Rozi D.

Rozi D. – Editor

Too many words? Not enough? A subplot that wandered off like a Roomba? I refine structure & polish prose so your story can shine. | PRH alum

Overview

Booking March and April! One opening in January.

I’m a developmental and copy editor with 15+ years of experience in publishing (Time Inc. and Penguin Random House) and self-publishing.

I specialize in romance, fantasy, and romantasy, but edit across genres. Whether you’re a first-time author or an established voice, I can help you shape your manuscript into a book you’re proud to have your name on (or at least one your friends promise to read soon).

My editing approach is tailored to your manuscript, your needs, and your goals.

I’M THE RIGHT EDITOR FOR YOU IF YOU:

• Seek an editor who understands storytelling, fantasy, mythology, and world building in addition to pacing, character development, and –yes–grammar.

• Are serious about your writing and publishing goals and willing to invest the time and effort.

• Are self-publishing and want a professional-level edit.

• Are a first-time author and value honest, constructive feedback (without excessive hand-holding).

• Write romance, mystery, or fantasy and want an editor who knows your genre inside and out.

• Want female characters to feel real and relatable, not like someone’s one-dimensional fantasy.

• Want your novel to sound fluent and natural to English readers, but English isn’t your first language.

MY EDITING SERVICES:

• Manuscript Assessment

• Developmental Editing

• Line Editing

• Copyediting

• Editing for Self-Publishing or First-Time Authors

• Editing for ESL, Multilingual, or International Authors

• U.S. Market Adaptation / American English Localization

ABOUT ME

My love for editing grew out of a lifelong passion for language—and, let’s be real, an inability to ignore plot holes, weak characters, or clunky dialogue without mentally rewriting them.

As the child of diplomats, I grew up moving between cultures and hearing multiple languages every day. That experience sharpened my sense for how writers use language to shape voice, flow, and pacing on the page.

Because I speak several languages, I bring an added sensitivity to how English reads to native speakers—and how it can feel different to those writing it as a second language.

I have a BA in Journalism from NYU and an MA in International Crime & Justice. I take a strong analytical approach to storytelling, ensuring both narrative depth and real-world credibility (even fantasy has to make sense!).

I’ve edited works by first-time, established, and indie authors, as well as self-publishing writers, entrepreneurs, and government agencies, including the DoS, DoD, UN, and the EU.

You may have seen some of my work in Travel + Leisure, Amazon, Sephora, American Express, or Juliet Funt.

I take my work seriously but try not to take myself too seriously. When I’m not editing, I’m juggling the chaos of entrepreneurship and mom life with the energy of a Type-A millennial who thinks she can do it all—or cuddling my dogs.

LET’S CHAT

Everyone has a story to tell! I'd love to hear yours. Message me for a quote:

Include:

✔️ Budget

✔️ Timeline

✔️ First chapter sample

(Requests without this information won’t be considered.)

Services
Fiction
Contemporary Romance Cozy Mysteries Epic Fantasy Paranormal Romance Romantic Fantasy Urban Fantasy Women's Fiction
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • B.A. Journalism and Linguistics, NYU
  • M.A. International Crime and Justice
  • Developmental Editing I, UCLA Extension
  • EFA Board Member and NYC Chapter Lead

Work experience

The Developmental

Feb, 2016 — Present
Independent editor specializing in fantasy, romance, romantasy, and women’s fiction. Provide developmental and line editing for first-time and emerging authors, focusing on story structure, character arc, and narrative payoff. Known for diagnosing empty dialogue, collapsing exposition, and clarifying character psychology. Experienced in refining high-stakes plots and speculative elements—ensuring magic systems, world rules, and setting logic support tension, clarity, and emotional continuity. Shape scenes that balance interiority and momentum, aligning character decisions with genre expectations and reader satisfaction. Frequently collaborate with first-time authors, international writers, and those for whom English is a second language—enhancing fluency and emotional impact while preserving authorial voice and intent. Trusted for candid, nuanced feedback delivered with care and respect for the creative process. Especially attuned to stories by and about women, first-generation immigrants, and eldest daughters—narratives shaped by duty, resilience, layered interiority, and cultural complexity.

EFA

Oct, 2024 — Present
Elected Board Member for the Editorial Freelancers Association, where I contribute to professional standards, training development, and the evolving needs of fiction editors and writers. As Chair of the NYC chapter, I lead local programming and community-building efforts focused on professional development in writing, editing, and publishing. My work keeps me closely connected to shifts in storytelling, genre expectations, and the publishing landscape. I mentor emerging editors, support initiatives that strengthen editorial quality across traditional and self-publishing spaces, and write Beyond Borders, a column spotlighting international editors and the perspectives shaping our global editorial community. This role keeps my editorial work aligned with current approaches in developmental and line editing—ensuring the authors I support, especially first-time writers, women, and those writing in English as a second language, receive thoughtful, contemporary, and effective guidance from an experienced developmental editor and fiction editor.

Time Inc.

Feb, 2013 — Dec, 2015 (almost 3 years)
Edited critically acclaimed and bestselling manuscripts in contemporary fiction and romance, specializing in complex, female-driven narratives and voice-led storytelling. Oversaw full-cycle developmental and copy editing for print and digital projects, shaping narrative structure, pacing, and line-level execution for authors with national readership. Worked closely with first-time and emerging writers, offering direct, steady guidance and strengthening intention, clarity, and momentum across their manuscripts. Developed a specialization in emotionally driven romance—stories that balance interiority, tension, dialogue, and character dynamics to deliver a satisfying reader payoff. This role sharpened the editorial judgment and narrative precision I now bring to the authors I work with, especially those writing romance and romantasy who want stories that feel emotionally engaging, well-paced, and driven by believable character choices.

Penguin Random House

May, 2008 — Feb, 2013 (over 4 years)
Edited fantasy titles across adult and crossover lists as the genre evolved toward more emotionally nuanced, voice-led, and character-driven storytelling. Worked directly with authors through developmental and line editing, helping shape manuscripts with clear worldbuilding logic, emotional continuity, and solid narrative progression. Focused on strengthening continuity, pacing, scene sequencing, and the line-level clarity essential to complex fantasy and the early forms of what would become romantasy. Provided copyediting and stylistic refinement to support voice, consistency, and readability. Partnered with authors to refine early pages, clarify story direction, and ensure that character motivation and emotional stakes carried through the full arc of the book. My experience at Penguin established the structural foundation, narrative awareness, and editorial precision I bring to the authors I work with today—especially those writing fantasy, romance, romantasy, and women’s fiction who want a guided, collaborative editing experience and a publish-ready manuscript.

Portfolio

The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story

Wang, M. L.

Amazon Digital Services

Developmental Editing
Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
Will There Be Wine?: A Novel

Cubbison, Whitney

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing Editorial Assessment
The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters 1)

Nicole, Amber V.

Rose & Star Publishing

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Wild Scottish Knight (The Enchanted Highlands)

O'Malley, Tricia

Lovewrite Publishing

Developmental Editing
The Curse of Saints

Dramis, Kate

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Copy Editing Editorial Assessment
The Curse of Sins (The Curse of Saints, 2)

Dramis, Kate

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Editorial Assessment
Claws & Crochet (Wolves of Pine Falls Book 1)

Connolly, Lauren

Hidden Bookcase Publishing LLC

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Portal to Nova Roma

Mathews, J.R.

Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
The Meaning of Okay

Raymond, Cortney

BookBaby

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Made with Reedsy
The Mystery of Race (The Ace Compeers Book 2)

Bhandari, Rita

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Made with Reedsy
Winter Meets Summer

Noyes, Christine

Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Editorial Assessment

Rozi has 17 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Natasha S.

Natasha S.

Apr, 2023

Pinned
Rozi gave me so much insight into my manuscript and really took the time to breakdown all of the areas to work on. The thorough analysis has given me a lot to work with and as I go through the edits, I can tell each note was made carefully and with consideration of the story's improvement. Rozi w...
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Rozi D.
Natasha, thank you so much for your kind words. It was a pleasure working on your manuscript and I look forward to seeing your book published soon!
Whitney C.

Whitney C.

Oct, 2022

Pinned
I hired Rozi for a copy edit, and she went above and beyond! She did the copy edit but also gave me some "line edit" style feedback because she said she didn't want to miss an opportunity to help make my book great. The feedback she gave allowed me to see the flaws in my manuscript, and I am conv...
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Rozi D.
Whitney this review means so much to me, as does your now published book! You're a terrific writer and I truly enjoyed working with you. The authentic, strong, relatable female characters and frien...
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Cortney R.

Cortney R.

May, 2022

Pinned
I'm so glad I got to work with Rozi. Aside from the fact that she's a true professional who knows what she's doing, she delivers feedback in a clear and respectful manner. She provides explanations for her edits and suggestions, and her explanations teach you how to improve your current project a...
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Rozi D.
Thank you so much, Cortney. I appreciate your feedback and am so glad you found the edits helpful. Working on your manuscript was an absolute pleasure. I look forward to seeing it published soon!
Hailey V.

Hailey V.

Oct, 2025

Working with Rozi was an absolute pleasure! Not only was she professional, detail-oriented, and thorough, but she also helped me improve my manuscript's English as it’s not my first language. Somehow, she managed to enhance clarity and correctness while completely preserving my own style and the ...
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Rozi D.
Hailey, I really enjoyed working on The Shattered Darkness. Your romantic fantasy novel had such a strong foundation, and this copyedit was all about refining clarity, flow, and rhythm while keepin...
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Wa M.

Wa M.

Sep, 2025

Rozi, thanks for the editorial report on my fantasy novel draft. It's been difficult to find friends or family to honestly review my work, so finding you through Reedsy was helpful for my confidence to move to the next stage. I was surprised to find that the flatness I sensed in my writing wasn...
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Most recent contributions

How do you determine a base rate, and what factors lead you to adjust it for specific projects?

I determine it through a combination of industry standards, my expertise, the complexity of the manuscript, and the level of editorial intervention needed. A project that requires heavy restructuring or deep stylistic refinement will be priced differently than one that primarily needs consistency...
Read more

What benefits have you found most valuable from being a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association?

I’ve been a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association for three years and recently stepped into a leadership role as New York City Chapter Coordinator. This role has allowed me to connect with editors at all career stages, giving me valuable insights into the evolving needs and opportunitie...
Read more

Can you share an example of a challenging project that helped you grow as an editor?

Great editing often requires balancing the technical with the emotional, especially when an author is overwhelmed by the rewriting process that often follows structural editing. I encountered this dynamic on a manuscript that needed significant reorganization and deeper character development. The...
Read more

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