Here to Help Your Writing Shine

Hi, I’m Alyssa! I’m a fiction writer and editor with an MFA and seven years of experience helping authors make their stories shine. Over the years, I’ ve had the privilege of working with Tyndale House Publishers and many talented independent authors on projects ranging from novels to nonfiction.

Because I’m a writer myself, I know how much your voice matters. My goal as an editor is to preserve what makes your writing yours while

polishing it for clarity, consistency, and emotional resonance.

I call central Illinois home, where I live with my husband, four energetic boys, and two equally energetic dogs. When I’m not editing or writing, you’ll usually find my family and I hiking, camping, or road-tripping our way across the U.S., collecting stories along

the way.

Editing Services

Developmental Editing

Purpose: Meant to shape and strengthen the work from the ground up; looks at structure, flow, narrative arc, character development or reader takeaway; pacing; consistency of tone and logic; gaps, redundancy, balance.

What you’ll get from me: Substantive comments, chapter-by-chapter or section summaries, suggestions for reorganization or expansion/trimming, queries, and discussion points.

Copyediting

Purpose: Meant to polish the manuscript at the sentence and paragraph level, which includes grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, consistency, clarity, smoothing transitions, and fixing minor factual or logical inconsistencies.

What you’ll get from me: Edited manuscript with tracked changes (or equivalent), as well as notes and queries.

Proofreading

Purpose: Meant to be a final pass for residual errors prior to publication or final layout and will catch typos, spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors.

What you’ll get from me: Proofread manuscript with tracked changes.

*Note: For small projects or less heavy manuscripts, I may sometimes offer a combined copyediting + proofreading package.

Ghost Writing

Purpose: Designed to shape and strengthen your work from the ground up while faithfully preserving your voice; focuses on structure, flow, narrative arc, pacing, and consistency of tone and message.

What you'll get from me:

A collaborative, interview-based process that captures your voice and vision
Thoughtful manuscript development and drafting
Chapter-by-chapter or section-based builds
Strategic expansion or trimming for clarity and impact
Ongoing communication, discussion points, and revision rounds
A polished, publication-ready manuscript

Not sure what you need yet? Let's talk.

"I am so grateful that I have had Alyssa for my editor. I am writing my first book, at age 66, so there has been a lot for me to learn. She is incredibly patient, especially with my lack of technical abilities. She always speaks in a sweet and gentle way when suggesting her opinions. Alyssa made the editing process exciting for me, which I had not expected. Her organizational skills are epic, which really helped keep me on track with the process. Because I use too many words in my writing (I’m a newbie), she is so good at keeping my main point but using far less words. I appreciate learning this from her. My entire first experience has been positive and rewarding. I can’t wait to write my next book. I highly recommend Alyssa; she is one of the best editors out there."

Sherry McPherson, WI

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FAQS

Your questions answered

1. What’s the difference between developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading?

Each type of editing serves a different purpose and often happens at different stages of a project: Developmental editing looks at the big picture—structure, flow, narrative arc, clarity of ideas, pacing, tone, and reader takeaway. This is ideal for early or mid-draft manuscripts. Copyediting focuses on the sentence level, addressing grammar, syntax, word choice, consistency, and style while preserving your voice. Proofreading is the final polish, catching typos, punctuation errors, formatting issues, and small inconsistencies before publication. If you’re unsure which level you need, I’m happy to help you determine the best fit.

Here to Help Your Writing Shine

Editing Services

1. What’s the difference between developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading?

Let's Talk About Your Project