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If you’re an author in the state of Utah and if you’ve completed your manuscript, it’s vital to get an editor to take a look at it.

An editor can help you improve your book’s plot, characters, theme, sentence structure, style and voice, not to mention give your book an overall polish by fixing spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

In order to help you find an editor, we’ve compiled a list of 16 top book editors in Utah.

Continue reading to find out who they are.

1. Kase Johnstun

Based in Ogden, Utah, Kase Johnstun is a professional editor, writer, and writing instructor. Holding a Master’s degree in literature and creative nonfiction and a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Creative nonfiction as well, he’s able to deliver feedback that’s not only technically sound but will also help the writer to express their creative ideas clearly.

Kase provides editorial services such as developmental editing and assessment to writers of biographies, parenting books, and books about travel, sports, or the outdoors. Currently working at The Creative Nonfiction Foundation as an Advanced Memoir Instructor, Kase is known for his editing work on books like “Complete Cheerleading” by Justin Carrier and Donna McKay and “My Place in the Spiral” by Rebecca Beardsall.

Reach out to Kase Johnstun today!

2. Tim Schulte

An accomplished editor, Tim Schulte has contributed to five New York Times bestseller books. With over twenty-five years of experience in the writing industry, he provides a veteran voice for writers who are looking for someone to look over their work for grammatical accuracy and provide insight and advice on how to elevate their product.

Since 2008, Tim Schulte has been a self-employed editor and the CEO of his own company. Tim offers copy editing, proofreading, and also development editing for both fiction and nonfiction writers. He enjoys working on genres including action, like A.J. Tata’s “Sudden Threat,” epic fantasy, thriller, and suspense, as well as business, health, and inspirational books, including “SPARK: 5 Essentials to Ignite the Greatness Within”, by Dr. Tracey C. Jones.

Speak to Tim Schulte about your work and find out how he can help!

3. Griffin Smith

Griffin Smith is a professional editor who’s been working as a freelance editor since 2012. His business, professionally known as GS Editing, provides writers with editorial assessment, proofreading, copywriting, and feedback on writer’s query letters.

Griffin focuses on mainly editing fiction, including action, fantasy, science fiction, and thriller novels. He also can provide feedback on select genres of non-fiction such as biographies, memoirs, and books about history. His portfolio helps to clearly show the sort of writing he’s able to help with, from the dystopian fiction “2084: A Dystopian Novel”, by Daryl V. Riggs, to the non-fiction account by War History Journals “Broken Wings: WWI Fighter Ace’s Story of Escape and Survival.”

Connect with Griffin Smith to learn more about what he does and how he can help you and your work in progress.

4. Kristy Gilbert

Lehi, Utah, is home to Kristy Gilbert, a self-employed editor and writer interested in science fiction and fantasy. That’s not to say that Kristy isn’t an extremely talented editor in other genres as well; in fact, she was named Utah’s inaugural “Editor of the Year” in 2021. While her specialties are clear, she also provides editorial services such as proofreading and copy editing for other genres of fiction and non-fiction.

Before breaking out as an independent editor, Kristy has enjoyed multiple successful stints working in writing and editing. After leaving her post as senior editor at Leading Edge magazine, she’s taught editing and writing at Weber State University and Brigham Young University. Her extensive portfolio of editing work includes titles such as “Dawnshard” by Brandon Sanderson and “Corizen Rising” by Heidi J. Leavitt.

With her professional history and keen editorial sense, Kristy Gilbert is a professional that can help transform your work for the better.

5. Liz Suggs

A current Master’s student in Creative Writing at Swansea University, Liz Suggs is an accredited writer and co-owner of two publishing businesses. Editing Mee is Liz’s editing business, started in January of 2015, and more recently, she’s helped launch Collective Tales Publishing, an independent Publisher that produced an Amazon number one bestseller for new horror novels.

Through her editing business, Liz offers copy editing, proofreading, and development editing support to writers. She focuses on fiction, including children’s books like “Quincey’s Questions: A French bulldog’s Story” by Dave Pardew et al., and fantasy, dystopian novels such as “Sacrifices Incarnate: An Anthology of Horror,” which she is credited for as a co-writer, alongside Christopher M. Fink.

Learn more about Liz Suggs and how she operates to see if she would be a good fit for you as an editor!

6. Kelsy Thompson

A writer in her own right, Kelsy Thompson has made a career out of editing. She offers professional support in the form of editorial assessment and development editing. Her career includes editorships with Erewhon Books, where she currently works, North Star Editions, Jolly Fish Press, and Weber – The Contemporary West.

Kelsy primarily focuses on editing fiction novels, specifically those in the fantasy, romance, women’s fiction, and young adult genres. Her portfolio features over fifty edited works of varying genres, from the romance “Seeking Mansfield” by Kate Watson to “Perils of Wrath,” a fantasy novel by Elsie Park.

Kelsy Thompson is both experienced and skilled at her craft and someone who can help elevate your work!

7. Jared Smith

If his past client’s rave reviews are any indication, Jared Smith knows a thing or two about the editing process. With over fifteen years of experience in editing, he’s contributed to the successful publication of numerous children’s non-fiction books and books on political science, humanities, entertainment, and works of fiction, including books for middle graders and picture books for children.

Along with being a freelance editor, Jared has years of experience working as an editor in various companies, including Hallmark Cards, Gibbs Smith, Sourcebooks, and Publishing Service Departments, where he’s been working since 2017. Books he’s edited include “How to Catch an Elf,” a children’s book by Adam Wallace and Andy Alkerton, and the non-fiction biography “Ernest Thompson Seton: The Life and Legacy of an Artist and Conservationist” by David Witt.

Let Jared Smith know what you have in mind for your book and learn how he can support your vision!

8. Carlisa Cramer

Located in Orem, Utah, Carlisa Cramer is a professional editor specializing in literature for young readers. Along with working as an independent editor, she is also an acquisitions editor at North Star Editions, a position that she’s held for the last four years.

Carlisa provides copy editing, proofreading, and developmental editing for writers of dystopian fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, middle grade, romance, and young adult novels. She’s worked with publishers like Flux, Jolly Fish Press, Hollen Publishing, and others. She is credited with editing Lisa Schmid’s “Ollie Oxley and the Ghost: The Search for Lost Gold,” the historical fiction “Beneath the Bellemont Sky” by Ranee S. Clark, and Andrew Wood’s “Storm of Fury: Winds of Legend.”

Speak to Carlisa Cramer to share your vision and learn more about her process and offered services!

9. Lara Kennedy

With experience working for a US federal government agency, you can be sure that Lara Kennedy knows how to get things done. Formerly a publications officer in the nation’s capital, Lara has been freelancing as an editor since 2019 and is now based in Brigham City, Utah.

Lara pairs a background featuring formal training in editing and publishing with a natural penchant for accuracy and clear communication. She’s focused on books about and for a younger readership, including children’s non-fiction books like “Bedtime Inspirational Stories – 50 Black Leaders who Made History: Black History Book for Kids” by L.A. Amber and young adult fantasy like “The Safekeeper” by Esther Archer Lakhani.

Start a conversation with Lara Kennedy and discover what you can do with her behind you!

10. Sara McCluskey

Writer and editor Sara McCluskey delivers professional-quality copy editing, editorial assessment, proofreading, and query letter reviews. She particularly enjoys supporting the community of indie authors, of which she is a regular supporter and reader.

Sara’s areas of interest as a professional editor include fiction genres like action, anthologies, Christian fiction, and LGBTQ fiction, as well as non-fiction books like biographies and memoirs. She has been a self-employed editor and publisher for just over ten years. Simultaneously, she was working for AltWit Press as an editor before leaving the company in 2019. As an editor, Sara has contributed to include “Belle the Beast Tamer: An Urban Fantasy Fairy Tale” by Pauline Creeden and “The Wishing Well Curse” by Lynn Donovan.

Look to Sara McCluskey to provide you with clear advice and suggestions that will improve your writing!

11. Courtney Larkin

During her time as an undergraduate majoring in English at Brigham Young University, Courtney Larkin completed an internship as an editor for BYU Publications and Graphics. She’s since completed her studies but has continued to work as an independent editor specializing in literary fiction.

Courtney offers proofreading, copy editing, developmental editing, and editorial assessment to her clients. Her university career is demonstrative of her ability to be an organized professional, someone who can give insightful comments to writers, help ready a rough draft, and turn it into something ready for the publishers.

Look into what Courtney Larkin can do for you!

12. Carrie Harris

Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Carrie Harris has been a professional author and editor for the last 15 years. Having also worked previously as a marketing executive for Evil Hat Productions, she’s able to comment about what the publishing industry is looking for and provide hopeful authors with clear advice on how they can get their works published.

Carrie specializes in working with writers who do comics, as well as works in the fantasy, horror, science fiction and young adult genres. Her portfolio features both works she has edited, like “Thrall (Supernaturals of Las Vegas Book 1” by Carina Cook, and written herself, like “Illegal Alien” and “On the Wall”.

Trust in the experience and expertise that Carrie Harris brings, and learn more about how to make your manuscript more successful!

13. Kayla LeFevre

If you’re looking to speak to an editor who has an eclectic set of skills in addition to pure editing, Kayla LeFevre is who you need to call. After successfully completing her degree in English Literature at the University of Utah, she’s worked for multiple publishing firms and agencies, including Fluid Advertising Agency, New Degree Press, and Elite Online Publishing.

Aside from having an impressive amount of professional editing experience on her resume, Kayla developed an incredible number of skills during those stints, from book description writing to creating IngramSpark Accounts and helping new authors manage the process from writing to publication. She’s been involved with non-fiction bestsellers like Sandra Spurgeon J.D.’s “Courage to Stand: Mastering Trial Strategies and Techniques in the Courtroom” to science fiction novels like “Fooling Sheep” by Simone Lamont.

Connect with Kayla LeFevre and speak to her for more details!

14. Melanie Marshall

Melanie Marshall is a self-employed editor who is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, who delivers copy editing and proofreading for aspiring writers. Aside from being an author herself, what sets her apart is her professional credential as a registered dietitian, a career that she’s been developing since 2012.

Appropriately, Melanie’s professional areas of interest as an editor revolve around lifestyle and healthy living, from cooking, food, and wine, to health and wellbeing, psychology, and medicine. Her skills as an editor arise from her natural attention to detail as a writer and medical professional, a balance between a finely-tuned analytical mind and one that’s brimming full of creative ways of expression.

Learn more about Melanie Marshall here!

15. Rachel Harris

A portfolio that includes works of Christian fiction, young adult fiction, picture books, and inspirational non-fiction aptly showcases the creative, hopeful professional mind of Rachel Harris. A professional editor, amateur triathlete, and lover of words, Rachel runs her own editing company that helps authors with copy and developmental editing and proofreading.

Rachel brings almost six years of experience in professionally writing and editing along with her, and she knows first-hand what it takes to bring a book from start to finish. T.M. Holladay’s fantasy “Out From Atlantis” and “Lulu Who?”, a book by Nancy Fournier Jensen, are some works that Rachel’s helped edit and bring to publication.

Talk to Rachel Harris now!

16. Tamsin Eliza Clement

As a fellow author and creative, Tamsin Eliza Clement is a professional editor whose goal is to help female writers through the often difficult process of finding their story and putting it on paper. Her editorial services range from proofreading to copy editing and supportive help through the developmental stage of writing.

Tamsin’s professional areas of interest lie in the non-fiction books of art, biographies, health, and LGBTQ, as well as short stories, literary fiction, women’s fiction, and LGBTQ fiction. She’s been a self-employed editor and writing coach for just under seven years and runs her own writing workshop as well.

Connect with Tamsin Eliza Clement to speak with her further!

Some More Top Book Editors in Utah

17. Cara Mathis

After leaving a career with the FBI as a public affairs specialist in 2019, Cara Mathis turned the experience she’d accrued into a freelancing role as an editor and writer. Today, she operates as an independent book editor, supporting authors who write books on cultural and ethnic fiction, women’s fiction, and writers focused on non-fiction topics including technology, medicine, political science, and current affairs.

Cara is not only a prolific writer with a knack for editing but also an accomplished academic. Not only has she completed two post-graduate degrees in strategic communications and criminology, but she’s also in the process of completing her Ph.D. in criminal justice. In addition to the countless writers she’s edited for, she’s also a talented author herself, penning titles like “Democracy’s Double-edge Sword.”

Interested in getting the expert feedback of someone who’s been vetted to serve in a federal agency? Reach out to Cara Mathis.

18. Andria Huff

Working from Salt Lake City, Utah, is Andria Huff, a proofreader, and editor with an academic background in English and linguistics. She brings invaluable experience to editing both fiction and nonfiction written pieces, from thriller and suspense novels to books about DIY and crafts.

Andria can deliver copy editing and proofreading, with detailed suggestions and corrections, on schedule and in a timely fashion. She has over three years of experience working as a freelance proofreader and can edit to specific formats, including AP style.

Let Andria Huff know what you’re looking for in an editor and start a conversation!

19. Alyssa Morris

Tech pro and communications expert Alyssa Morris is an experienced marketer, writer, and editor. After spending years working as a copy editor for the University of Utah Student Media Council and then as a marketing and communications specialist with 340BDirect, she is currently the production editor of written content at Pluralsight and providing editing services as a freelance editor.

Alyssa provides writers with high-quality proofreading, copy editing, and writing assessments, focusing on non-fiction books written for education, entertainment, history, and technology, including “Shell of an Idea: The Untold History of Powershell” by Don Jones.

Communicate with Alyssa Morris to speak about possibly working together!

Are you a book editor in Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, Park City or another city in Utah? Please introduce yourself in the comments box and feel free to leave a link to your website!

Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of Writing Tips Oasis.