Hire the Best Developmental Editors
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Top Rated | 7+ Years Experience | 70+ Five-Star Reviews | $20K+ Earned I edit manuscripts that help authors finally get the responses they’ve been waiting for. One of my recent clients went from hearing nothing after months of querying to receiving 2 full manuscript requests within 5 weeks after I helped strengthen the story structure and fix the pacing issues holding the book back. Send me your first 3 chapters, and I’ll identify the biggest issue weakening your manuscript for free, no strings attached. Most manuscripts don't fail because the writing is bad. They fail because the author is too close to see what's breaking it: pacing that stalls in the middle, voice inconsistencies that lose readers early, structural gaps that make agents pass without explanation. That is exactly what I diagnose and fix. With 7+ years of editing experience across fiction, nonfiction, memoir, self-help, and children's books, I have helped authors go from rejected drafts to 5-star published books and successful agent queries. Services: -Developmental Editing: story structure, pacing, character arcs, narrative cohesion -Line Editing: sentence rhythm, voice, clarity, emotional resonance -Proofreading: grammar, punctuation, spelling, final polish before publishing -Beta Reading: honest reader feedback before you query or go live I also do the following: - Ghostwriting: I can also ghostwrite your book for you if you have an outline or idea you want me to develop. - Book formatting: I can format your book into an ePub version with reflowable table of contents, paperback and hardback versions. - Book cover design: I can design attractive book covers and wraparound book coveres for your book that would help your book make sales once it is published. I work to Chicago Manual of Style or APA standards and tailor every edit to your genre, tone, and voice. You get a full editorial letter, tracked changes, and clear reasoning behind every recommendation. I only take on 6 new manuscript projects per month to protect quality. 70+ authors have already trusted me with their manuscripts and walked away with agent requests, 5-star reviews, and published books. If you are reading this, I likely still have a spot. Message me right now with your first 3 chapters and I will tell you exactly what is holding your manuscript back, at no cost, before you spend a single dollar.

I believe that your voice, your message, and your unique way of being are important. My goal is to help you create a story that is "in alignment with you as a human being—and not just some cringe-worthy, tokenized [AI content] that only vaguely resembles you." (quote by Andrea Guevara) As a developmental editor, ghostwriter, and line editor, I have worked with clients from China, India, Uganda, Zanzibar, Trinidad, Morocco, El Salvador, Korea, Hawaii, and more. I help clients tell stories about adoption, immigration, mental health, infant loss, spiritual and sexual abuse, drug recovery, and much more. I write books for business and leadership clients ranging from entrepreneurs to top educational leadership, from public speaking coaches to business people worth $100 million. I provide ghostwriting, developmental editing, and line editing services. The key to creating an authentic book is "doing the hard work of... exploring your values, your worth, your vision for what you uniquely contribute to the world. There are no shortcuts. Okay, maybe there are, but the results (and consequences) are NOT the same." If you are looking for someone to dedicate the personal time and attention necessary to capture your unique message, please reach out! Alicia Snyder is a freelancer ghostwriter, editor, and developmental editor living in Wichita, Kansas. Her passion is helping clients bring their writing to life through vivid, descriptive detail and a clear narrative arc. She serves clients writing memoirs, self-help books, and business leadership books. Two of her client's books were published with Rowman and Littlefield Publishing. One memoir won the Illumination Book Award Gold Medal. Another received a Kirkus Star review, one of the most prestigious designations in the book industry. Another client's books has also been translated into another language and sold in multiple countries.

As a former Senior Editor of children's books at Scholastic and Disney, I've worked with first-time authors as well as award-winning and best-selling authors and illustrators. I have worked as a professional in the field for over 20 years and have a wealth of experience in pinpointing each manuscript's strengths and weaknesses and guiding creators on how to improve their project. From picture books to young adult novels, fiction and nonfiction, I can help you craft a book that will engage readers. I also have experience editing ebooks and apps, and have worked as an author for select clients. Fees for a line edit and editorial letter: Picture books up to 1000 words: $125-400, depending on length Chapter books: $500 and up Novels: $1000 and up Whether you are looking for editorial feedback on an existing manuscript or need help to further develop an idea, collaborating with authors is my passion. I will provide an honest, constructive, and detailed assessment. Once we have completed our work together, you will have a manuscript that is ready for the next step in the publishing process. I've received the Golden Kite Editor Award, was a mentor at the Northern New England SCBWI Writers' Retreat, and have spoken at numerous children's literature conferences

I am an Ivy-league trained English Professor with over 25 years of experience in writing and publishing with a particular expertise in academic writing and publishing. I have served as a reader and a member of the editorial boards of several academic journals and presses, and have read admission essays for graduate and undergraduate programs and for national and international fellowships and scholarships. I have also successfully guided clients in obtaining competitive professional grants, including NEH, Mellon, SRI and Fulbright, as well as book contracts with presses such as UC Berkeley, Stanford, U of Chicago, Cambridge and Oxford. I also have extensive experience in the academic promotion process, having been a department head and serving on my college's APT committee. While I have an expertise in academic writing, here on Upwork I have helped writers complete and publish essays in a wide range of fields, including business, fintech, medicine, law, self-improvement and fiction. I can help with all aspects of the process, from how to start a book to how to write a proposal and secure a publisher. I offer a 10% discount to those who are the first in their families or adjunct faculty. See below for specific information on my services and rates. DEVELOPMENTAL EDITOR & WRITING COACH $95 an hour As a developmental editor and writing coach, my goal is to help get your writing into the world, whether you already have a manuscript and a contract from a press or simply a rough idea of something you'd like to write. I will meet you where you are and help you with any and every stage of the writing process--from the brainstorming and planning stages to the writing, revising and final editing to responding to reader reports and reviews and securing publication. I am particularly good at taking a very rough, rough draft--or even a rough idea--and helping a writer massage it into a compelling and well-structured narrative. I am also quite good at helping writers who find themselves "stuck" in a particular project and need help crafting a plan to move forward. THESIS AND DISSERTATION EDITOR AND WRITING COACH $95 an hour Writing a dissertation is hard, I know! I wrote one myself and, as an English professor for over 20 years, I helped shepherd many students through the process. Unfortunately, not every graduate program provides their students with the kind of guidance and structure that most of us need for taking on a project of this size. That is where I come in. I taught graduate level writing for many years and have supported graduate students working in a variety of fields, including the social sciences, humanities, technology, business and finance, computer science and education. I am a fast and careful proofreader and line editor, proficient in a number of citation styles, including MLA, Chicago, Oxford m, Harvard and APA, and able to carefully follow the publishing guidelines of the press you are working with. I am also conversant in a number of national Englishes. However, my talents really lie in helping clients with larger holistic issues, including argument development, organization and structure, and responding to committee feedback. I’m also especially good at helping writers who get stuck in a project or are suffering from writer’s block. My mantra is that a done dissertation is the best dissertation and I can help you craft a plan to make that come to fruition. COLLEGE AND GRADUATE ADMISSIONS ESSAYS $120 an hour As an English professor for 20+ years, I am especially attuned to what admissions materials need to contain in order to be effective. I have sat on a number of admissions committees and served on the selection committees for a number of national and international scholarships and fellowships. I have a particular expertise in graduate admissions and my clients have been accepted into several competitive programs at top schools, including Harvard, UC Berkeley, Stanford, the Wharton School of Business, Cornell and Yale, among others. I have supported clients in a wide range of fields, including medicine, law, the humanities, social sciences, counseling, nursing (including several DNP applicants), and public policy. I can help you prepare your CV and writing samples (if required), as well as prepare for any standardized tests or interviews. But where my expertise really lies is in the statement of purpose. The SOP is especially important since at some point in the admissions process everyone has good grades, laudatory recommendations and exemplary test scores. I have a proven system of helping even clients who think they can't write create compelling and organic narratives that tell the story of who they are and why they are a great match for a program.

Hello! I’m Tiffany — an engineer by day and book editor by night. As an Engineer with an MBA, and more than 20 years of engineering and manufacturing experience, I bring a different kind of eye to editing. Engineering trained me to find inconsistencies, identify gaps, question what doesn't add up and pay attention to the details others may overlook. My MBA strengthened my ability to step back and look at the bigger picture. I bring both perspectives to every project I work on — along with a lifelong love of books and writing. 📚 EDITING SERVICES I specialize in fiction editing, particularly romance, dark romance, romantic suspense, fantasy/romantasy, sports romance and other character-driven stories. I also work extensively with nonfiction, self-help, business, academic and technical content. My services include: Copy Editing — with Track Changes Line & Editorial Editing — with Track Changes Proofreading AI Humanization Editing Beta Reading with honest, detailed reader reports Manuscript Evaluations & Feedback Business, Technical & Academic Editing I work primarily in Microsoft Word using Track Changes and Comments, so you always remain in control of your work. My goal isn't to rewrite your work into my voice. It's to help make your voice stronger. ✍️ EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT EDITORIAL EYE I currently work with multiple authors, including repeat clients who have returned to me for additional books and series. My editing experience includes contemporary romance, dark romance, sports romance, romantic suspense, fantasy, sci-fi, self-help and nonfiction. My professional background also allows me to comfortably move beyond fiction. With more than 20 years in engineering and manufacturing, I have extensive experience working with technical information, processes, documentation and professional communication. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, an MBA with a Lean Six Sigma focus and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. My academic experience also includes editing graduate-level research and Master's thesis work. Engineering taught me to find the problems. My MBA taught me to look at the bigger picture. Editing lets me bring both together. ❤️ WHEN I'M EDITING YOUR BOOK Grammar and punctuation are only part of the process. Depending on the level of editing you need, I'm also paying attention to pacing, dialogue, emotional tension, character development, continuity, timelines, repetition, plot inconsistencies, clarity and narrative flow. As both an editor and an avid romance reader, I understand reader expectations surrounding chemistry, emotional payoff, tropes, tension, character development and pacing. Your manuscript isn't simply another document that needs corrections. I approach editing as a partnership aimed at creating the strongest version of your story while protecting your individual voice. And one important note: Every edit is completed by me. I do not use AI to edit your manuscript. Your work receives 100% human attention. 📱 BOOKTOK & AUTHOR SUPPORT My work with authors doesn't necessarily end when the manuscript is finished. I'm also an active BookTok creator with a growing community of 4,000+ followers. For authors looking for additional support, I offer: BookTok Promotional Content Currently Reading Posts New Release & Release Day Content Honest Book Reviews Book Graphics & Promotional Posts Amazon & Goodreads Reviews Books must be provided for review, and turnaround times can be discussed based on your release schedule. Being active in the reader community also gives me another perspective as an editor. I see what gets readers excited, what they're talking about and what makes them want to pick up their next book. 📖 LET'S WORK TOGETHER Whether you're an author looking for an editor, a business that needs polished professional content, or someone with technical material that needs an editor who actually understands technical work, I'd love to hear about your project. Send me a message and tell me what you're working on. Let's make it something you're proud to put your name on.

I help authors strengthen manuscripts at every stage—from early developmental reads to final proofreading before publication. I’m a book editor, developmental editor, beta reader, copy editor, proofreader, and published author with experience working on fiction and nonfiction manuscripts ranging from short-form projects to 185,000-word novels. I focus on pacing, character development, continuity, clarity, consistency, readability, and narrative flow while preserving the author’s voice. I work especially well with thriller, suspense, romance, speculative fiction, literary fiction, and complex long-form manuscripts. Recent projects have included developmental and beta reads with detailed inline comments, continuity tracking, and comprehensive reader reports. Clients have praised my ability to identify where a story grips the reader, where momentum drops, and explain exactly why. Services include: • Developmental editing and manuscript evaluations • Beta and alpha reading with detailed reader reports • Inline comments and continuity checks • Copy editing and proofreading • Character, pacing, plot, and narrative-flow feedback • Fiction and nonfiction editing • AI-assisted content editing and humanization • British English to American English localization • Book blurbs and publishing copy Depending on the project, I can provide tracked changes, inline manuscript comments, a structured reader report, continuity notes, or a combination of these. As both a published author and editor, I understand how much work goes into a manuscript before another person ever sees it. Strong editing should strengthen the book—not rewrite it into the editor’s voice. I provide honest, specific, and actionable feedback. I’ll tell you what is working as well as what needs attention, and when I flag a problem, I explain why it affected the reading experience. For complex manuscripts and series, I pay particular attention to timelines, character knowledge, locations, relationships, recurring details, world-building rules, and plot threads that need to remain consistent across the story. If you’re looking for an editor who reads closely, communicates clearly, meets deadlines, and gives you feedback you can actually use, I’d love to help with your project.