Overview

As a fiction editor, author, and translator, I’ve worked with major publishers, literary agents, and film companies in the US and Germany. I specialize in historical, espionage, war, and psychological/crime thrillers. Notable projects include my novels The Losing Role and Show Game and the translated bestsellers The Honest Spy and Seat 7a, to name just a few.

You're looking for the right guidance and insightful edits, and I know what works. I’ll start by asking a few questions about your goals.

For an editorial assessment or developmental edit, you’ll get concise and practical feedback on the state of your story as well as a clear evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. This covers areas such as characters, plot and pacing, setting, and style. My edits always provide a clear and helpful roadmap for revisions. For the copyedit, you’ll have a clean and readable industry-standard manuscript that engages readers to the fullest.

Get in touch and ask me anything. I look forward to hearing from you.

Services

Developmental Editing

Copy Editing

Editorial Assessment

Fiction

Action & Adventure Coming of Age Contemporary Fiction Espionage Historical Fiction Historical Mysteries Literary Fiction Psychological Thriller

Languages

English (AUS) English (CAN) English (NZ) English (SA) English (UK) English (US)

Awards

Quarterfinalist for the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, 2009
Residency at the Europäisches Übersetzer-Kollegium (European Translator College) in Straelen, Germany with a stipend award from the Kunststiftung NRW (Arts Foundation North Rhine-Westphalia), 2018
Finalist spots in the Writer’s Digest Writing Competition, the Fade In Awards, Chesterfield Writer's Film Project, Writer's Network Screenplay Competition, and the Santa Fe Writers Project, among other award credits

Certifications

Fulbright Graduate Research Fellowship: Munich, Germany
Master of Arts in History: Portland State University
Bachelor of Arts in History, German: University of Oregon
TransLab for emerging translators of German to English, a collaboration between the German Book Office NY and the Goethe-Institut NY, 2015

Work experience

Freelance Fiction Editor

Self-employed

Jan, 2014 — Present

Happy clients include writers, major publishers, literary agents, and film companies for projects ranging from first-time drafts to bestsellers. My specialties are historical, espionage, and psychological/crime thrillers, but I offer expertise for all types of stories, including creative nonfiction.

Literary Translator: German to English

Self-employed

Jan, 2012 — Present

• Twelve fiction and creative nonfiction translations published • Translate German novels from bestselling authors such as Sebastian Fitzek, Vincent Kliesch, and Wulf Dorn for submission to English-language publishers • Translate publisher and agency samples, synopses, and promotional copy. Clients include Amazon Crossing, Pendragon Verlag, AVA International, and Ziegler Film

Author: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction

Self-employed

Jan, 2001 — Present

• Novels published in 2024 from Open Road Media: Lines of Deception (Kaspar Brothers series) Show Game • Novels published 2010-2019 — re-released by Open Road Media in 2023: The Kaspar Brothers series: The Losing Role Liberated Lost Kin The Wendell Lett novels: Under False Flags The Preserve Standalone novels: Rain Down: A Crime Novella The Other Oregon: A Thriller • Bestselling nonfiction Kindle Singles Sitting Ducks (2011) and Double-Edged Sword (2012) • Self-published bestselling historical espionage thriller The Losing Role (2010) • Various short stories and creative nonfiction published. Reached finalist spots in major fiction and screenwriting contests, including Quarterfinalist in 2009 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting.

Portfolio

Made with Reedsy

Those We Carry

Saxberg, Scott

Reimagined Press

Editorial Assessment

The Undesirables

Chad Thumann

In the winter of 1941–1942, Leningrad is under siege, and Karen Hamilton, a seventeen-year-old American musician, finds herself trapped and struggling to survive. Throughout the city, people a... read more

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment

Show Game

Anderson, Steve

The Losing Role (The Kaspar Brothers)

Anderson, Steve

Seat 7a

Fitzek, Sebastian

Head of Zeus

Where the Desert Meets the Sea: A Novel

Werner Sonne

An illuminating and heart-stirring historical novel set in post-WWII Palestine, where the boundaries of love and friendship are challenged by the intractable conflicts of war.Jerusalem, 1947: Judith, a young Jewish survivor of the Dachau concentration camp, ar... read more

Made with Reedsy

Dreams and Visions in Evin Prison

Grohe, William

Global Conciliation and Concordance Publishing

Copy Editing

Forewarned: A Daphne Ann Post Novel

Phillips, Tracey

3 Elements Publishing

Developmental Editing Copy Editing

Made with Reedsy

OPERATION TRACER: WW2 Spy Thriller

Gothard, Will

Bow Bell Books

Developmental Editing

Made with Reedsy

The Lake (The Orchard Lake series Book 2)

Sundean, RJ

Copy Editing

Made with Reedsy

Summer Of The Dragons

Barr, John

Developmental Editing

Made with Reedsy

Operation Palmetto: Mossad agents on the hunt. (The Karl Gruben Spy Thriller Series Book 1)

Breach, R.T.

Copy Editing

Storm

Laub, Uwe

Auguste Crime

Under False Flags (The Wendell Lett Novels)

Anderson, Steve

Rain Down: A Crime Novella

Anderson, Steve

The Honest Spy

Andreas Kollender

During one of history’s darkest chapters, one man is determined to make a difference.In the tradition of Schindler’s List comes a thrilling novel based on the heroic true story of Fritz Kolbe, a widowed civil servant in Adolf Hitler’s foreign ministry. Recogni... read more

Double-Edged Sword (Kindle Single)

Steve Anderson

This concise, fast read tells the true story of a self-made double agent who bluffed his way into the most ambitious Allied deception operation of WWII.In 1942, German military intelligence believed the Spaniard Juan Pujol Garcia was running a formidable spy n... read more

The Air Raid Killer (Max Heller, Dresden Detective Book 1)

Frank Goldammer

As World War II ends, a killer’s game begins.In the final days of the Nazi regime, with the historic city of Dresden on the brink of destruction, terrifying rumors spread about the Fright Man, a demonic killer who exploited the cover of a nighttime air raid si... read more

A Thousand Devils (Max Heller, Dresden Detective Book 2)

Frank Goldammer

A disturbing murder reveals a high-stakes conspiracy among the ruins of postwar Dresden.Two years after the firebombing that devastated the historic East German city, the suffering continues in the throes of a brutal winter. The wary and exhausted citizens scr... read more

Steve has 36 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Ami T.

Oct, 2025

Steve is the ultimate editor! Not only is he a consummate professional with the knowledge and experience to elevate your story and your writing, he is an absolute delight to work with. Friendly, fun, interesting, extremely responsive, Steve went above and beyond to make my manuscript shine and to...

Scott C.

Oct, 2025

This was my first experience working with a professional editor. I was a bit skeptical. Steve exceeded my expectations. He provided a detailed overview of the strengths and weaknesses of my novel (90k words) and made numerous suggestions for improvement. He was complimentary where warranted and f...

ERIC B.

Sep, 2025

Steve's feedback was very helpful and I couldn't be more pleased. He delivered on time and was on hand for all my questions and enquiries. With his help, the content of my manuscript is now at a standard that I needed. I would reccomend him to both first time and experienced authors and will def...

Chris T.

Aug, 2025

Steve reviewed and edited my debut novel, a thriller involving US agents trying to rescue a child while under attack from terrorists in the Middle East. Steve provided expert commentary - he clearly not only read my novel, he got into the minutia, catching minor typographical errors (that were ou...

Matthew D.

Aug, 2025

Another critical and rewarding edit. My drafts and confidence have advanced exponentially. Thanks Steve

Sign up to read more reviews

Create a free Reedsy account to connect with Steve and thousands of other publishing professionals on Reedsy.

Facebook

Steve Anderson

Available for hire

Verified identity

Portland, OR, USA

Professional on Reedsy
since Dec, 2015

Steve Anderson – Editor

Overview

Services

Fiction

Languages

Awards

Certifications

Work experience

Portfolio

Steve has 36 reviews

Ami T.

Scott C.

ERIC B.

Chris T.

Matthew D.

Sign up to read more reviews

Professionals similar to Steve

Rachel S.

Matthew K.

Ann Howard C.

Steve Anderson – Editor

Overview

Services

Fiction

Languages

Awards

Certifications

Work experience

Portfolio

Steve has 36 reviews

Ami T.

Scott C.

ERIC B.

Chris T.

Matthew D.

Sign up to read more reviews

Professionals similar to Steve

Rachel S.

Matthew K.

Ann Howard C.

Enter your email address to get started