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If you’re a Canadian author who has written a book, it is vital to edit it before you send it to a literary agent or book publisher.
The last thing you want to do is reduce your chances of getting accepting by agents or publishers by submitting a poorly written manuscript.
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But there’s only so much self-editing you can do.
You can never be sure if your book flows smoothly, whether its content makes sense at all stages and whether its structure is appropriate if you’re editing it only by yourself, let alone be able to catch all the grammar and spelling mistakes.
Your book needs to be edited by a professional editor.
Below you’ll find 19 top book editors in Canada.
1. Jennifer Herrington
Prior to becoming an independent editor in 2017, Jennifer Herrington worked as a proofreader and developmental editor for many companies in the publishing industry. She’s based in Toronto, Ontario, and has a Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing and another editing certificate from the Simon Fraser University.
Jennifer offers developmental editing, editorial assessments, and content editing. She’s eager to work with new and experienced authors alike, but her favorite is to help independent writers who chose to self-publish their manuscripts.
As for genres, Jennifer loves editing romance and young adult books. Lynne Connolly’s Virginia and the Wolf, Mackenzie Crowne’s To Win Her Heart, and Maggie Dallen’s The Accidental Elopement are but a few of the wonderful titles she helped improve.
Feel free to contact Jennifer to find out about her editing service rates and availability.
2. Heather Sangster
Perhaps the most high-profile editor on this list is Heather Sangster. Based in Toronto, Ontario, she’s been in the publishing industry since 1988. She co-founded Strong Finish Editorial Design in 2006 to assist everyone from promising writers to companies and publishers.
Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins are but a few of her big-name clients. Margaret Atwood has had Heather as her main copy editor for 25 years — and her portfolio boasts 59 bestsellers and 118 award-winning titles.
Her developmental editing and copy editing services apply to fiction and non-fiction. Historical fiction, literary fiction, and crime & mystery are her preferred genres. In terms of non-fiction, Heather edits works on self-improvement, politics & current affairs, and biographies.
Heather helped furnish Dionne Brand’s The Blue Clerk, Leonard Cohen’s Book of Longing, and Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments.
Reach out to Heather to discuss rates and availability.
3. Natalie Morrill
Natalie Morrill is easily one of the best editors in Ottawa, Ontario. She herself is a writer — and a highly praised one at that. In particular, she’s a recipient of the Canadian Jewish Literary Award for Fiction and the HarperCollins Canada/UBC Prize for Best New Fiction.
Apart from this, Natalie teaches professional writing at Algonquin College. Currently, she edits fiction for Dappled Things Magazine. If you’ve written character-driven fiction or refreshing narrative non-fiction, Natalie will be eager to offer her copy editing and substantive editing services.
Previously, she edited Eleanor Albanese’s If Tenderness Be Gold and Andre Reigner’s Clear & Simple: How to Have Conversations That Lead to Conversion.
If you’re ready to take your manuscript to the next level, ask for a quote from Natalie.
4. Amy Butcher
Thanks to her education in linguistics and editing, Amy Butcher knows exactly what makes sentences and paragraphs work. The editor based in Montreal, Quebec, also learned a ton about drama in school. Thus, she has a keen sense of crafting stories that evoke and inspire readers. Given these, it’s no wonder that Amy has been a successful freelance editor since 2006.
Her expertise resides in copy editing and developmental editing. Likewise, her preferred fiction genres are thriller, mystery, and crime. Readers won’t find your book to be a slog to finish once Amy tunes the pacing and overall structure.
Duncan Simpson’s epic The Dark Horizon Trilogy and Andrew Argyle’s The Dreams That Make Us were all made better by Amy’s unfailing editing.
Go ahead and inquire about her services once you have a written project in need of evaluation.
5. Nena Rawdah
Having been in the industry since 2001 as a freelance editor, Nena Rawdah has been a godsend to many authors. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, and owned the local St. Johns Booksellers for more than 11 years — allowing her to realize what kind of writing succeeds from a business perspective.
With a professional certificate in copy editing from Editors Canada, there’s no doubt Nena is one of the most trustworthy editors in her area. Of course, she also offers developmental editing. Both services are available for writers of non-fiction.
Her incredible portfolio includes Dr. Samantha Pinto’s Infamous Bodies: Early Black Women’s Celebrity and the Afterlives of Rights and Shane Parrish and Rhiannon Beaubien’s The Great Mental Models.
Simply approach Nena online for price quotes.
6. Gillian Rodgerson
For authors in Toronto, Ontario, there’s always Gillian Rodgerson. She began her career in 2004. To this day, she’s both a freelance editor and the senior editor of the independent Insomniac Press.
Gillian is an editor member of Crime Writers of Canada and shares her extensive knowledge by teaching trade fiction editing at Ryerson University.
She’s comfortable conducting copy editing and developmental editing on any book, but she’s had much experience editing manuscripts about feminism, LGBTQ, mysteries, memoirs, and literary fiction. Gillian worked on Stan Rogal’s Dog the Moon, Nairne Holtz’s Femme Confidential, and Liz Bugg’s Orange and Lemons, among others.
Request a quote from Gillian with ease.
7. Hilary Doda
Hilary Doda started her passion for editing way back in 1998 when she worked for Dream Pod 9 as a line editor. Since 2002, she’s been an independent editor located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but Hilary was also Sourcebooks Casablancas’s developmental and line editor from 2014 to 2020.
She’s always ready to offer her copy editing and developmental editing services to authors of fiction. Hilary’s had the most experience with the romance genre, but Hilary likes horror, and historical fiction too, among others. Manuscripts focused on games and LGBTQ are welcome as well.
As for non-fiction, this proficient editor can help with projects in humanities and social sciences. Hilary’s portfolio includes Marc-Alexandre Vezina’s Heavy Gear Technical Manual and Alyson McLayne’s The Sons of Gregor MacLeod.
So if you have a book about role-playing games or any of the aforementioned genres that needs editing, message Hilary online.
8. Janna Green
Residing in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Janna Green is the go-to editor for many writers because of her wit and expertise. Her 13-year journey as an assistant editor, editor, and developmental editor at Oxford University Press proves Janna’s tenacity in meeting deadlines and correcting every detail.
Janna specializes in the developmental editing and copy editing of non-fiction works. In particular, social sciences, humanities, and education & reference are her favored fields of study.
If you need proof of her mastery in non-fiction editing, just know that she edited the likes of Catherine Corrigall-Brown’s Imagining Sociology: An Introduction with Readings and William Norton and Michael Mercier’s Human Geography.
When you’re in doubt about the style and quality of your scholarly work, contact Janna.
9. Hala Saadani
Hala Saadani of Ottawa, Ontario, offers a unique perspective for authors. For one, she’s a third culture individual (TCI) and hopes to bridge English and Arabic culture. Second, she leads the Children’s and Young Adult Publishing division of HBKU Press.
Writers of young adult and middle-age fiction, along with fictional picture books and graphic novels, can discuss their works with Hala whether they’re in English or Arabic. For non-fiction, Hala’s most excellent in academic works and Middle East Studies.
Copy editing and developmental editing are her primary editing services. She’s responsible for the great quality of Frances Gillespie’s Qatar Nature Explorer Pack and the Arabic version of R. J. Palacio’s Wonder.
Discuss editing rates with her online.
10. Cassandre Cadieux
After receiving her diploma in book & magazine publishing at Centennial College, Cassandre Cadieux began her editing career. In 2015, Rogers Communications promoted her from an assistant managing editor and copy editor to their managing editor.
However, she’s been offering freelance editing in Toronto, Ontario, since 2013. Cassandre is adept at copy-editing of non-fiction entertainment, romance fiction, women’s fiction, and comics and graphic novels.
She provided concise, substantial inputs to Heidi Rice’s Movie Bliss: A Hopeless Romantic Seeks Movies to Love and Tiffany Reisz’s The Headmaster.
When your manuscript needs refining, contact Cassandre.
11. Maya Fowler Sutherland
Maya Fowler Sutherland is an established freelancer in the book industry. Situated in Revelstoke, British Columbia, she’s the recipient of the 2011 Maskew Miller Longman Award for Youth Literature and has worked for Penguin Random House, Media24, and the Oxford University Press.
Don’t worry if you’re just starting out as a writer. Maya assists authors whether they prefer traditional or self-publishing. Her copy editing and developmental editing services are available for writers of memoirs, biographies, and fiction such as children’s fiction and literary fiction.
Maya contributed to Roger Epp’s Only Leave a Trace: Meditations, Ilse Johansen’s Surviving the Gulag: A German Woman’s Memoir, and Bernice Fischer’s Jeff Madison and the Rise of the Dreamons.
For more details about her editorial services, you can contact her here.
12. Candida Hadley
In 2009, Candida Hadley started her job as an acquisitions and development editor for the independent Fernwood Publishing. For 11 years, she helped edit acclaimed and best-selling works while learning more about social sciences.
In 2020, she began working as a freelance editor situated in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Through developmental editing and copy editing, Candida hopes to help individuals and organizations alike in crafting compelling written works.
Candida edits non-fiction writing and is primarily intrigued by manuscripts exploring social issues such as race, gender, and poverty. She worked on Stephen Dale’s Noble Illusions: Young Canada Goes to War and Katerina Deliovsky’s White Femininity: Race, Gender & Power, to name a few.
Requesting a quote from Candida is quick and easy.
13. Suzanne Sutherland
Suzanne Sutherland hails from Toronto, Ontario, and has been working for HarperCollins Publishers LTD since 2015. In 2020, she was promoted to senior editor of the Canadian children’s publishing program. She’s written three novels herself and has edited award-winning titles throughout her career spanning over 10 years.
She’s an outstanding development editor who can also provide substantial editorial assessments. Young adult and middle-grade fiction are what she focuses on.
Some of the titles she’s edited include Kenneth Oppel’s Inkling, Kim Smith’s Boxitects, and Brian Francis’s Break in Case of Emergency, which was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award.
You can request a quote from Suzanne here.
14. Victoria Curran
Victoria Curran earned her degree in English at York University and a certificate of magazine publishing at Ryerson University. Based in Newmarket, Ontario, she was an editor for Harlequin from 2003 to 2011. She then served as their senior editor until August 2017.
Her editing services include line, copy, and developmental editing. She loves working on romance and women’s fiction, but Victoria also doesn’t mind fantasy, adventure, thriller, comedy, and inspirational non-fiction.
Victoria’s portfolio of award-winning books she’s edited includes Rula Sinara’s The Promise of Rain, Beth Andrews’s A Not-So-Perfect Past, and Margaret Watson’s His Hometown Girl.
Once you’re ready to have your manuscript checked, request a quote.
15. Michael Mirolla
Michael Mirolla has over 40 years of experience in editing — and he even managed a publishing house at one point. Located in Hamilton, Ontario, he strives to bring out the best writing in every author. Michael knows the value of time, so he opts to keep himself available for contact as much as possible.
He offers copy editing, developmental editing, and editorial assessment. If your fiction project is about magical realism, cultural & ethnic fiction, or contemporary fiction, then Michael can definitely work on it. Similarly, he’ll gladly help you with non-fiction categories such as memoirs, history, and current affairs.
Keith Garebian’s Poetry Is Blood (257) (Essential Poets), Elizabeth Langridge’s Arise the Dead I: The Great War (MiroLand Book 14), and Kristin Andrychuk’s Cadillac Road (Essential Prose Book 132) were edited by him to great effect.
If you’d like to work with Michael, feel free to request a quote.
16. Ceileigh Mangalam
Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Ceileigh Mangalam was an intern at the editorial department of Simon & Schuster Canada and finished the book publishing program of Humber College. Furthermore, she has a degree in English.
Since 2016, Ceileigh has offered developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and manuscript evaluation services as an independent editor. Trade fiction and non-fiction are accepted — including sci-fi, literary fiction, young adult fiction, memoirs, and books on cooking and health and wellness.
She edited Joan Crate’s Black Apple, Marissa Stapley’s Things to Do When It’s Raining, and Genevieve Graham’s Tides of Honour.
You can conveniently ask Ceileigh for a price quote here.
17. Karmen Wells
In 2013, Karmen Wells worked for Western Report and began her career as an editor. From 2017 to 2019, she offered editing services to McClelland & Stewart of Penguin Random House Canada, The Rights Factory, and HarperCollins Canada.
Since 2019, this exemplary editor from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has been a self-employed editor. She does developmental editing on speculative fiction, psychological thrillers, and contemporary fiction. Still, her favorite genre is horror. Karmen’s even a member of the Horror Writers Association.
Hailey Piper’s The Worm and His Kings, Steven Halls’ Maxwell’s Demon, and Alison Taylor’s Aftershock were all finely edited by Karmen.
You can get in touch with her with one click.
18. Jane de Roussan
If you’re looking for a highly experienced editor in Montreal, Quebec, then you should approach Jane de Roussan. She has over 30 years of relevant experience — and it all started in 1974 when she served as a senior editor for Tundra Books.
In 1983, she and her husband Jacques de Roussan established their own publishing company called Roussan Editeur Inc. After Jacques passed away, she retired as a publisher and transitioned to freelance editing.
Whether you require assistance in copy editing or developmental editing, Jane has the necessary skills to refine your work. She’s confident working on all kinds of fiction from children’s fiction to contemporary and young adult fiction.
Two of the very first books she edited are Northern Nativity: Christmas Dreams of a Prairie Boy and A Prairie Boy’s Summer both written by William Kurelek.
Request a quote when you’re ready to work with her.
19. Dawn Loewen
Dawn Loewen is a sought-after editor from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. With more than two decades of experience working on a wide variety of genres for readers of all ages, her portfolio has more than 125 books — and she has a professional certificate in copy editing from Editors Canada.
Fiction and non-fiction projects are both welcome. Dawn can look into poetry, picture books, literary fiction, and middle-grade fiction. Thanks to her master’s degree in science, she’s well-equipped to work on non-fiction categories such as life sciences, popular science, and environmental science.
Dawn’s copy-editing service has been utilized for books like Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees: The Illustrated Edition, Richard Somerset Mackie’s Island Timber: A Social History of the Comox Logging Company, Vancouver Island, and Candace Savage’s Strangers in the House: A Prairie Story of Bigotry and Belonging.
Request a quote for her highly reliable copy editing.
Do you know any other book editors in Canada? Please tell us about them in the comments box below!
K. Z. Kwan is a freelance writer based out of Halifax, Canada.