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.
If you’re an author and looking for an editor who will polish your story to get it ready to read, we’ve featured 17 top black book editors below.
1. Todd Hunter
Todd Hunter is a US-based editor who started his career at Atria Books (Simon & Schuster), where he worked for around 10 years. Specializing in African American fiction, true crime, biographies & memoirs, sports & outdoors, and self-help & self-improvement, Todd is eager to work with authors from underrepresented groups. In terms of services, he can provide copy editing, developmental editing, editorial assessment, query letter review, and proofreading. To get an idea of his past projects, you should check out “Parental Discretion Is Advised”, by Gerrick D. Kennedy, and “Transform Yourself Through Disease”, by Rory Reich. Interested in collaborating with Todd? If so, feel free to request a quote here.
2. Chonise Bass
Based in New York, NY, Chonise Bass has been an editor for around 6 years now. After completing several internships at publishers such as Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Macmillan, she gained enough experience to be able to provide both proofreading and copy editing. In terms of studies, Chonise has an M.A. in Strategic Communication. Some of her favorite genres are self-help & self-improvement, YA, and women’s fiction. If you’d like to see some of her work, make sure to look up “The Final Revival of Opal & Nev”, by Dawnie Walton, and “Someone Borrowed, Someone Blue”, by Kim Bright. Quotes can be requested here.
3. George White
A Los Angeles-based freelancer awarded by The Martin Luther King Center, George White has over 30 years of experience in editing. After starting his career at Los Angeles Times, George added titles such as “At the Crossroads of Fear and Freedom”, by Robert L. Green, and “An American Health Dilemma”, by W. Michael Byrd and Linda A. Clayton to his portfolio. In terms of genres, he specializes in political science & current affairs, education & reference, and history, to give some examples. If you’re looking for someone who can provide developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, or editorial assessment, George White may be the appropriate choice for you. Before making a decision, feel free to request a quote here.
4. Shana Murph
Living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Shana Murph started her editing career around 19 years ago at Elsevier. Later on, she also worked for the Perseus Books Group, The Navigators, and Wolters Kluwer, to give some examples. With a B.A. in English and a technical writing minor, Shana can now provide editorial assessment, copy editing, developmental editing, and proofreading. African American fiction, literary fiction, education & reference, and health & wellbeing are just a few of the genres she prefers. Curious about her portfolio? If so, you should check out “High Society”, by Joseph A. Califano Jr., and “Community & Public Health Nursing”, by Cherie Rector. To request a quote, access this page.
5. Christina Morgan
With over 10 years of editing experience, Christina Morgan is a New York-based freelancer who started her career at Curtis Brown LTD. Besides all the knowledge she gained by also working at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and HarperCollins, Christina completed the Columbia Publishing Course. Although she mainly specializes in developmental editing, she can provide query letter review and editorial assessment as well. In terms of genres, she prefers adult literary fiction and non-fiction, and biography & memoir. “The House of Impossible Loves”, by Cristina Lopez Barrio, and “The Air Between Us”, by Deborah Johnson are just two of the titles you will find in her portfolio. If you’d like to collaborate with Christina, feel free to request a quote here.
6. Jael Fogle
Specializing in proofreading and production editing, Jael Fogle is a New York-based freelancer with around 17 years of experience in the publishing field. She has previously worked at The Journal News and Scholastic Inc., where she edited chapter books, joke books, science kits, and many more. When it comes to genres, Jael prefers picture books, middle grade, YA, and children’s non-fiction, with the latter being the main focus of her activity for the past few years. If you’d like to get an idea of her portfolio, make sure to look up “Her Own Two Feet”, by Meredith Davis and Rebeka Uwitonze, and “Marley Dias Gets It Done”, by Marley Dias. To learn more about Jael and to request a quote, click here.
7. Darryl Oliver
Based in Los Angeles, California, Darryl Oliver is an editor who gained experience in the publishing field at Pasadena Black Pages, Penguin Random House, and Kimball Publishing, to give some examples. In terms of qualifications, he has a B.A. in English, an M.A. in Humanities, and has previously worked as an educator. Some of his favorite genres are African American fiction, historical fiction, biography & memoir, mystery & crime, and romance. To get an idea of his skills, you should check out “Our Country Friends”, by Gary Shteyngart, and “Pursued by the Gods: A Fallen Gods Prequel”, by Rebekah Murdock. If you’re in need of editorial assessment, query letter review, developmental editing, or proofreading for your book, Darryl could definitely help you out. Feel free to request a quote here.
8. Noo Saro-Wiwa
With an Msc in Journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. in Geography from King’s College London, Noo Saro-Wiwa is a London-based journalist, author, and editor who started her editing career around 16 years ago. Some of the genres on her list are LGBTQ+ fiction, biography & memoir, sociology, political science & current affairs, and travel. Due to her vast experience, she can provide query letter review, editorial assessment, developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading. If you’re curious about Noo’s past projects, make sure to check out her portfolio – “Responding to children in the twenty-first century”, by Claire Cameron, and “An Unreliable Guide to London”, by Gary Budden and Kit Caless are just two of the titles she has worked on so far. Quotes can be requested here.
9. Christine Pride
Specializing in editorial assessment, query letter review, and developmental editing, Christine Pride is a freelance editor who currently lives in New York, NY. During more than 15 years of editing, she has worked for publishers such as Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, and Hyperion Books. In terms of genres, Christine prefers literary fiction, women’s fiction, inspirational books, and biography & memoir. If you’d like to get an idea of her skills on your own, check out “Charlotte Walsh Likes To Win”, by Jo Piazza, and “The Naked Truth: A Memoir”, by Leslie Morgan. To learn more and to request a quote, access this page.
10. Bunmi Ishola
Bunmi Ishola is a Chicago-based writer and editor with work experience in both teaching and journalism. While she provides developmental editing, query letter review, and editorial assessment on a freelance basis, she is also an editor at Penguin Random House, where she publishes children’s books. Besides children’s nonfiction, picture books, and middle grade & YA, Bunmi is also interested in Christian fiction and cultural & ethnic titles. If you’d like to see some of her past projects, you should look up “The Girl Who Spoke to the Moon”, by Land Wilson, and “A Bird on Water Street”, by Elizabeth O. Dulemba. Quotes can be requested here.
11. Uche Okonkwo
Living in Exeter, New Hampshire, Uche Okonkwo is a freelance editor and author with over 10 years of experience in the publishing field. In terms of qualifications, she has an M.A. in Creative Writing from University of Manchester and an M.F.A. in Fiction from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, while also being the winner of numerous awards, such as the 2019 Emily Morrison Prize for Fiction. Although she specializes in numerous genres, her preferences include biography & memoir, contemporary fiction, children’s non-fiction, and short stories. Two of the best titles in her portfolio are “Are We The Turning Point Generation?”, by Chude Jideonwo, and “+234 – An Awkward Guide to Being Nigerian”, by Àtọ́kẹ́ Ẹna. If you’re looking for someone who provides high-quality copy editing, proofreading, developmental editing, or editorial assessment services, Uche could be the right choice for you – feel free to request a quote here.
12. Nitza Jones-Sepulveda
Certified in Editing by the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Nitza Jones-Sepulveda is a New York-based freelancer with more than 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. As she worked on titles dedicated to a wide range of readers, Nitza specializes in psychology, clinical psychiatry, business & management, contemporary fiction, and short stories, to give some examples. “Sadock’s Comprehensive Glossary of Psychiatry and Psychology”, by Benjamin J Sadock and Virginia A Sadock, and “Lead with Heart in Mind”, by Joan Marques are two titles you should check out in order to learn about Nitza’s portfolio. Looking for copy editing, proofreading, editorial assessment, or query letter review services? If so, request a quote here and see if she can help you with your project.
13. Octavia Marie Dosier
Octavia Marie Dosier is a Los Angeles-based freelancer with over 20 years of experience in editing and writing. With titles such as “Fallen Angel”, by Ray Francis, “Passport Diaries”, by Tamara Gregory, and “Passion’s Fool”, by Francine Craft featured in her portfolio, Marie can provide developmental editing, proofreading, and copy editing. Her area of expertise consists of romance genres, particularly of African American fiction and contemporary fiction. To learn more about her and to request a quote, access this page.
14. Janina Lawrence
Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Janina Lawrence is a freelancer with more than 17 years of editing experience in numerous fields, such as retail, publishing, financial services, and investment management. As she specializes in nonfiction, some of her favorite genres are philosophy, health & wellbeing, business & management, finance & accounting, technology, and parenting. When it comes to services, Janina can provide both proofreading and copy editing. Interested in her portfolio? If so, make sure to look up “LOYAL: A Leader’s Guide to Winning Customer and Employee Loyalty”, by Aaron Painter, and “Experience Thinking: Creating Connected Experiences”, by Tedde van Gelderen. Nonfiction writers can request a quote from Janina here.
15. Monique Gooch
With a B.A. in Public Relations and a Minor in Creative Writing, Monique Gooch is a Nashville-based editor and writer who received an award for her work as a script editor at the ATL Film Festival. Besides her freelance activity, Monique also works at RH Boyd Publishing and is a creative writing teacher at the Nashville Community Education Center. The range of services she provides includes query letter review, developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, indexing, and editorial assessment. Passionate about both fiction and nonfiction, Monique is experienced in working on African American fiction, LGBTQ+ fiction, romance, and YA titles, to give some examples. Since her portfolio doesn’t feature any of her past projects, you can request more details here.
16. Amma Twum-Baah
Amma Twum-Baah is a freelance editor currently based in Kennesaw, Georgia. Before becoming a freelancer, Amma worked as a paralegal and publisher for several years. Passionate about self-help & self-improvement, biography & memoir, Christian nonfiction, African American fiction, and romance, to give some examples, she is committed to helping a diverse range of authors improve their writings. At present, Amma can provide developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and editorial assessment. If you’re curious about her portfolio, check out “The Land We Leave Behind”, by Akufor I. Aneneba, and “The Broken Hedge”, by Jessica Ochuwa Abubakar. To request a quote, access this page.
17. Kelli Martin
Living in Seattle, Washington, Kelli Martin is a freelance editor with over 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She has previously worked at Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hyperion Books, and Amazon Publishing, to give some examples. In terms of genres, Kelli enjoys contemporary romance, romantic comedy, chick lit, psychological thriller, and contemporary fiction. Curious about her portfolio? If so, make sure to look up “The Yellow Rose Beauty Shop”, by Carolyn Brown, and “The Laws of Gravity”, by Liz Rosenberg. Authors who are looking for developmental editing and line editing services can reach Kelli for more information. Quotes can be requested here.