Welcome! And congratulations on writing your story!

Do you know what to do next to get it ready for readers?

BFF Editing offers kind, professional editing services and personal, detailed feedback
to help you polish and refine your message
to more effectively entertain, edify, or inspire your readers.
(Pssst!  If you write stories of hope, community, romance, humor, kindness, etc.
check out my  mates' rates discounts! I want to help you bring such stories to readers!)

Tailored Editing Services

Every author's situation is unique, so BFF Editing offers tailored services to meet a variety of editorial needs and budgeting realities.

Beta reading and Developmental feedback

  •   personal and professional feedback for big picture issues such as plot holes, pacing, inconsistencies, and character arcs

Line and Copy editing

  • checking for redundancies, inconsistencies, and passive construction; ferreting out issues of grammar, punctuation, capitalization, style, tone, etc.  

Copy cleanup and Final polishing

  •  eagle-eyed scrutiny of your manuscript to detect any overlooked issues
This careful and conscientious work of shoring up story foundations, clarifying language, maintaining consistency, and reducing distractions makes a difference to readers.

For  detailed descriptions of the specific services I offer, check out my    Services HERE.
For information about my rates, see Calculations HERE.

Meet Your Editor

Hello! I'm Kate Schieber (she/her), 
​lover of stories and wrangler of words.

  • This isn't just a job to me.
As my "friendly" business name implies, I celebrate the accomplishments of my author friends and encourage them, honestly and collaboratively, to refine their work. I ask lots of questions to ensure I understand their vision. I am always happy to explain my suggestions or brainstorm as we work together to clarify a story's message so that it will more effectively engage readers.

  • I am  human.
Authors benefit from my decades of reading and life experience, my editing and research skills, and my expertise in the art of storytelling.  Because I am human, I am not perfect. But  I guarantee that   you'll be working with a person rather than a program or algorithm. I bring empathy, sensitivity, emotional intelligence, and an understanding of subtlety, tone, humor, nuance, and flow to any project.

  • I will protect your privacy and creative authority.
Protecting an author's creative vision, voice, and intellectual property is a high priority, and your words and ideas are safe in my thorough yet   gentle hands. (Read my  description of editor and writer roles and responsibilities in   "fingerprint-free" editing philosophy and in Inviting and Dealing with Critique.)

  • I'll remind you of your end goal.
Presumably, you want to sell your book to make some money and/or make a difference in the world with your words. Since reaching,  retaining, and resonating with an audience is one of the primary reasons for writing a book, I also advocate for your readers who expect and deserve a quality experience when they open a book. This includes not only strategic adherence to conventions, but also the use of conscious, caring language.

So, would you and I make a good team?

Not every editor is right for every project or author, and vice versa. I prefer to work with writers who are motivated to produce quality stories (regardless of genre) that uplift, inspire, and entertain. (Check out my  preferred genres, and   discounts.)

Not every story needs the same sort, stage, or level of editing.  (See   Editing Stages if you aren't sure what I mean by that.) I specialize in line and copy editing, but have some training and experience in developmental editing at the front end and   proofreading at the end of the process as well. It makes sense for editing stages to be done in a certain order, but there is often overlap. 

A comfortable working rapport between author and editor makes collaboration easier and, frankly, more fun. Authors and editors should honestly discuss expectations, which I then spell out in a contract. But it takes time to develop a relationship of trust and respect.

You might start to learn about me by exploring my website, starting with   Testimonials from other authors who've worked with me. Go to   Meet the Editor   for more about my background, and Working with Me for a description of my process, fees, discounts, etc.

While you are here, I invite you to wander through the rest of my website. You'll find helpful hints to educate and equip you on your journey toward publication, such as publishing terminology  and the writing & editing process, plus resources to help you develop your Word Craft.
If you'd like to start a conversation about your story and its editing needs ...

What Authors Are Saying about BFF Editing -

​“Kate did a very thorough job proofing my manuscript. ​The book even made it to the finals of the RONE Awards! I highly recommend her.”

-Lexi Post, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
“I loved how personable Kate was during our chats and emails, making it feel like I was talking to a good friend, and she was always open to explaining her suggestions if I didn’t understand something. ... I felt like Kate wanted what was best for my story and really put her heart into helping in any way she could.”

- Michelle A. Marie, Author ​
(Continued on the Testimonials page!)