Sarah Jenkins

Freelance Book Editor

Self-Employed / Freelancer • ZZP

Dec 2025 - Sep 2026 • 9 mos

I work independently with authors to edit and refine fiction and non-fiction manuscripts at different stages of the writing and publishing process. My work includes developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading, depending on the needs of each project. I review manuscripts for story structure, pacing, character development, narrative flow, dialogue, consistency, clarity, sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and readability. For developmental projects, I also provide constructive feedback on areas such as plot progression, character arcs, scene development, emotional depth, transitions, and overall organization. I have worked with a range of manuscript types, including romance, dark fantasy, memoir, children's books, self-help, and other fiction and non-fiction projects. Each manuscript requires a different approach, so I adjust my editing style according to the author's voice, intended audience, genre, and goals. A key part of my work is preserving the author's voice. Rather than rewriting a manuscript to sound like my own writing, I focus on identifying areas that can be strengthened while keeping the author's original ideas, tone, and personality intact. I also communicate directly with authors throughout the editing process, discussing areas that may need clarification or further development and providing practical suggestions where appropriate. My goal is to leave each manuscript clearer, more cohesive, polished, and easier for its intended readers to engage with.

Fiction Manuscript

IndependenThinker • Freelance

Sep 2024 - Aug 2026 • 1 yr 11 mos

Worked directly with an independent romance author on a completed manuscript that required more than basic proofreading. The project focused on strengthening the story while maintaining the author's original voice and writing style. My editorial work included reviewing the manuscript's pacing, character development, romantic progression, emotional moments, dialogue, scene transitions, and overall narrative flow. I identified sections where character motivations or relationship development needed more clarity and provided practical suggestions for strengthening those areas. At the sentence level, I corrected grammar, punctuation, awkward phrasing, repetition, word choice, and inconsistencies while making sure the edits still sounded natural for the author's established voice. I also provided comments throughout the manuscript where additional development could improve a scene, strengthen an emotional moment, clarify the characters' actions, or make the progression of the story easier for the reader to follow. The project required a collaborative approach, with the author's original ideas and storytelling style remaining central to the editing process. My role was to refine and strengthen the manuscript rather than rewrite it into a different voice.