The image of an author is usually that of a total hermit: cloistered in their study, plugging away at their manuscript. Though that describes the initial writing process well for some, that’s certainly not where it ends!
No matter what route you choose to go when publishing (traditional or independent), an editor can help you whip your novel into shape, whether through a developmental edit or a detailed-focused copy edit. If you’re looking to hire a freelance book editor to go over your novel, check out the professionals below.
1. Justin Brouckaert
Justin Brouckaert has held a number of different roles in the publishing world, from co-agent to editorial assistant, and his journey to becoming a publishing professional was anything but straightforward. Before becoming an editor he held a variety of jobs, being everything from a journalist to a Burger King employee.
His unconventional journey gives him a unique perspective on all the books he helps edit and publish for his clients. Many of the books he’s worked on, like Madhouse at the End of the Earth by Julian Sancton and Fierce Love by Dr. Jacqui Lewis, were published by Big Five publishers.
Fun Fact: Brouckaert’s creative work has appeared in The Rumpus, DIAGRAM, and Bat City Review, among others.
Specialty Genres: Biographies and memoirs, health and wellbeing, parenting and families, self-help and self-improvement, sex and relationships, sports and outdoors, travel, and literary fiction
2. Cynthia Constantino
Cynthia Constantino has over 15 years of developmental editing under her belt, and a host of other accomplishments to go along with it. She was the editor-in-chief and founder of the literary magazine, Prick of the Spindle, and the founder of Aqueous Books, a publisher focused on literary fiction.
Many of the books she’s edited over the years have been published by Penguin Random House, including The Natural Order of Things by Kevin P. Keating. Constantino’s vast experience across genres and industries – everything from editing nursing journals to ghostwriting business books – gives her a thorough and detail-oriented eye when it comes to editing fiction.
Fun Fact: For many years, Constantino was the managing editor of Victoria magazine, a women’s lifestyle magazine founded by Condé Nast.
Specialty Genres: Contemporary fiction, literary fiction
3. Kerry Cullen
With experience as both a literary agent and a publisher, Kerry Cullen can spot a story with potential from 20 paces — and help it achieve that potential. She’s also an author in her own right, and her work has been published in literary magazines like The Indiana Review and The Prairie Schooner. With the perspective of both a writer and an editor, Cullen uses her knowledge to improve novels no matter what genre they are.
Fun Fact: Cullen received her MFA from Columbia University.
Specialty Genres: Contemporary fiction, dystopian, horror, LGBTQ fiction, and short story
4. Jeff Hart
Jeff Hart is another author for himself, having published the YA novels Eat, Brains, Love and Undead With Benefits, so he keenly understands the trials and tribulations of writing a book. Being both an editor and an author has given Hart a unique perspective on both sides of the editorial process. Additionally, he’s worked as a creative consultant and a ghostwriter crafting YA novels for major publishing houses.
Fun Fact: Hart’s novel Eat, Brains, Love was shortlisted for the YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers.
Speciality Genres: Action and adventure, fantasy, literary fiction, middle grade, science fiction, thriller and suspense, young adult
5. Robert Kenney
Based in Rhode Island, Robert Kenney is a developmental editor with twenty years of experience freelancing as an editor and proofreader for ad agencies. In 2014, he decided to leave the world of ads behind to start his own editorial services company. With a focus on fiction and memoir, Kenney is committed to helping first-time writers and experienced authors alike create page-turning novels.
Fun Fact: Kenney is highly rated by his clients. His testimonials are glowing: “Professional, prompt, talented, eagle-eyed, critical but kind. Robert gave me exactly what I asked for and I can’t wait to implement his top-notch suggestions.”
Specialty Genres: Biographies and memoirs, dystopian, historical fiction, literary fiction, mystery and crime, romance, science fiction, and short story.
6. Skye Loyd
For the past 20 years, Skye Loyd has worked with publishers like Wiley, Rowman & Littlefield, and SAGE copyediting books and academic articles. She has an eye for detail and notices everything — from comma splices to awkward turns of phrase. Now she’s turned her attention to editing novels. Loyd strives to make the writing she works on more elegant and bring an author’s unique voice forward so they can be easily understood.
Fun Fact: Loyd has a wide background in art, music, and wildlife biology, and earned her bachelor’s degree in conservation biology from Brigham Young University.
Specialty Genres: Action and adventure, historical fiction, young adult, art, earth, space, and environmental science, history, life sciences, and music.
7. Travis Moran
Travis Moran has made himself a name in the world of sports publishing, having dedicated much of his writing and editing career to athletics. Currently an editor at TrueHoop, where he develops NBA-related features, he’s also interested in helping first-time authors improve their writing and develop their ideas.
In the past, Moran has aided best-selling authors and celebrity athletes with their books, working with big names like Buddy Martin and Leo Mazzone. Drawing on his skills as a writing consultant, he provides an imaginative and in-depth analysis of sports-themed stories and truly gets them to the next level.
Fun Fact: Moran is also a decorated international educator and taught writing courses at the Beijing Language and Culture University.
Specialty Genres: Biographies and memoirs, history, self-help and self-improvement, sports and outdoors, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, plays and screenplays, and short story.
8. Madeleine Nakamura
Madeleine Nakamura has eight years of editorial experience, having worked at newspapers, literary journals, tech companies, and publishing houses. For two years, she was the lead assistant editor for Red Hen Press, one of the largest independent presses in the United States, with a focus in publishing literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
During her time there, Nakamura edited Your Nostalgia is Killing Me by John Weir, winner of the Grace Paley Prize in Short Fiction. As an editor, she has an eye for detail that will help authors get their work from good to truly excellent.
Fun Fact: Nakamura is also an author whose debut fantasy novel, Cursebreakers, was released in September 2023.
Specialty Genres: Fantasy, LGBTQ fiction, literary fiction, and science fiction
9. Larissa Melo Pienkowski
Larissa Melo Pienkowski knows her way around the publishing world. Now a literary agent, she started out her career as an editor at indie presses like Barefoot Books, Dottir Press, and Beacon Press, after graduating with an MA in publishing and writing from Emerson College.
Since then Pienkowski has gone on to work with large publishers like Tor Books, Macmillan, St. Martin’s Press, and many more, editing books like Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell and Flash Fire by TJ Klune. Her undergraduate degree in social work heavily influences her editing as she’s committed to preserving the author’s voice and illuminating diverse experiences with compassion and integrity.
Fun Fact: As an undergraduate at Simmons University, Pienkowski wrote and performed poetry and edited a number of literary magazines.
Specialty Genres: Coming of age, contemporary fiction, cultural and ethnic, LGBTQ fiction, literary fiction, middle grade, romance, women’s fiction
10. Joe Pierson
With an astounding 30 years of experience editing fiction and nonfiction, Joe Pierson knows everything there is about how to make your book shine. He offers everything from developmental edits to basic grammar and punctuation checks. Having worked with big publishers and self-published authors alike, Pierson understands what goes into the process of writing and editing a novel. Whatever you’re looking for, he can help you work through all the tricky details.
Fun Fact: Pierson has edited the memoirs of Carl Reiner and Neile Adams McQueen.
Specialty Genres: Biographies and memoirs, cooking, food, wine, and spirits, entertainment, sex and relationships, fantasy, literary fiction, and science fiction
11. James Powell
Before becoming a freelancer, James Powell was an editor at Boeing (!) for almost twenty years. Now pursuing his lifelong passion for genre fiction, he’s eager to help new writers work through the editing process and create an engaging and enjoyable story.
Since then, he has edited novels like Postcards: True Stories That Never Happened by Jason Rodriguez and This Rough Old World by Brandon Barrows. His ultimate goal is to aid authors make a great book while remaining true to their voice and style. Powell hopes to not only be an editor to his clients, but also a writing coach, cheerleader, and teammate.
Fun Fact: Powell is also the writer and creator of House of Fear, a series that introduces middle grade readers to the chills and thrills of scary comics.
Specialty Genres: Comics and graphic novels, fantasy, horror, middle grade, mystery and crime, science fiction, and young adult
12. Carmen Smith
Carmen Smith has ten years of editing experience and an MA in English — and she’s not afraid to use it. She dreams big and wants to help the authors who work with her do the same.
Some of her accolades include leading a writing workshop with the National Endowment of the Arts’ Big Reads program, being the chief editor for world’s largest online HR encyclopedia, and editing Chip Heath’s NYT bestseller Making the Numbers Count, which has sold over 3 million copies.
Making your content smooth, crisp, and compelling is Smith’s ultimate goal, and she hopes to make each of her clients a bestseller.
Fun Fact: Smith has cycled across the USA, built a tiny house, and sailed the Sea of Cortez.
Specialty Genres: Biographies and memoirs, business and management, health and wellbeing, inspirational, LGBTQ non-fiction, psychology, self-help and self-improvement, and poetry
13. Lucy Vilankulu
Based in Minneapolis, Lucy Vilankulu has over 25 years of editorial experience ranging from fiction to nonfiction. Not everyone can say their portfolio includes paranormal romance and annual reports for ad agencies!
For eleven years, Vilankulu actually worked with occult publisher Llewellyn Worldwide, which gave her a solid foundation in alternative spirituality and genre fiction like romance and YA. Though she’s worked with many established authors, she’s just as excited to introduce first time authors to the world of publishing.
Fun Fact: Vilankulu was the editor and director of Minnesota Literature, a monthly publication of literary news, publications, and industry opportunities published continuously from 1974 to 2009.
Specialty Genres: African American fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, young adult, biographies and memoirs, health and wellbeing, history, and political science and current affairs
14. Becky Wallace
Like many authors on this list, Becky Wallace is both an accomplished writer and editor, and she has twelve years of traditional publishing experience. She loves making manuscripts sparkle by increasing tension, fleshing out characters, closing plot holes, and making the pacing perfect.
As an editor, she’s worked on books like Scritch Scratch by Lindsay Currie and Nooks & Crannies by Jessica Lawson. Alongside her editing work, Wallace is the author of four award-winning YA novels, and she’s ready to help others publish their own stories.
Fun Fact: Wallace’s novel, The Storyspinner, won the Bank Street’s Best Children Book of the Year award.
Specialty Genres: Chick lit, contemporary fiction, epic fantasy, middle grade, middle grade fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, young adult
15. Samantha Zaboski
Samantha Zaboski has held various roles in the publishing industry, from a publicist at a university press to a reader at a literary agency. During her time at a literary agency, she edited and helped bring to market numerous books including The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry and The Hidden Memory of Objects by Danielle Mages Amato.
Now, Zaboski is ready to help authors turn their manuscripts into published novels. As an editor, she focuses on strengthening story while maintaining voice and is keen to equip authors with tactics to master voice, plot structure, pacing, and character development.
Fun Fact: Zaboski is also a reviewer at Shelf Awareness where she reviews adult, YA, children’s fiction, and nonfiction books.
Specialty Genres: Fantasy, literary fiction, science fiction, thriller and suspense, and young adult
About the author
Savannah Cordova is a writer from London. Her work has been featured in Slate, Kirkus, BookTrib, DIY MFA, and more. She loves reading and writing short stories, and spends much of her time analyzing literary trends into the ground. You'll often find her with an iced vanilla latte, a book, and a furrow in her brow.
