Please note: This article contains affiliate links to Reedsy. That means Writing Tips Oasis receive a small % of the sale if you hire the services of any of the following editors, or another professional on Reedsy, but at no extra cost to you.
Writing a book is difficult.
Writing a book about faith, religion, spirituality and questions of the mind and soul is extremely difficult.
When set to share a story about the soul, the spirit and matters of faith, even the best writers can need a little nudge and push.
That’s where we can use a good book editor.
The right editor will not just read your manuscript but they will be able to grasp the story, the message and the moral you want to share without diluting the essence.
A book editor will work on your grammar, the flow, the tone and the complete symmetry of the story and the book. If edited poorly, your book will be unable to convey its true message.
You think I am exaggerating?
Go back to any favorite movie or book. Think about its scenes, the characters, the plot twist if any and the climax. Imagine if it was a hodge-podge or in any random order or stretched way too long or repeated multiple times. You would have lost interest and the author or the creator would have wasted time creating that book or movie.
That’s why we have created a list of 19 top freelance Christian book editors to help writers struggling with getting their manuscript in the right shape.
1. Eric Muhr
A Newberg-based freelance editor and Barclay Press publisher, Eric Muhr specializes in developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and editorial assessment. His main passion is poetry, but he also edits books in the genres of Christian fiction and nonfiction, biography & memoir, and LGBTQ+ nonfiction, to give some examples. If you want to learn more about his past projects, make sure to look up “Face to Face: Early Quaker Encounters with the Bible”, by T Vail Palmer, Jr. and “Praying for Justice: A Lectionary of Christian Concern”, by R. Anderson Campbell and Steve Sherwood. Quotes can be requested here.
2. Christy Callahan
Owner of Professional Publishing Services, Christy Callahan is a self-employed editor based in Waycross, Georgia. With an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Seminary, Christy finds it easy to work on both fiction and nonfiction projects. Christianity, self-help & self-improvement, and historical fiction are just three of the genres she prefers. To get an idea of her past projects, check out “Walking the Path of Prayer”, by Jack Hayford, and “When God Shows Up: 40 Day Devotional”, by Robert Noland. If you’re in need of proofreading, developmental editing, copy editing, or editorial assessment, Christy can help you – feel free to request a quote here.
4. Julie Frederick
A Rugby-based freelance editor with around 17 years of experience in the publishing field, Julie Frederick can provide copy editing, developmental editing, and proofreading. She has a B.A. in English and has gained valuable experience as an in-house editor for Osprey Publishing and Lion Hudson, which are now on her client list. In terms of genres, she prefers Christian fiction and nonfiction, mystery & crime, romantic suspense, and history, to give some examples. If you’re curious about her portfolio, you should check out “When I Pray, What Does God Do?”, by David Wilkinson. To learn more about Julie and to request a quote, click here.
5. Michelle Schacht
Living in Orlando, Florida, Michelle Schacht is a self-employed editor at Word of Mouth and a managing editor at The Ghost Publishing. After gaining an experience of around 11 years in the publishing field, she can provide query letter review, copy editing, developmental editing, and editorial assessment. Most of her work involves Christian fiction and nonfiction, but she is open to working on projects in other genres as well, such as self-help & self-improvement or parenting & families. “31 Days of Hearing God Speak”, by Herb Cotton, and “Faithful Families Today”, by Dr. John Maples are two titles that could help you learn about Michelle’s portfolio. Quotes can be requested here.
6. Julie Breihan
With an M.A. in English from Texas A&M University, Julie Breihan is a freelance editor who has been working in the publishing industry for more than 25 years. She lives in Franklin, Tennessee, and her specialties are copy editing, substantive editing, line editing, and proofreading. In terms of genres, Julie prefers Christian fiction and nonfiction, business & management, cooking, and humor, to give some examples. “Friend of Sinners”, by Rich Wilkerson Jr. and “Fly a Little Higher”, by Laura Sobiech are only two of the books featured in her portfolio. If you want to request a quote, click here.
7. Ivan Mesa
Living in Louisville, Kentucky, Ivan Mesa has been a freelance editor for more than 10 years now. After gaining extensive knowledge as a book editor at The Gospel Coalition, he can easily provide copy editing, developmental editing, editorial assessment, and proofreading. Christian nonfiction, self-help & self-improvement, inspirational titles, and academic titles are his main areas of interest. To get an idea of his past projects, make sure to look up “The Whole Message of the Bible in 16 Words”, by Chris Bruno, and “DoubtLess – Because Faith is Hard”, by Shelby Abbott. If Ivan seems like a good fit for your project, feel free to request a quote here.
8. Renee Crawford
Specializing in developmental editing, editorial assessment, proofreading, and copy editing, Renee Crawford is a Nashville-based freelancer with more than 20 years of experience in the Christian publishing field. Renee’s main interest is Christian nonfiction, particularly devotionals, Bible studies, the Restoration Movement, and Christian living. If you’d like to see some of her work, you should check out “The Jesus Resolution”, by Casandra Martin, and “Prayers from the Pit”, by Chris Altrock. Quotes can be requested here.
9. Alison Imbriaco
Alison Imbriaco is a freelance editor based in Sterling, Virginia. After more than 20 years of work in the publishing field, her main passions have remained Christian and historical fiction. Other genres she enjoys are religion & spirituality, parenting & families, and inspirational books. “Isaiah’s Daughter: A Novel of Prophets and Kings”, by Mesu Andrews, and “Truth Unchanging: Hearing God Daily in the Midst of Motherhood”, by Becky Thompson are just two of the 200 titles she features in her portfolio. In terms of services, Alison can provide copy editing and proofreading. To learn more about her and to request a quote, access this page.
10. Christina Pfister
A member of The Christian Pen and of the Editorial Freelance Association, Christina Pfister is a self-employed editor at Well Versed, LLC, where she also provides translation services. Currently living in Oregon, she specializes in Christian nonfiction and in religion & spirituality. After gaining an experience of around 11 years in the publishing field, Christina can easily provide copy editing, developmental editing, and proofreading. “Becoming a Four-Faced Christian”, by Pia Hugo, and “Why Would Anyone Go to Church?”, by Kevin Makins are two titles that can help you get an idea of her portfolio. If interested, feel free to request a quote here.
11. Trinity McFadden
Living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Trinity McFadden is a freelancer and Senior Manager of PR at Zondervan Books. With an editing experience of over 12 years, Trinity can provide copy editing and proofreading. Christian nonfiction, political science & current affairs, history, parenting & families, self-help & self-improvement, and entertainment are some of the genres she’s interested in. If you’re curious about her past projects, you should look up “Important Bible Passages: The Kings After Solomon”, by Father Matthew Nathan, and “Taking God Personally: 60-Day Devotional”, by Kathryn J. Bain. To find out more about Trinity and to request a quote, access this page.
12. Madeline Woda
Winner of the Seymour Brick Memorial Prize and graduate of Columbia University, Madeline Woda is a New York-based freelance editor. She gained valuable work experience at The Columbia Review, at Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, and at W.W. Norton. In terms of services, she can provide copy editing, proofreading, developmental editing, editorial assessment, and query letter review. Her main areas of interest are Christian nonfiction, contemporary fiction, history, and political science & current affairs, to give some examples. “Sister Saints: Mormon Women since the End of Polygamy”, by Colleen McDannell is just one of the titles in her portfolio. If you’d like to learn more about her Christian book projects and to request a quote, click here.
13. Lana Barnes
Living in New York, NY, freelance editor Lana Barnes has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Writing, Literature, and Publishing, both from Emerson College. She can provide copy editing and proofreading for books in the genres of Christian fiction and nonfiction, contemporary romance, middle grade, and young adult, to give some examples. Although she doesn’t feature any Christian titles on her Reedsy portfolio, you can still check out “We Built This City”, by Matt London, or “Spindle Fire”, by Lexa Hillyer to get an idea of her editing skills. If you need more information to make a decision, feel free to reach Lana here.
14. Helen Hull
Helen Hull is a Southampton-based freelance editor with around 15 years of experience in the publishing field. Her list of clients includes Malcolm Down Publishing, Instant Apostle, Lion Hudson, as well as other Christian publishers from the UK. Interested in both Christian fiction and nonfiction, some of Helen’s specialties are devotionals, theology, and Bible study notes. Copy editing and proofreading are the services she can provide. To learn more about her portfolio, make sure to check out “A Passion for Christ: Cover to Cover Lent Study Guide”, by Michael Baughen, and “As Many as the Stars”, by Robert Glover. Quotes can be requested here.
15. Kim Haulena
Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Kim Haulena has been working in the publishing field for over 12 years. Presently a freelance editor, her client list includes Harlequin, where she worked as a proofreader for five years, HarperCollins, Health Canada, and Transcontinental Media. Christian fiction and nonfiction, romance, and women’s fiction are her main interests, but she also accepts projects in the genres of mystery & crime, life sciences, and more. Although she doesn’t feature Christian titles on her Reedsy portfolio, you can still get an idea of her editing skills by looking up any of her past projects, such as “Walk the Edge: A Thunder Road Novel”, by Katie McGarry. If you need copy editing or proofreading services, you can request a quote from Kim here.
16. Doreen Martens
Doreen Martens is a freelance editor with over 25 years of experience who lives in Oakville, Ontario. Specializing in copy editing, developmental editing, and proofreading, she has degrees in journalism and English literature. Some of her favorite genres are Christian fiction and nonfiction, biography & memoir, science fiction, and nature, to give some examples. If you’re curious about her portfolio, make sure to look up “Through My Eyes: Bystander Glimpses of Jesus”, by Chijioke Ndunaga. To learn more about Doreen and to request a quote, access this page.
17. Cecily Paterson
Living in New South Wales, Australia, Cecily Paterson is an experienced freelance editor, ghostwriter, and owner of Firewheel Press. Besides being shortlisted for the 2006 Australian Christian Book of the Year, she also won third place in the 2012 Australian Christian Book of the Year Award. Developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and editorial assessment are Cecily’s specialties. In terms of genres, she prefers Christian fiction and nonfiction, middle grade, biography & memoir, parenting & families, women’s fiction, and more. You will have to ask for more information to learn about the Christian books she has edited so far, but you can still look up “Superhero Eyes”, by Katherine Hartley to get an idea of her skills. Quotes can be requested here.
18. Jenna Love-Schrader
Specializing in editorial assessment, copy editing, developmental editing, and proofreading, Jenna Love-Schrader is a Nashville-based freelancer with more than 15 years of experience in the publishing field. Her client list includes LifeWay, Vanderbilt University, and HarperCollins. In terms of genres, she prefers Christian fiction, spirituality, parents & families, health & wellness, and YA fantasy, to give some examples. “Made for This: 40 Days to Living Your Purpose”, by Jennie Allen is a title that could help you get an idea of her past projects. Interested in collaborating with Jenna? Feel free to request a quote here.
19. Ashley Wyrick
Living in Windsor, Colorado, Ashley Wyrick is a freelance editor with a B.A. in English and around 7 years of editing experience. Some of the book genres she prefers are horror, dystopian, YA, and Christian fiction and nonfiction. In terms of services, Ashley can provide copy editing, developmental editing, query letter review, editorial assessment, and proofreading. Although she doesn’t feature any Christian titles on her Reedsy portfolio, you can still get an idea of her work by checking out “Welcome Home”, by Eric Smith, and “Twelve and A Half Hearts”, by Ian Cahill. To learn more about Ashley and to request a quote, click here.
And that was our list of 19 top freelance Christian book editors. The key is to realizing that you can be a great writer but you may be an average editor. An editor shouldn’t be viewed as a person who trims and cuts, but as a person who comes and decorates a mess of your house to make it appear welcoming and interesting.
Before you approach any editor, learn about the different types of editing to know which one you need or want in particular. If you are unsure about the stage of your manuscript, ask the book editor for their honest and professional opinion. There are different types of editing and not all may be suitable or essential for your manuscript, but it depends on your level of writing skills. The right editor will tell you what you need and help you achieve your dream of having a complete, edited manuscript.
Do you need a Christian book publishing house? Here are 11 Christian book publishers currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts.
Shikha Pandey is a creative, content and script writer based in Mumbai, India.