Hire the Best Developmental Editors in Michigan

My primary formats are lifestyle blog posts and fiction short stories, but I also have experience with articles, essays, newsletters, poems, first-person creative non-fiction, and thought pieces. The best examples are in my portfolio. The short version of my history is that I graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and completed an editorial internship at a lifestyle magazine the same year. After college, I worked for the University Press of Mississippi marketing department, freelanced for a year or so, worked at a non-profit publishing their monthly newsletter, and now write web copy and print content for a local health and beauty company. And through it all, I published on my personal blog and expanded my writing and business skills.

I'm an aspiring proofreader/developmental editor/beta reader. Fiction novels, especially in the fantasy genre, are my area of interest. I'm eager to help people while also gaining experience, so I am willing to charge less for most services than would be expected. I would love to help those who need a beta reader or proofreading services in general. I graduated from Northern Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in English. I also just completed an internship at BHC Press, a fiction book publisher, where I provided developmental editing services (and proofread a few manuscripts!). During my internship, I became comfortable with using Track Changes in Word and I am familiar with the Chicago Manual of Style. I developmentally edited twenty full-length novels and proofread three. I have also published a children's book through Fulton Books!

Hey, I'm Shelby! I’m a developmental editor, beta reader, book formatter, and cover designer helping authors bring their stories to life - from first draft brainstorming to a polished, publish-ready book. I specialize in helping indie authors strengthen their manuscripts, refine their voice, and publish beautiful, professional books that connect with readers. SERVICES: ✏️ Developmental Editing: Deep story feedback on pacing, structure, character arcs, and emotional resonance. 📖 Beta Reading: Honest, reader-focused impressions with actionable notes. 🧩 Book Formatting: Print and ebook interior layouts; clean and professional using Atticus. 🎨 Cover Design: Eye-catching covers that reflect tone, mood, and market appeal. 🧠 Author Support: Guidance on self-publishing platforms, launch prep, marketing, etc.

Hi there! I'm Kathryn here, but I'm called Kali almost everywhere else! I'm a certified editor, former holistic health practitioner, and former librarian who specializes in narrative nonfiction and narrative self-help, particularly books focused on spirituality, nature, transformation, healing, and personal growth. I especially love working with first-time authors, helping shape raw ideas into the books they've always envisioned. I've been a certified copy editor since 2021, though I've been editing in one form or another since 2008. Over the years, my work has expanded to include developmental editing, line editing, and proofreading. To date, I've worked with more than 100 authors on memoirs, spiritual books, psychology, hospice and end-of-life narratives, self-help, short stories, and transformational nonfiction. One of the things that drives my work is my meticulous (and somewhat obsessive!) attention to detail. If you've ever knitted a sweater and dropped a stitch, you know it might not become obvious until much farther down the line. Writing works the same way. I have a knack for finding the missing stitch in a manuscript and helping authors weave it back into place, whether that means smoothing out a timeline, strengthening a story arc, or uncovering the thread that ties the whole book together. I tend to think of every manuscript as its own ecosystem. Every chapter, story, and idea influences the next, so great editing is about far more than correcting grammar or polishing sentences. It's about understanding how all the pieces fit together and helping each one support your larger vision. One of my favorite parts of editing is preserving an author's unique voice. I don't want to make your book sound like me or your spouse or some random TV personality; I want to help it sound more like *you*. Whether you need a developmental partner to shape a big-picture vision, a careful line editor to refine every paragraph, or a meticulous/obsessive proofreader before publication, I want to work with you. If that sounds like the kind of collaboration you're looking for, I would love to hear about your project!

Owner of T.E. Main-Ruhle LLC I pride myself on my attention to detail and thorough review of manuscripts needing plot, characterization and fine detail editing. My feedback is direct and professional as my focus is to challenge my writer partners to create their finest work. I'm happy to adjust my tone and phrasing for sensitive individuals upon request, as I understand these works are very near and dear to my clients. My greatest joy comes from long term clients that invite me to work on several projects as part of their team. In these cases, I feel I do my best work as I've familiarized myself with their style, strengths and struggles, professional goals and career direction.

I have 7 years of experience editing an array of materials, from articles on nonprofit management to technical documents to books of various genres. I'm working more and more towards editing novels and other forms of narrative, as well as books and essays on philosophy, psychology, sociology, spirituality, and consciousness -- but I get excited about helping to evolve any work I take on. Although each project is different, if I copy edit your work, I will generally focus on: -Eliminating technical errors. -Eliminating fluff, redundancies, and excessive verbiage when it doesn't serve the piece as a whole. -Addressing information gaps. -Addressing clarity, coherency, and organizational issues. -Addressing the passive voice. -Standardizing language style, as well as other stylistic choices. -Fact-checking and implementing SEO best practices when applicable. -Improving and refining the piece's tone and pacing according to where it will be published and who its target audience is. -Enhancing your voice, if applicable -- helping you maintain what makes it distinctive, authentic, compelling, and meaningful throughout the text. -Enhancing and improving your sentence structure, diction, and the flow of your prose to better serve your strengths as a writer and what you wish to communicate so that you may be as poignant as possible. If I developmentally edit your work, I can help you: -Unwrap and unmask the real meat of what you are trying to say. I can go over your research, ideas, impressions, and feelings with you and help you consolidate them, make something communicable and meaningful out of them. -Incorporate literary devices such as symbolism, archetype, theme, and imagery so that you can convey what is inexplicable, hidden, or unseen; connect the dots; develop an atmosphere around what's happening, and more. -Perfect how and when you hit different plot points or make different arguments so that they "do" what you intend them to do, and strike a chord with readers. No stone goes unturned. -Improve the depth of your characters and implement character arcs. -Improve the pacing and structure of your piece in any other way necessary. Most importantly, I always ask what you as the client are looking for in a developmental edit. What vision do you have for your book or essay? How do you want it to affect your readers? How do you want it to contribute to the public discourse or consciousness surrounding whatever subject matter it touches on? What elements of your piece do you think need improvement? And of course, how do you want to be fulfilled by bringing it to completion? Although I tend to go after more creative pursuits, I'm adept at editing technical pieces. I have strong analytical and pattern-recognition skills and pick up on jargon quickly. No matter what material I'm working with, I hope to approach "the places where all the veins meet." With communication, insight, and a little ingenuity, I can help you create something remarkable.