Freelance Editors & Proofreaders

Below is a list of book editors and proofreaders who do freelance work. Click on their site names to visit their sites and learn more about their work and pricing.  If you know of a resource we’ve missed, please email us via the Contact Page in the navigation bar.

Listings are for informational purposes and do not imply endorsement by Author E.M.S.
We recommend you research and interview any freelancer before hiring.

  • Reedsy has posted an infographic on the editing and design costs for a published book, plus you can use their site to connect with editors.
  • At Writer Beware ® Blogs, contributor Victoria Strauss posted a guide for Vetting an Independent Editor.
  • And, if what you really need is someone qualified to translate and edit your work in a foreign language, check out Language+ Literary Translations. They’re a growing resource for literary translations.

Editors & Proofreaders


7 Madronas Communications

JoAnne Dyer offers line and copy editing, proofreading, writing; specializes in mysteries, thrillers, and nonfiction; will also help with web copy and marketing materials.


Academic and Professional Editing Services

Elizabeth Marx has 20+ years experience in editing theses, dissertations and business documents and offers copy-editing and proofreading in both American and British standards for spelling and punctuation.


Affordable Editors

specializes in sci-fi/fantasy, nonfiction, comic books, and more; offers developmental editing, copy editing, line editing, and proofreading services


Angela James

Former editorial director of Samhain Publishing and Carina Press, now offers freelance services in developmental and line editing for genre fiction, in particular romance and mystery. She also offers manuscript assessments, consultation and mentoring, and she teaches editing courses and workshops.


Anne Pottinger

offers proofreading, developmental editing, copy editing, line editing; former Avalon Books editor, also offers manuscript evaluations


Annie Seaton

offers developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, manuscript critiques, also edits other book submission materials.


Anselm Audley

freelance editor specializing in history and science (fiction and non-fiction) offers three levels of editing: appraisal of overall strengths and weaknesses, structural/developmental editing including the appraisal and line editing, and proposal editing (line editing of a proposal or up to 10K words of your manuscript). Also offers typsetting and conversion services.


Ascend Editing

content editing, copy editing, proofreading, contest submission evaluation, beta reading — offers quick turnaround


Athans & Associates

Philip Athans specializes in adult and YA fantasy and science fiction, but also edit other fiction genres as well as non-fiction and even technical writing


Blue Moon Creative Author Services

Karen Anders (aka Zoe Dawson) offers proofreading and developmental critiquing


Blue Otter Editing

Amy Knupp offers copy editing, line editing and proofreading services; works in Word using comments and track changes.


Bev Katz Rosenbaum

offers critiques, developmental editing and line or copy editing for picture books, chapter books, complete manuscripts, query letters, cover letters and synopses. She’s a former editor for Harlequin and McGraw-Hill Ryerson.


Book Edits by Jessi

Jessi Rita Hoffman has been helping authors for over 15 years. She edits both fiction and nonfiction, specializing in business, literary, memoir, and Christian.


Book Helpline

Judith Henstra offers developmental editing, content editing, copy editing, story analysis and publishing assistance. Free sample edit available.


Boom Essays

Carol Wise and the team offer editing of essays, theses, dissertations and all forms of academic papers, including math and science.


C.P. Proofreading & More

Jen FitzGerald offers basic level and critique partner type proofreading, as well as manuscript cleanup/basic formatting and series bible compilations.


Camden Park Press

offers line editing or proofreading.  The site has an online calendar that lets you view their availability.


Careful Copyediting

Amanda Sumner edits for mechanical errors, consistency and clarity of the text.


Carol Tietsworth

Offers copyediting and proofreading for all genres of books as well as term papers and web content


Chaotic Proofreading

Kelly has branched out from reviewing to proofreading, where she’ll check for typos, misspelled words, repeated words, verb tense agreement and more.


Christopher M. Park

computer artist and indie games developer Christopher Park shares a program he developed to analyze a manuscript for repetitive word usage.


Chromoschema Editing Services

Eric Anderson provides copy editing, content editing, proofreading, editorial evaluation, copy writing, book reviews and more.


Collaborative Editorial

Andrew Buss offers copyediting and proofreading, specializing in nonfiction books and academic papers.


Crazy Diamond Editing

Jane Haertel offers proofreading, copy and line editing, manuscript evaluations and will review your submission package or website.


Creative Manuscripts

Wendy Ely offers story structure and line editing


David Haviland

David Haviland is a bestselling writer, editor and literary consultant. He’s worked in most genres of trade fiction and non-fiction, including crime, thrillers, commercial-literary and comic fiction, memoirs, biographies, and true crime.


Deep Cover Edits

Kerri Nelson offers content editing, line editing, beta reading, critiques.


Demon for Details Manuscript Editing

Faith Freewoman offers copy and line editing as well as content and developmental editing.


Diana Orgain

offers private Manuscript Consulting and Editing services. She works with writers in various stages of the process from Chapter One to manuscript submission, including chapter-by-chapter feedback and overall critiques.


Diane Garland

Diane Garland specializes in continuity and story bibles for series and also offers proofreading services


Dickinson Copy Editing

Vince Dickinson provides affordable proofreading and developmental editing services for indie authors; offers a free sample edit so you can evaluate the quality of his services.


eBook Prep

offers full proofreading against the original (scroll to bottom of their services page to find info).


eBook-ed.it

offers copy editing, detailed critiques. Prices quoted in Euros.


Edited by Caitlin

Caitlin Alexander offers manuscript evaluation, developmental and structural editing, line editing, copyediting, query letter review, digital publisher consultation and uploading services.


Editing 720

freelance editing of theses, novels, screenplays and non-fiction by Arran; he doesn’t offer tiered services but does a complete edit of the full project.


Edits and Formatting by V

Victoria Bright offers content editing, line editing and proofreading in a combined package (no a la carte proofreading).


Eilis Flynn

with 35+ years’ experience, offers copy editing, line editing and proofreading for fiction,  non-fiction and articles.


Emily Eva Editing

Emily Hetherington offers editing and proofreading


The Error Eliminator

Liz Dempsey offers copy editing, proofreading, add final read-through services from New Zealand.


Excellence in Editing

Gina Ardito does a comprehensive conceptual edit, line edit and copy edit of your manuscript, including a written critique and analysis.


Fasttype Publishing Services

Lizabeth Rolfson offers copy editing, proofreading, formatting and ghost writing


Finish the Story

Claire Ashgrove, Bryan Thomas Schmidt and Alicia Dean offer manuscript critiques, editing services, final proofreading and formatting for digital and print books.


Firebrand Publishers

publishing services company created and run by authors and professional editors, offering content editing, editing, proofreading and ghost writing


formatting4U.com

offers copy editing and full story editing by Judi Fennell


Hedanicreations

H. Danielle Crabtree offers editing to independent authors.


Helen Hardt

offers copy editing, deep editing and mentoring


Helen Woodall

freelance editor of fiction, non-fiction offers editing in both U.S. and Australian English.


Help Me Edit

Candace Havens and her team offer editorial assistance for fiction, non-fiction and academic writing. Can also assist with cover design, digital book formatting, marketing, social media and media training.


Hill House Proofreading

Keri Hill offers proofreading and editing services in a variety of fiction genres. Also note: 20+ years proofreading, copyediting, medical terminology, and transcription.


hkdbooks

Hollie (British) and Kim (American) offer basic content editing and line editing of romance books. Also offer assistance with book covers, formatting and promotion.


Invisible Ink Editing

three-person team provides basic and detailed editing, beta reading, formatting, cover design and marketing assistance.


iProofread and More

copyediting, proofreading plus substantive and developmental editing


Jan Carol

Former court reporter Jan Carol edits your manuscript by physically retyping it. Has edited 70+ books since 2012 in almost every genre. Affordable rates.  Also offers CreateSpace formatting.


Jennifer Bray-Weber

offering critiquing and editorial services.


Karen Dale Harris

freelance editor specializing in romance offers substantive/content edits and line edits; will provide a sample edit. Her focus is on authors that self-publish or have hybrid careers.


Kirkus Reviews

offers an array of services to indie authors, collaborative editing, copyediting, proofreading, promotional copywriting. Sample fees: copyediting $.02/word; proofreading $.015/word.


Lea Schafer

line editing, proofreading, and manuscript critiques


Lisa Costantino

Lisa Costantino offers developmental critiques, substantive editing, copyediting, proofreading.


Literary Services by Laura

Laura Watkins offers creative, technical and website editing. She does not work on material that is R or X-rated. She also offers coaching, ebook formatting, and publicity assistance.


Little Alien

Parisa Zolfaghari has 10 years editing experience of fiction and nonfiction as both a freelance editor and content editor for one of the Big 5 publishers. Provides content editing on all genres of fiction, as well as narrative nonfiction and memoirs, proofreading, and ebook design and formatting for both fiction and nonfiction.


Looking Glass Editing

offers proofreading and light or heavy copy editing.


Lucky Bat Books

offers proofreading, line-editing, book editing, cover design.


Michael Mandarano

has 7 years’ experience copyediting and proofreading for a major publishing house, works in American and British English, edits fiction and non-fiction and can work with a number of softwares and even on hard copy; also formats digital book files for Kindle, iPad, Nook, Kobo and Smashwords.


Manuscript Proofing

proofreads full manuscripts and submission partials.


MeganEdits

Megan offers comprehensive editing and formatting services with the skills she learned as an editor for a POD publisher.


The Midnight Line Editor

Caro Carson offers editing, proofreading, author’s final proof, critique.


Mountainview Books

Family-owned independent publisher offers proofreading and copyediting services.


Nan Reinhardt

Nan is a copy editor with over 25 years of experience working with nonfiction and fiction editing for major publishers and indie authors.


Ninja Essays

provides professional editing assistance, proofreading, formatting and sentence structure conversion for essays, dissertations and other academic papers.


A Novel Edit

Beth Hill offers a full edit or the first thirty pages.


Novel Needs

provides manuscript editing as well as other virtual assistant services, formatting and cover design.


Novel Proofreading

uses the Track Changes tool in MS Word to communicate suggested changes.


One on One Book Production & Marketing

Complete copy/content editing, and proofing to prepare your book for production. Over 35 years publishing experience on hundreds of different projects. Other services include: Cover and Interior Design, Typesetting, and complete Marketing-Promotion and Distribution.


PaperFixr

an online editing and proofreading service that specializes in academic papers, research journals, business documents, technical writing, and other shorter document types.


Pat Thomas Editor

offers substantive editing, copy editing, proofreading.


Pendley’s Pro Editing

Heather Pendley offers indexing, proofreading and copy editing for fiction, non-fiction, blog posts, and resumés


Pikko’s House

Crystal Watanabe offers beta reading, developmental editing, line editing and proofreading services.


PlagTracker

Web-based professional service offering editing and proofreading of academic papers, dissertations, resumes, cover letters and more. Be sure to check home page for a discount code.


Practical Proofing

Jena O’Connor offers Quick Clean-Up (read of scanned published book to correct scanning errors in digital file), copy editing and proofreading services.


Rainbow Tales Editing Service

offers services ranging from content editing to proofreading for full manuscripts of fiction (almost any genre) and non-fiction, as well as short stories and anthologies; also does academic editing, including for writers for whom English is not their native language.


Red Circle Ink

Jessa Slade offers offers critique service and “friendly advice” of romance, science fiction, fantasy and thrillers.


The Red Pen Coach

offers synopsis review, proposal package deal, line edits, story review.


Red Pen Reviews

Laura Ownbey offers freelancesample segment edits, manuscript overviews and line editing; she’s also an editorial assistant for Spencer Hill Press; will work on fiction of any genre, but specializes in fantasy, science fiction and YA.


Rhonda Edits

offers line edits, content critiquing, more.


Rock Editorial Services

Former Writers House literary agent Maya Rock offers developmental editing specializing in memoir, YA, romance, thriller and literary. She also offers query and synopsis services.


Romance Refined

Rachel Daven Skinner offers substantive editing, line editing and copyediting services for publishers, self-publishing authors and writers seeking to refine manuscripts before submitting to agents or publishers. Works with nearly all genres of romance genre fiction and romantic fiction, including young adult, new adult and adult fiction.


The Rebel Christian

Vee Garris offers beta reading, proofreading and editorial services for authors of YA, fantasy, romance and Christian fiction


The Romantic Editor

sample edits, critiques, content édits, line edits, copy edits, proofreading and more services from Kristin Anders


Sandra Sookoo

author Sandra Sookoo offers comprehensive editing (including plot issues and character development) as well as line editing and digital and print book formatting services


Sharon, Storytelleur

Sharon provide developmental editing, line editing, proofreading and ghostwriting. She also provides editorial critiques and assessments. Her clients span the fiction and nonfiction genres.


SPS

SPS, or Self-Publishing Services, offers developmental, substantive, copyediting and proofreading of full manuscripts and 3-chapter partials for submission to contests, agents and editors. Also offers formatting, uploading, marketing assistance.


Story Therapy

Lynda Hilburn offers beta reading and developmental editing, plus a specialized service focusing on overall plot/character feedback with an emphasis on emotions and relationships.


Susan Helene Gottfried

offers content editing, copy editing, proofreading.


Susie Halliday

offers editing, submission analyses, book critiques and book packaging services


Tanya Saari, Fiction Editor

offers proofreading, copyediting and substantive editing.


Tessa Shapcott

former Harlequin Mills & Boon editor with 30+ years’ experience offers developmental editing, line editing, and second reads, as well as  assistance writing synopses, back cover copy, author bios and advertising copy.


Thelma Mariano

offers story critique, developmental editing and line editing for women’s fiction and light paranormal.


There and Their

Dhwani Swadia offers book editing and proofreading services.  Also offers book reviews and social media-based marketing packages.  Based in India, prices are quoted in rupees.


Tom Zelman

SFF author and freelance proofreader proofreads novels and court transcripts. Works with authors, publishing houses and court reporters.


Trish Milburn

offers copy editing, proofreading.


Unleash Creatives

Founder and co-owner, Jen Knox, earned her BA from Otterbein and MFA from Bennington College. An award-winning author and a creative writing instructor for over fifteen years, Jen offers 1:1 coaching, developmental editing, and creative workshops to writers at all stages of their careers. She takes writers from idea to draft and draft to publication. Her partner offers illustration and formatting support for authors and artists.


Victoria Mixon

offers copy editing, line editing and developmental editing


Victory Editing

Anne Victory offers line editing with secondary services of proofreading and “oops” detection.


Whelan Writing Services

offers book editing.


Wicked Dragon Writer Solutions

Amber Kallyn and Jami Gray offer content editing and proofreading of manuscripts, as well as feedback on queries.


With Pen in Hand

offers editing, query letters, short stories.


Word Witlox

Cathy Witlox offers stylistic editing, copy editing, proofreading.


The Write Edge

Ekta Garg offers content editing, copy editing, proofreading.


YA Book Editor

Ivelisse Rodriguez specializes in editing young adult and middle grade literature books and offers manuscript critiques. Free sample edit available.