Hire the Best Developmental Editors in New York

Words open worlds real and imagined. Whether it is creating characters, painting scenarios, provoking thought, making information come to life, or compelling the reader to emotions and actions words are beautiful and powerful. I help people find their voices and express themselves through the words they might have trouble finding or bringing from thought to page. Already have something written? Let me polish up what you've created to bring your writing to its full potential. For a detailed overview of my writing and editing work, please keep reading. If you're ready to work together, I'm ready to interview. Professionally, I've been a wordsmith since 2015. From semi-autobiographical fiction to full-fledged fiction and biographies, from business and marketing, academia to history books, About Us pages and mission statements, SEO-rich content to writing from the heart -- I've put it all to page for myself and others. I've helped many transform the scenes, stories, thoughts, and characters in their minds and transform them into words on a page. My portfolio includes having written and edited numerous published non-fiction books as well as content such as website Homepages, "About Us" and FAQs, and biographies. As a developmental editor, I help authors give depth and life to their work. On the other side of things, I've helped several sites grow working as an SEO-focused copywriter and bringing products to life with creative descriptions. I've also written and edited I'm a versatile writer that can adapt to any tone and style. I have experience writing long and short articles on a wide variety of subjects including those involving research, blogs, short public speaking pieces and wedding speeches, newsletters, press releases, fun/humorous pieces, and I especially love writing fun song parodies. AI is great--but it's not a human and it needs skilled human help. Whether you want AI assisted or 100% human writing, I am that skilled help. I've been honing my skills on a professional and volunteer level for many years. I'm also in an ongoing program one night a week aimed at improving research, writing, and public speaking skills. Extensive vocabulary, strong grammar, and syntax skills. I love the Oxford comma! Highly analytical. Strong skills in the logical development of themes and subject matter. See my Upwork test results for proof of skills.

COPY EDITOR | PROOFREADER | FICTION EDITOR | DEVELOPMENTAL EDITOR I'm a writer and grammar nerd who loves the technicalities of English and literary devices. I offer copyediting, proofreading, and developmental edits. I value prompt communication and clear expectations. —SOME DEFINITIONS— • "Proofreading" is correcting technical issues such as grammar, word use, capitalization, punctuation, formatting, citations, and consistency. • "Copyediting" is revising sentences for clarity and flow and, in fiction, literary concerns such as subtext in dialogue, pacing, tone, and light organizational issues (includes proofreading^^). • "Developmental editing" is the deep dive, revising for organization and structure, content, and plot/argument brainstorming and, in fiction, literary concerns such as plotting, characterization, and setting. —FICTION— I am a fiction writer and editor specializing in exploiting the creative aspects of fiction such as conflict/tension, movement, structure, characterization, dialogue, subtext, setting, symbolism, imagery, voice, pacing, point of view, and conventions in specific genres, like world-building. My passion is to make your story come alive without sacrificing your vision for your work. —Fiction Expertise— • flash fiction, short stories, creative nonfiction, novels • clarity and consistency • movement and point of view (POV) • dialogue, subtext, exposition • fantasy, magical realism, literary fiction —Fiction Qualifications— • 19+ years' experience critiquing short stories, creative nonfiction, and novels with focus on literary devices • BA in English literature, creative writing minor at University of Maryland, Baltimore County • currently flash fiction editor at Barren Magazine • 19+ years' experience writing and submitting my own stories; publications include X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine, Riggwelter, and Barren Magazine • previously creative nonfiction editor and junior managing editor at Bartleby literary magazine —NONFICTION— My experience includes resumes, press releases, dissertations, and everything in between. Together, we'll showcase your expertise by ensuring your document communicates your message with clarity and dexterity. We'll also bolster your credibility by ensuring your writing is technically flawless. My goal is not to transform your words into what I would say, but rather to excavate and highlight the heart of your message. —Nonfiction Expertise— • APA, Chicago, MLA, and AP style guides • Academic documents • Resumes and business letters • United States and United Kingdom English • Meticulous eye for detail —Nonfiction Qualifications— • 19+ years of experience copyediting/proofreading over 360 projects • Previous professional copy editor and trainer with ProofreadingPal • BA in English literature, creative writing minor, technical English elective focus at UMBC • Flash fiction editor at Barren Magazine • College Reading and Learning Association Level II tutoring certification • 2 years' experience tutoring academic/creative writing at college level I can't wait to work with you! *** Review from a client without LinkedIn: "Katie has been editing and proofreading my papers for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program for more than a year now. Under Katie's guidance, I have seen great progress and improvement in my work, and I am so happy that I found Katie as an editor. Katie is able to read my long papers at a very fast pace whenever I request. I can proudly say that my professors are much happier with me now—Katie has helped improve my quality of writing. I would highly recommend Katie to anyone looking for a professional and dedicated editor." —Mary N., MSN, CRN, AGNP

Published author and professional editor with 8+ years of experience helping writers refine and elevate their work. I specialize in line editing and copyediting for fiction, nonfiction, and professional content—focusing on clarity, flow, and consistency while preserving your voice. Let’s make your writing clear, polished, and ready to shine.

I am an experienced copyeditor and proofreader with a decade of expertise in the publishing industry as a production and managing editor, currently working at a Big Five house. My background is in commercial and genre fiction, most especially women's fiction and romance, but also mysteries, thrillers, sci-fi, and fantasy. I have also worked on academic and non-fiction titles, and would be open to taking on some of those projects, as well. I am a passionate editor who loves to help make a project as good as it can be, and am able to work quickly while still giving each project a meticulous edit. I do both line and developmental edits.

I'm proud to have developed a high proficiency as a copy editor, supplemented by my experience at Writers House and HarperCollins, two esteemed companies in the publishing industry. Not only do I have a keen eye for detail and an ability to spot errors from a mile away, but I also provide superb line editing to improve a text's clarity and to add expressiveness without taking away from the author's voice, no matter the text. CMOS and Merriam-Webster are good friends of mine. I specialize in books (YA/Adult Romance, SFF, Action/Thriller, Mystery, Nonfiction), essays, academic writing, and personal statements (statements include developmental editing). I take genuine joy in helping others and making a difference in the work I do. I'm excited to work with you and can't wait to get started!

I am an Editor and Proofreader with a background rooted in academic excellence and thorough literary analysis. With a B.A. in History (summa cum laude) and extensive experience in publication, AI model content optimization, technical proofreading, and developmental editing, I specialize in transforming drafts into polished manuscripts. -------------------------------------------------------------- What I Do Best: Editing & Proofreading: I provide effective editorial oversight, ensuring that every piece of content with which I work is grammatically perfect, adheres to the appropriate conventional style, and is clear and consistent. I analyze text substantively for clarity, tone, and coherence. I have experience editing a large range of media, from websites to several-hundred-page novels. AI Content Evaluation: I have a proven track record of editing and evaluating AI model responses for clarity, tone, and factual accuracy, ensuring the output feels human and trustworthy. My experience as a Copy Editor with an AI company has enabled me to work with AI-generated content at a higher level than most. Academic Writing: My experience as a Teaching Assistant and as an academic historian has equipped me to handle complex citations, peer reviews, structural edits, and writing for scholarly work. I am proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Suite, Microsoft Office/365, and WordPress, allowing me to not only edit text but also ensure consistent visual page design and media formatting. I have a strong knowledge of various style guides, including Chicago, MLA, AP, BlueBook, and APA style guides.