Molly Spain

Molly Spain – Editor

Experienced copyeditor and proofreader, specializing in memoir, fantasy, and romance.

Overview

I have eight years of experience in the book publishing industry, and I am currently a freelance editor for the Amon Carter Museum of Art and other various respected businesses and authors. I was previously the assistant editor at TCU Press, a university press that publishes in Texas/regional history, literary and historical fiction, children's books, art and architecture, and memoir and biography.

My favorite subjects to read and edit are fantasy, romance, and creative nonfiction. When I'm not editing or reading, you can find me outdoors hiking and camping, doing yoga, walking my dog, or just diving into another epic fantasy book by Sarah J. Maas or Kevin Hearne or addictive romance by Jasmine Guillory or Christina Lauren. I am a perfectionist, and I hope that is evident in my work on authors' manuscripts. Because I'm so detail-oriented I've earned the nickname "Eagle Eye" from my peers. And, perhaps most importantly, I am a staunch supporter of the controversial Oxford comma.

One author, whose book "Ethical Dilemmas in Schools" was published by Cambridge University Press, wrote about my work on the project: "Molly is a master editor and a major reason we completed the work" (Douglas Simpson). I believe everyone has a story to share, and I want to be the one to help authors tell that story.
Services
Non-Fiction
Art Biographies & Memoirs History Music
Fiction
Fantasy Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • Certificate of Publishing, Denver Publishing Institute, University of Denver

Work experience

TCU Press

Oct, 2015 — Mar, 2023 (over 7 years)

Copy edit manuscripts to adhere to Chicago Manual of Style and make suggestions for clarity, style, and organization
Edit diverse genres, including historical fiction, memoir, trade nonfiction, children’s, art, architecture, poetry, and biography
Proofread page proofs and write cover copy
Coordinate the internship program and supervise interns
Manage the acquisitions database, write reader reports for acquisition submissions, and oversee the peer review process for acquisition prospects
Schedule and organize all office meetings and events, including weekly staff meetings, book launch meetings, and Advisory Board meetings
Maintain and update invoice and royalty information in the office database
Contribute content and blog posts for all social media platforms
Assist with the planning and execution of marketing events and sales

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

Apr, 2019 — Present

Self-employed

Jan, 2015 — Present

Edit and proofread fiction, nonfiction, and scholarly manuscripts, marketing materials, and articles. I've worked with a variety of authors to develop their manuscripts, including a world-renowned music conductor, a television personality, and a philosophy scholar. In addition, I have edited materials for companies such as ExxonMobil and Fusion29.

Portfolio

Copy Editing Proofreading
Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
Not to Reason Why

Decker, Robert L.

Proofreading
Copy Editing
Copy Editing Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
Toquuxla

Brenna, James N

Proofreading
Copy Editing Proofreading
Hannah and Ariela

Bernhard, Johnnie

Copy Editing Proofreading
Moonlight Massacres

Zumwalt, McKinley

Copy Editing Proofreading
Copy Editing Proofreading
Ethical Dilemmas in Schools

Simpson, Douglas J.

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Proofreading
Luke Burgoa is an ex-Marine on a solitary covert mission to infiltrate the Basque separatist organization ETA in Spain and help bring down its military commander, Peru Madariaga. Luke hails fr... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
The Silent Shore of Memory chronicles the life of James Barnhill from his days as a young Confederate soldier through the trials of Reconstruction in his native Texas and his later career as a... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
In Amado Muro and Me, ten-year-old Robert Seltzer discovers that his father, Chester, actually leads two lives—one as a newspaperman and father who somehow always knows what his son is thinkin... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
Odd Birds

Severo Perez

The year is 1961. Seventy-year-old Cosimo Infante Cano, a Cuban-born artist in need of inspiration, follows his lover to Texas in what was to be a temporary sabbatical from their life in Franc... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
Outcry Witness

Thomas Zigal

It’s the 1980s. A priest is found murdered in his New Orleans rectory. When compromising videotapes are discovered in his bedroom, the Bishop and his staff withhold this damaging evidence from... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
Plum Creek

W. W. McNeal

Plum Creek is a historical novel set in nineteenth-century Texas. It is a coming-of-age story involving Billy McCulloch, a fifteen-year-old boy who accompanies a former Texas Ranger, a black m... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
Sports Makes You Type Faster presents a remarkable new collection of essays by one of America’s best-known and best-loved sportswriters. Served up with the acerbic wit that is Dan Jenkins’s ha... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
Critic Michael Ennis stated twenty-five years ago that there has never been more than a cursory overview of Texas art from the nineteenth century to the present. The Art of Texas: 250 Years no... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
In her memoir Talking to the Stars: Bobbie Wygant’s Seventy Years in Television, Bobbie Wygant recalls her trailblazing career as an arts and entertainment reporter for Dallas-Fort Worth’s Cha... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading
The Iron Orchard

Tom Pendleton

Originally published in 1966 under the pen name Tom Pendleton, The Iron Orchard garnered a cult following for its authentic representation of the people and business of the Texas and American ... read more
Proofreading
Born in a demilitarized zone during the Vietnam War to a Vietnamese mother and American soldier, Sau Le arrived in the United States as a young woman with only twenty dollars in her pocket. Th... read more
Copy Editing Proofreading

Molly has 10 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Robert S.

Robert S.

Nov, 2023

Feedback and work speaks for itself. Molly is an exceptional editor!
Alexis M.

Alexis M.

Sep, 2023

Molly was such a breeze to work with!! The edits came back swiftly and were thorough and concise. Molly has a great eye for proofreading, and I would work again with her in a heartbeat!
Molly S.
Thanks, Alexis! I can't wait to read the next book!
Margot D.

Margot D.

Aug, 2023

Absolutely phenomenal! Molly is a true pro & an exceptional proofreader. I am already excited about our next collaboration.
Molly S.
Thanks, Margot! I really enjoyed working with you and look forward to collaborating again in the future.
Emylee W.

Emylee W.

Aug, 2023

Molly was fantastic to work with! Super easy to communicate with, offered to hop on a call before we got started to understand my goals, and delivered her final work early. I'll definitely reach out to work with Molly in the future.
Molly S.
It was so great working with you, Emylee! I look forward to working together again.
Jim B.

Jim B.

Aug, 2023

Molly was great to work with! She proofread my book, and I asked if she could insert one section into the main body and she did it with no questions or issues. She provided very helpful input, corrections, and comments. I am very happy with the end result and I would love to work with her again someday.
Molly S.
Thank you, Jim! I really enjoyed working with you, and I hope to work with you again someday as well!

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