The best manuscript editors for hire near Kansas City

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Maria 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, United States

Insightful, inspiring Developmental Editor of 25+ years specializing in Historical fiction, Self-Help, Spec fiction. Tailored-to-you edits.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Post-Apocalyptic, Philosophy, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Psychology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Claire 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, USA

16+ years building USA Today/NYT/Bestselling/Award-Winning careers in sci-fi, fantasy, and romance. I'm thorough and kind, with short waits.

Genres: Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance, and Romantic Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Wordfire Press
  • The Wild Rose Press
  • Entangled Publishing

Jon 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, USA

Professional book editor and writer with a soft spot for non-fiction. I'm also a frequent traveler and (occasional) travel writer.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Travel, Music, Humanities & Social Sciences, History, Geography, and DIY & Crafts.

Work experience:

  • Freelance
  • Skyhorse Publishing

Jen 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, USA

Thorough and encouraging editor of fantasy, romance, and mystery. 10+ years editing for indie authors. 3+ years at Hallmark Publishing.

Genres: Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Comedy, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, and Romantic Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Hallmark Publishing
  • Self-employed

Ann Leslie 5 star rating

New York City, NY, United States

Over 25 years' editorial experience at a Big 5 publisher and a literary agency, specializing in commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Romantic Comedy, Psychological Thriller, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Harlequin Books
  • Dystel, Goderich & Bourret

Allison 5 star rating

Jersey City, NJ, United States

Jack-of-all-trades editor specializing in literary fiction and academic work (journal articles, book chapters, dissertations).

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Life Sciences, Math & Science, Writing & Publishing, Sports & Outdoors, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Wiley

Diane 5 star rating

Lawrence, Kansas, United States

My sweet spot is MG and YA fiction. I'll help you find your story (ornery manuscripts don't scare me!) and figure out how to tell it.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

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Shelly 5 star rating

Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Over 15 yrs editing for both new and bestselling fiction authors. I guide and teach, while empowering you to keep your voice. Let's chat!

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Holiday, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Cozy Mysteries, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Howard 5 star rating

Traverse City, MI, USA

I specialize in editing fiction and nonfiction with Jewish themes, helping authors find their unique voices and craft compelling narratives.

Genres: Political Science & Current Affairs, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Writing & Publishing, Life Sciences, Math & Science, Business & Management, Judaism, Religion & Spirituality, and Biographies & Memoirs.

Work experience:

  • Alliance of Independent Authors
  • Self-employed
  • Foreword Reviews
  • Vine Leaves Press

T.S. 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

A NYT bestselling and award-winning editor of children's and YA/teen fiction with 16 years of experience at Top 5 publishing imprints.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Middle Grade Fantasy, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, LGBTQ Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Azantian Literary Agency
  • Jimmy Patterson Books/Little, Brown (Hachette Book Group)
  • Inkyard Press/Harlequin Teen (Harper Collins)
  • Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group)

Amy 5 star rating

Salt Lake City, UT, USA

I am an editor, literary agent, writing coach and copywriter. I've been working with authors to hone their manuscripts for 20+ years.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Middle Grade Fantasy, Picture Books, Young Adult, Women's Fiction, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, History, and Humanities & Social Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Janklow & Nesbit Associates
  • Self-employed

RuthAnne 5 star rating

Salt Lake City, UT, USA

Editor specializing in romance and YA, with additional copyediting and proofreading experience. Published author with Sky Pony Press.

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Fiction, Coming of Age, Young Adult, and Romantic Comedy.

Work experience:

  • Deseret Book/Shadow Mountain Publishing
  • University of Utah
  • Blue Ocean Brain
  • Salt Lake City Weekly
  • Policy Institute for Children
  • Pitch Wars

Sophia 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

I'm currently an editor at HarperCollins. I love working collaboratively with writers at all stages of the process!

Genres: Coming of Age, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Romance, and Biographies & Memoirs.

Work experience:

  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • The Paris Review
  • MAYDAY Magazine
  • Book Culture

Tamson 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

I have twenty years of experience in editing, writing, and publishing for children of all ages at major publishing houses.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Picture Books, Children’s Non-Fiction, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Disney Hyperion
  • Self-employed
  • HarperCollins Children’s Books
  • Harcourt Children’s Books

Trace 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

Editor specializing in spirituality, religion, and self-help with 25 years of experience at Penguin Random House and Paulist Press.

Genres: Inspirational, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Religion & Spirituality, Biographies & Memoirs, Health & Wellbeing, and Humanities & Social Sciences.

Work experience:

  • Paulist Press
  • Penguin Random House

Susan 5 star rating

New York City, NY, USA

Hire me to edit your manuscript with empathy and the expertise honed by 30 years at Big Five Publishers.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Action & Adventure, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Macmillan Publishers / Tor Books

Stephen 5 star rating

Maplewood, United States

Top editor for 30+ years, novelist, sf/f story writer, poet. Specializes in NF and SF/F. I'll help you write a book you're proud of.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, Sports & Outdoors, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Avon Books
  • Wiley
  • Amacom
  • Thomas Dunne Books

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Hire the best developmental editors in Kansas City, Missouri

Every manuscript has to be edited before publication. The developmental edit is the first part of this process, and the one that most drastically changes a manuscript, as it involves extensively evaluating plot development, character arcs, pacing, and story structure. From changing the order of events to rewriting entire scenes or condensing action for a faster pace, a manuscript emerges on the other side of developmental editing as a much sharper version of itself.

A developmental editor in Kansas City will be able to use their inside understanding of publishing trends and genre tropes to advise you on the specific areas that need improvement in your own project. This is a collaborative process, where you and your editor work consider solutions to problems together, and arrive at a tighter, more controlled manuscript.

Hire a developmental editor in Kansas City today to give your book its best chance of success. Reedsy has a large selection of talented and experienced editors, all individually vetted, so why not sign up and request a free quote today?

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Step 3

Request quotes

Request quotes from up to five freelancers at any time. They’ll look at your sample pages to give you a tailored quote as well as a sense of how they work.

Step 4

Collaborate

Once you agree on terms and a timeline, you’ll start collaborating using the many communication and editing tools available on Reedsy.