Molly Spain

Molly Spain – Editor

Experienced developmental editor, copyeditor, and proofreader, specializing in memoir, fantasy, romance, and more.

Overview

I have nine years of experience in the book publishing industry. Before becoming a full-time freelancer, I was previously an 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 Emily Henry. 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.


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

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 Beautiful Feet Books, ExxonMobil, and Fusion29.

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

Apr, 2019 — Present

Portfolio

Made with Reedsy
War of Her Heart

Hodges, Lexi

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
The Mirage Guild: A Spicy Novel (The Prism Society)

Salas, Gabi

Flora Publishing

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
The White Rose of Texas

Maxwell, Elora

Independently published

Copy Editing Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
City of Mirth and Malice: Vows of Vengeance Duet Book 2 (Order and Chaos Series)

Menard, Alexis L.

Midnight Tide Publishing

Copy Editing Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
Blessed Water: A Sister Holiday Mystery (Sister Holiday Mysteries, 2)

Douaihy, Margot

Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
House of Bane and Blood (Order and Chaos Series Book 1)

Menard, Alexis

Copy Editing Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
The Fallen Veil

Scheck, Robert

Copy Editing Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
Whiskey Widow

Lenaway, B. A.

Copy Editing Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
The Prism Society: A Spicy Friends to Lovers Novel

Salas, Gabi

Copy Editing Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
Dusk's Awakening (The Twining Fate Series)

Ward, T.D.

T.D.Ward

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Toquuxla

Brenna, James N

Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
CARVEL DAZE: A mischievous kid in the hippie generation speaks

Garcia, Chris

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Not to Reason Why

Decker, Robert L.

Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
Rope Walker: A Texas Jewish History Mystery

Yarin, Jim

Proofreading
Made with Reedsy
The Hunted Guardian

Carter, Ashlynn

Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Elsie and the Lynx

Campbell, Dora

Proofreading
What? And Give Up Show Business?

Hampton, James

Copy Editing Proofreading
Hannah and Ariela

Bernhard, Johnnie

Copy Editing Proofreading
Moonlight Massacres

Zumwalt, McKinley

Copy Editing Proofreading
With One Hand Tied behind My Brain: A Memoir of Life after Stroke

Seale, Avrel

Copy Editing Proofreading
Sins of the Younger Sons

Jan Reid

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

John C. Kerr

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
Amado Muro and Me: A Tale of Honesty and Deception

Robert Seltzer

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: The Entire World of Sports by One of America's Most Famous Sportswriters

Dan Jenkins

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
Talking to the Stars: Bobbie Wygant's Seventy Years in Television

Bobbie Wygant

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
The Rebirth of Hope: My Journey from Vietnam War Child to American Citizen

Sau Le Hudecek

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 24 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Georgina C.

Georgina C.

May, 2025

Molly has been so brilliant to work with and super flexible with timings and deadlines when unexpected things came up on my side. There were so many things she picked up on that have helped me grow as a writer and I’m beyond grateful. Thank you!
Joseph E.

Joseph E.

Mar, 2025

Of the editors I contacted, Molly delivered the most organized proposal. Her rates were highly competitive, within a few dollars of the lowest bid. She even split the payments, with half due after she'd finished the assessment. The project was an evaluation of the initial chapters of my novel. ...
Read more
Molly S.
Thank you, Joe!
Emilee R.

Emilee R.

Feb, 2025

Working with Molly was such an amazing experience, particularly on my first novel-length project. Molly was very clear about what services she provided, the timeline that was most appropriate for the project, as well as what would be best for making the strongest book in the end. She provided fee...
Read more
Molly S.
Thanks, Emilee! I look forward to working with you again soon!
Doe D.

Doe D.

Jan, 2025

This was my second time working with Molly, and once again, she proved herself a keen proofreader and pleasant colleague. In some cases, she included notes in the margins to clarify changes she had made to the text. She also delivered the final project over a week before our deadline. I would hea...
Read more
Jacinda O.

Jacinda O.

Jan, 2025

Molly is wonderful! Personable, helpful and very accomodating! I had a great experience with her.
Molly S.
Thanks, Jacinda! I look forward to working with you again!

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