, out-of-the-box romance, creative gaming/RPGs, and projects with queer themes.

I’m a member of ACES: The Society for Editing, the Professional Editors Network, and the LGBTQ+ Editors Association.

I currently offer copyediting and proofreading. I do not offer editorial assessments or developmental editing at this time.

Copyediting typically occurs after a developmental edit and before a proofread (if you choose to have either of those edits performed). It provides feedback on spelling and grammar, but also goes beyond that to help make sure your manuscript is consistent and clear for readers. It does not include developmental notes or feedback on overall reader appeal.

What can you expect from a copyedit?

• Check for errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

• Flag inconsistencies with character details, timeline, etc.

• Light fact-checking.

• Highlight any terms or phrasing that may unintentionally perpetuate stereotypes or stigmas.

• Creation of a style sheet.

Proofreading is the final editing step, which is performed after a copyedit when the book is in its print-ready layout. It does not include significant sentence-level adjustments beyond correcting grammar or punctuation issues.

What can you expect from a proofread?

• Scanning for remaining errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation that may have been overlooked in previous edits.

• Flag any layout errors or inconsistencies, including issues with fonts, chapter/part organization, and formatting (bad breaks, orphans, widows, etc.).

• Final check of any images or artwork.

• Checking for anything that may have been missed in the copyedit or design process.

Please note, I do not offer proofreads on manuscripts that have not already been professionally copyedited.