Recommended Resources

Updated May 2020

None of these freelancers or services have paid to be listed, nor do I receive a commission for referring you. These are all people I’ve either met and worked with directly, or people who have long-standing and respectable reputations in the writing and publishing community.

The Best of My Advice

Also, I’ve created a list of my favorite books on writing and publishing.

Editing and Coaching

If you’ve never before worked with an editor, I urge you to read this post first on finding, hiring, and working with a freelance editor.

  • Writer and editor Andi Cumbo-Floyd offers a wide range of budget-friendly services for all types of writers. I recommend her manuscript review, where you can get big-picture feedback before investing in a comprehensive editing job.
  • Writer and editor Susan DeFreitas offers manuscript evaluations and coaching for writers working in speculative and literary fiction, with a focus on social/environmental justice and writers from historically marginalized backgrounds.
  • Lisa Cooper Ellison is an experienced writing coach and thoughtful editor who can help a wide range of fiction and creative nonfiction writers.
  • Whether you’re writing a novel, seeking a ghostwriter, or looking to publish a book from your nonfiction expertise, Stuart Horwitz of Book Architecture can help.
  • Editor Paul Witcover is a traditionally published author of speculative fiction who can offer editorial help across a range of fiction categories.
  • Mehta Book Editing can help with both children’s and adult work, including young adult, middle grade, commercial women’s fiction, literary fiction, and more.
  • Lexi Services (Melanie Bishop) offers manuscript editing and consulting across genres.
  • Ginger Moran offers memoir coaching—and more.

Copyediting and Proofreading

Book Design and Production

  • Damon Za is a popular choice for self-publishing authors, with economical packages and professional cover and interior design services.
  • Golden Ratio Book Design (Tony Bonds) works one-on-one with independent authors to develop custom cover designs, print interiors, and ebook formatting at an affordable rate.
  • Book Design Templates from Joel Friedlander is the most economical resource for producing an interior design for print (POD) book; his templates can also produce EPUB files.
  • If you need help with print and ebook formatting/conversion, check out eBookPartnership.

Book Marketing and Publicity

Agent or Publisher Research

Permissions and Fair Use Research

  • Copy Write Consultants: If you’re struggling with securing permissions, or aren’t sure if you even need permissions, this firm can help you sort through all the questions (and risks).

Legal Issues | Literary Lawyers

  • Adam Losey at Losey can help with copyright and trademark registration, infringement cases, licensing and franchise contracts, and legal issues related to writing about other people.
  • Peter Beren is a consultant and agent (not a lawyer) with expertise in legal issues.
  • Here’s a fuller list of literary lawyers.

Author Websites

A Few More of My Favorite Folks

  • Want to start a freelance writing career? Christina Katz offers excellent classes and Carol Tice has wonderful resources
  • Hope Clark’s Funds for Writers newsletter lists semi-pro or higher paying markets and contests as well as grants, crowdfunding, contests, publishers, agents and employers.
  • Writing a script? Jeanne Bowerman
  • Need a platform to help facilitate your writing or critique group? Try Inked Voices.
  • Want to share your work with other writers and get feedback? Try one of these communities: Wattpad or Scribophile

General Industry Resources

Can’t find what you need? Search The Writer’s Knowledge Base for an answer; it’s curated by someone in the business you can trust.

News & Trends

Writers tend to get frustrated and bitter in their attempts to publish—usually because they don’t understand how the publishing industry works, or they have expectations that will never be met. Try these resources to better navigate your way to success and learn about the changes facing the industry: