##The project *Before the Storm: A Father's Story of Autism, Meltdowns, and Learning to Hear What His Son Couldn't Say* is a short narrative nonfiction / memoir manuscript, roughly 16,000 words, written under a pen name (Simon Hale). It's a true story: a father's account of raising his autistic son, structured in three acts — the daily reality of the struggle, the family learning to read the boy, and what they decided to build as a result. The book ends by introducing a real project the family is developing. It's written for parents of autistic and special-needs children, and it's intended to be both a standalone book and the front door to a related product and community. I'm hiring a developmental editor for a full critical pass before publication. I have a hard production deadline (details below), so turnaround matters. ## What I need from you A developmental / substantive edit — not a copyedit or proofread (those come later). I want your assessment of the book at the level of structure, pacing, voice, emotional impact, and credibility. Specifically: 1. **Does it work as a whole?** Is the three-act arc earned? Does the ending (the introduction of the project) land as a natural conclusion to the story, or does it read like a pitch — and if so, exactly where does it tip? 2. **Pacing and momentum.** Where does it drag, repeat itself, or lose you? Where do you skim? Flag specific passages. 3. **Voice and tone.** Is the first-person father's voice consistent, warm, and credible? Where does it slip into sentimentality, over-writing, or "tell" instead of "show"? 4. **Emotional honesty.** Where does anything ring false, exaggerated, or written-for-effect rather than true? This is a personal story and I would rather it be unflinching than flattering. 5. **The recurring metaphors and motifs** (e.g., the "needle," the barometer, "before the storm"). Are they effective or overused? Flag repetition. 6. **Chapter-level notes.** Which chapters are strongest, which are weakest, and why. What would you cut, expand, or reorder? 7. **The science.** The book weaves in research (masking, alexithymia, physiological prediction of meltdowns, co-regulation, etc.) with a sourced notes section at the back. Does the science land naturally in the narrative without lecturing, and does anything feel overstated? 8. **Anything that would draw criticism.** Where might a skeptical reader, a clinician, or an autistic self-advocate object? I want those spots flagged hard. ## What I do NOT need Encouragement. I've already had early readers tell me they love it, and that feedback hasn't helped me improve the book. I'm paying specifically for the critical eye those readers couldn't give me. Please be direct — tell me what isn't working, what's weak, what you'd cut. Blunt is useful; polite is not. You will not hurt my feelings, and candor is the single most valuable thing you can deliver. ## Format of deliverable Whatever you work best in — tracked changes and margin comments in the Word document, an editorial letter summarizing the big-picture notes, or both (both is ideal: a 1–3 page editorial letter for the structural/global issues, plus in-line comments for specific spots). I care more about the substance of the feedback than the format. ## Logistics - Manuscript: ~16,000 words, Word document, provided on hire. - Timeline: I need notes back within [X] days — I have a firm publication deadline of mid-July and need time to integrate your feedback. Please only take this on if you can meet that turnaround. - Before we start the full edit, I'd like a **paid sample edit of one chapter** (your choice or mine) so we can confirm fit. I'll pay for the sample regardless of whether we proceed. - Confidentiality: this is an unpublished manuscript and a true family story told under a pen name. Please keep it confidential. ## About fit This book benefits from an editor with experience in **memoir or narrative nonfiction specifically** (not primarily fiction). If you have any background, lived experience, or subject familiarity with autism, neurodiversity, disability, or special-needs parenting, please mention it — it's genuinely valuable for this project, though not required. ## To respond Please tell me: (1) your relevant memoir/nonfiction editing experience, (2) your availability against the timeline above, (3) your rate for a ~16k-word developmental edit plus a one-chapter paid sample, and (4) in a sentence or two, what you think a developmental edit should accomplish. That last one tells me more than a portfolio.

I need someone to beautifully format my 72k novel. The task involves organizing the ms, ensuring proper layout, and enhancing readability. Attention to detail and organizational skills are essential. The ideal candidate will have experience in formatting large fiction manuscripts and a keen eye for aesthetics.

I need someone to put in edits in five reflowable EPUBS. They were made in IngramSpark's bookbuilder program and now I need those EPUBS to be updated. The task involves updating existing EPUBs, which suggests a need for attention to detail and familiarity with EPUB standards.

I'm looking for an experienced book marketing professional to promote my AI/math book on Amazon and across social media. Responsibilities: Create and execute a book promotion strategy Optimize Amazon book listing (SEO/keywords) Run Amazon Ads and Meta/LinkedIn campaigns Reach out to reviewers, bloggers, podcasts, and influencers Increase book visibility, reviews, and sales Requirements: Proven experience marketing books (please share examples) Experience with Amazon KDP marketing and Amazon Ads Strong communication skills Data-driven approach with measurable results Please include examples of books you've promoted and the results you achieved.

Hello, I am looking for an individual to format my short nonfiction guide with pictures. The book is currently 8,876 words, but it has quite a lot of photos in it. I'm not sure of the exact number, but it's probably close to 50. I am looking for the guide to be formatted for PDF, EPUB, and MOBI. Thank you,

Do you have any experience in converting a Kindle e-book to a pdf. It's for my own book https://www.routledge.com/Teaching-and-Researching-Listening/Rost/p/book/9781032487908, so it's not a copyright issue--though there may be some difficulty in navigating through Kindle? Of course, I have pre-final versions of all the chapters (before final corrections), but I'd like to convert it all into a single pdf, including the cover. Can you help with that? There are directions on how to do this online, but I figure if someone has more technical skills, they could do it more efficiently. I would pay you in advance for purchase of the e-book, and then pay you the fee for the conversion after I receive it. Thank you for considering this. Please let me know if you have successful experience with type of conversion, with a sample if available.

Need an expert in formatting existing art to IngramSpark specs for a 32-page children's book. Photo illustrations need to be bumped to 300 dpi as well. The ideal candidate will have experience in book design and formatting, ensuring the final product meets IngramSpark's technical requirements.

I need an experienced Amazon KDP designer to prepare my book for print. The interior is already complete—I only need the images and book cover adjusted, properly sized, and formatted to meet Amazon KDP print requirements. I need print-ready files that upload without errors, including the correct cover dimensions, bleed, margins, and image placement. Please have experience with KDP formatting and provide examples of similar work.

Looking for an individual to format a short nonfiction guide on exercise. The guide is roughly 13,000 words at this moment, but that is subject to change as I am still editing the final pieces. I'm looking for someone to be able to format and export the finished product into an EPUB, MOBI, and PDF. If this goes well, I may just keep you on for future projects. I have multiple guides I am working on. Thank you.

Expert Developmental Editor Needed – Peak Financial Flow I am seeking an experienced developmental editor to help me complete my nonfiction book, Peak Financial Flow. This is more than a proofreading project. I’m looking for a collaborative editor who can help shape the manuscript into a compelling, polished book that educates, inspires, and engages a broad audience. About the Book Peak Financial Flow combines practical financial planning with timeless principles of wealth-building, personal growth, and intentional living. My goal is to simplify complex financial concepts into actionable strategies that readers can immediately apply to improve their financial lives. What I Need The ideal editor will help me: * Strengthen the book’s overall structure, flow, and pacing. * Improve clarity while preserving my voice. * Eliminate repetition and sharpen each chapter. * Enhance storytelling, examples, and reader engagement. * Provide candid, constructive feedback that elevates the manuscript. Ideal Qualifications * Extensive experience editing successful nonfiction books. * Background in personal finance, investing, business, leadership, or self-development is preferred. * Strong developmental editing skills and a collaborative approach. About Me I am a wealth advisor with more than three decades of experience helping individuals and families build financial confidence and long-term wealth. Peak Financial Flow is the culmination of the principles, strategies, and real-world lessons I’ve developed throughout my career, written to help readers create greater financial freedom and live more intentional lives. If you’ve helped develop exceptional nonfiction books and enjoy collaborating with authors to produce their best work, I’d love to hear from you. Please include examples of nonfiction books you’ve edited and why you believe you’d be a strong fit for this project.