Welcome storyteller!
I'm Kate Schieber, and I created Book Friends Fiction Editing in 2018.

The BFF Editing Invitation

I am passionate about stories and the powerful impact they can have on our lives and the world, both in the telling and the hearing.

I'm committed to supporting authors who represent or write stories featuring authentic, underrepresented voices and perspectives. Let me know if this applies to you or your project.

Would you and I work well together to make your story shine?
Let me tell you a bit about myself...

I believe that books/stories are magic!

  • Books build bridges that span historical, cultural, and physical differences, transporting readers to places and times and into the lives of people outside their own experience.
  • Books entertain, inspire, help, and sustain readers through tough times.
  • Stories act as mirrors, reflecting the experiences of readers so that they feel seen.
  • Stories act as windows through which we can see and understand others. This inspires us to greater compassion and richer lives.

My editing philosophy

An editor's involvement may be felt (especially if they are a developmental or line editor), but it should not be seen or heard (meaning the voice and message should remain the author’s).

As a side note, this is why I prefer not to be officially listed as the editor of a published piece. I am just a collaborator (hopefully one of many), working behind the scenes to bring your book baby into the world. Therefore, I take neither credit nor responsibility for the final outcome, as I am neither the creator nor the publisher and ultimately have no control.

The collaboration between writer and copy editor is like a lighthouse. The lens of a lighthouse amplifies the light of the flame, spreading it far and wide. If a writer's message is the flame, my job is to make the mirror and lens all clean and shiny so that the writer's meaning can shine forth without distortion or hindrance.

My goal as the copy editor of a piece is to polish that lens without leaving any of my own fingerprints behind.

When I'm collaborating in a developmental or line editor capacity, my feedback in the form of reader impact, editorial suggestions, and sensitivity recommendations will be more evident. However, I will never tell you what to do with YOUR story.

Spreading the Light

I appreciate storytelling that makes me feel things and that expands my understanding of my world and fellow human beings. When it's appropriate, I enjoy working with and supporting underrepresented writers. I'm quite empathetic and gravitate toward stories that uplift with humor or hope but enjoy sinking my teeth into messages that speak truth to power as well.  I dive deep into a manuscript and might live with the story for weeks or months, so I prefer working with material that resonates with my sensibilities and that doesn't go too dark.
If your writing is geared toward sharing comfort, acceptance, or hope 
- whether through humor or healing, romance or reconciliation, community or kindness -
you might check out my Mates' Rates Discounts. 

Genre Preferences

As a reader, I gravitate toward certain genres, topics, or tones, especially with strong female protagonists (*hope, humor, community, romance, etc.) so these are mostly what I edit.
  • Romance: historical, contemporary, queer, suspense, fantasy, sci-fi
  • Fiction: historical, contemporary, speculative, young or new adult, women's literature
  • Retelling and adaptation of classics, fairy tales, myths, legends

Especially for developmental editing and beta reading, it's smart to hire an editor who knows, reads, and enjoys the genre of your story. Your editor must understand the conventions, tropes, rhythms, and structure of a genre to help craft a story readers of that genre will expect and appreciate. Even if your story is a mashup of genres, some familiarity is important.

When it comes to copy editing and polishing, however, your editor should know the appropriate expectations and conventions of language mechanics (punctuation, grammar, syntax, etc.) for whatever style guide you follow. I am most familiar with editing fiction and memoir using the Chicago Manual of Style but have also worked with the New Oxford Style Manual.

If I think you need help beyond the scope of my expertise or outside my comfort zone, I’ll let you know (and may even be able to refer you to someone who is better suited).

How can I help make your dream a reality?

Whether your goal is to entertain or inspire, to successfully craft a book that resonates with readers requires an honest look at what you've written. I do my best to customize each editing service to meet the needs of my writer friends and their work as well as their audience.

Share with me the areas in which you need the most help. The better I understand your circumstances, experiences, and expectations, your publishing goals, writing strengths, and editing weaknesses, the better I can help.

Though professional editing and proofreading services are not cheap, I’ve done my best to separate as well as package my services to give options that we can tailor to your particular needs.

BFF Editing Competence:

  • decades of reading from an array of genres
  • BA (English literature) and MTS (theological studies) degrees
  • eight years of editing experience and training 
  • innate curiosity and honed research skills
  • active membership in professional editing associations and groups
  • consumption of industry newsletters, webinars, reference books, and other resources
  • participant in forums, workshops, and groups for publishing professionals
(For more details, see My Story below.)

BFF Editing Core Values:

  • honesty
  • sincerity and respect
  • friendly support and encouragement
  • conscientious striving for excellence

BFF Editing Commitment:

Your story deserves a proper launch into the world.
  • So I am committed to helping you clarify and polish your message while staying true to your vision and voice.

Your readers deserve a quality experience.
  • So I am committed to helping you eliminate distractions so they can fully appreciate the wonderful tale you have to tell. 
If you'd like to collaborate with a friendly, supportive editor who'll work diligently to help you clarify your message so it resonates and communicates better with readers ...
fill out my Contact Form to start the conversation.
My Story

BFF Editing Origin Story

Education:

I've always been curious, and my parents were my first teachers—always modeling and insisting on proper grammar. If I had a question (my favorite question was “why?”) or wanted to know how to spell something, they'd tell us to "look it up." So I've learned to question and research until I find answers.

We always had books around the house and were regulars at the public library. My folks were also supportive, or at least indulgent, of my love of reading and even of my chosen major. My bachelor’s degree is in English Literature, and my master’s degree is in Theological Studies. 

Eye/Ear/Experience:

I’ve been a voracious reader my whole life. I also enjoy the joy and freedom of audio books. I tell you what, nothing makes time fly while cleaning the bathroom or weeding the garden like listening to a good story. ;)

And while I have an extensive personal and professional library of physical books (just ask my husband), I am also a fan of e-books. So convenient! I purchase special books in audio and digital formats, but I'm fortunate that our town has an extensive library of both or else I'd be broke!

Before becoming a freelance editor, I volunteered as a beta reader, proofreader, and editor of e-books. The authors of these stories encouraged me to follow my dream of becoming a fiction editor.

I am a native US English speaker who's read a lot of British and Kiwi English books, and I currently reside in New Zealand. I would love to work more with my fellow Kiwis! (If this is you, please contact me and we'll discuss Mates' Rates!) And a particular knack I have—which might help authors who are not native US English speakers but who are writing books with US characters or that are set in the US—is spotting words and phrases that Americans wouldn't typically use.

Professional Training:

As a freelance editor since 2018, I have helped dozens of authors. Along the way, I've also engaged in continuing education, both self-guided and professional through the EFA (Editorial Freelancers Association), Editorial Arts Academy, Writing Mastery Academy, IPEd (Institute of Professional Editors), CMOS Online, ProWritingAid, Writing Brave 2024, Women in Publishing Summit 2024, WorldShift Summit 2025, masterclasses and webinars on writing memoir, word craft, and writing disciplines, as well as numerous books on writing and editing. (Check out the Online Resources for more!)

The publishing professionals in these courses and in the many editor groups to which I belong have also been helpful and encouraging. I am grateful to these individuals and communities which generously share their wisdom, knowledge, resources, and experience. The authors I've worked with have also taught me many things. On the whole, I've found the indie publishing industry to be amazingly supportive.

Entrepreneur:

As you probably know, publishing a book is not just about telling a great story!

Whether publishing traditionally or independently, writers must be entrepreneurs. They need to research trends and comparable titles ("comps"), develop a brand and a platform, become business and tech savvy, collaborate with pod castors, bloggers, and distribution companies, build websites, cultivate and maintain a social media presence/following, market their books, network with other industry professionals, manage newsletter lists, develop Beta and ARC reader groups, etc. Added to all this, to varying degrees depending on how a writer decides to publish, they must hire their own editors, formatters, proofreaders, cover artists, etc.
(I hope I didn't scare you away, but this is the modern reality.)

Similarly, freelance editors have to create a brand, network, market, and continually educate ourselves in our craft and the ways of this ever-changing industry. And running a business is challenging. I have to create contracts and keep track of invoices, network and market myself, continue to learn through courses, workshops, etc., and pay for professional memberships, subscriptions, software, electricity, internet, taxes, and insurance.

And while part (let's face it, most) of me wishes I could offer my services for free and just “wallow in the words” as my friend used to say, another part of me relishes the professional challenge of holding myself to a level of excellence that deserves respect and fair compensation.

Becoming a published author is a LOT of work and responsibility, and my goal is to make at least the editing process as stress free and rewarding as possible. Most hard things are easier or more fun with a friend by your side!
BFF Editing is dedicated to helping writers refine their stories to better
entertain, edify, or inspire readers.
I'd love to chat with your about your writing journey.