Client Testimonials
I can’t recommend May Peterson enough as an editor, book doctor, and purveyor of thoughtful critique. I’ve lost count of the books we’ve worked on together at this point. She’s my first port of call when a MS isn’t coming together, because she has a literal genius for teasing out threads, spelling out issues, and otherwise spreading my tangled messes over the table in a way that makes the problem (and thus the solution) become clear. She’s thorough, insightful, patient, and even phrases it nicely when telling you you forgot to include the plot. I have also worked with her as a sensitivity reader and found the experience invaluable.
As a recovering editor of twenty years experience I am picky about editing to a fault, and I can recommend May without hesitation. You want her help.
May is the first developmental editor I think of hiring when working on a book. She edits from the perspective of making your vision for your book the best, clearest, and most nuanced it can be. Her feedback on characterization and flow is thoughtful and enlightening. Her perspective on trans narratives and identity as explored through literature is invaluable. I highly recommend her services.
May Peterson is a kind and insightful editor and I recommend her services wholeheartedly, especially if you’re a fantasy or romance author. May possesses a strong knowledge of tropes and reader expectations alongside a deep literary understanding about what works—or doesn’t work—in a particular book. May’s reliable, easy to work with, and will give you targeted advice to make your story better. I used May’s editing services for my last book, Seducing the Sorcerer, and now I’ve found her, I certainly hope to work with her again.
I chose to work with May because I love her writing so much, and I can affirm that her editing shows the same passion, insight, and care as her books. I hired her as a sensitivity reader because of the beautiful and delicate way she handles gender questions in her own work. Not only did she give me the confidence to write boldly, she gave excellent holistic feedback above and beyond the scope of the original work. She showed tremendous respect for my individual process and preferences while asking questions that allowed me see things I was blind to. Her sharp eyes and gentle touch helped me identify some of my authorly foibles and decide how best to handle them, in my own way. Best of all, she was fairly priced, prompt, and professional. I’d work with May again in a heartbeat.
May has the most beautiful way of seeing what you’re trying to achieve and helping you figure out how to get there. I’ve engaged her for book doctoring sessions, structural edits and copy edits and at every level her feedback is thoughtful, considered, practical and exactly what’s needed for that instance. She is positive and encouraging but doesn’t hold back from telling you where work is needed.
The most recent book doctoring session was wide ranging and has given me clear direction for this particular story, but has also got me thinking about what villainy really is anyway, what I value in my writing, and where I want to go next. May’s input is now an established part of my writing process, and makes my stories better.
If you’ve read May’s books, you know that she has vision, talent, and skill for days, and I’m happy to report that she brings that same level of expertise to her work as an editor. She’s worked with me on developmental edits for three novels so far, and she’s my first pick for all future editorial needs. Her profound insight into the human condition guides her straight to the heart of the story, and she talks about it with patience and care. I’m always relieved when I get her feedback because it feels like someone is looking out for me, someone is on my team. She’s spoiled me for all other publishing professionals by setting my expectations so high. I urge everyone looking for an editor to let her spoil you, too.
I had a great experience working with May on my first paranormal romance series. Her developmental editing comments were insightful and helped me strengthen my stories in a way that felt true to my original goals. I found chatting through her comments and possible changes extremely helpful, and even when I thought I was stuck on something, May had a way of helping me see new solutions. I would definitely recommend working with May on your novel.
May’s insights as a developmental editor helped me look at the structure of my book in a way I hadn’t even thought of considering, which allowed me to restructure – literally tear the book apart and restructure it – in a way that made it so much stronger. She brings a deep professional understanding of the nature of storytelling to all her work, as well as a sincere kindness and empathy that allows her a better knowledge of characters, their motivations, their internal life that exists between the lines. Working with May helps writers simply understand their work and characters better, in a way that’s rare to find elsewhere.
Working with May was an absolutely wonderful experience. Her thoughtful analysis and keen insights guided me to a stronger, more coherent, and more meaningful story. Her feedback was clear, concise, and always kind, with an eye for detail as well as percipient of what I was attempting to accomplish. She’s everything an editor should be.
May has completed developmental edits and line edits on four of my historical romances so far, during which she has displayed both a deep understanding of story craft and respect for the writer’s voice. May has a knack for putting her finger right on a manuscript’s weaknesses and for opening the way to solutions for improving the work. She also points out strengths in the manuscripts that make me seem much smarter than I am.
I also turn to May for creative consultations. I benefit immensely from the fresh perspectives and open-minded support she brings to those conversations.
So far, I’ve worked with May on various stages of two books, and I very much look forward to working with her again in the future. May is warm and careful and so smart, and her gentle, incisive comments motivated me to do the work and make her proud. She brought deep insight to the editing process, putting her finger exactly on the elements of the stories that weren’t quite developed yet, while also highlighting what she loved. Which was super encouraging! I highly recommend working with her: you will learn a lot and gain new energy to complete ever better drafts.
Editing and Consultation
Write me at mayrpeterson@gmail.com for all inquiries.
I bill on an hourly basis. My standard rate is $50 USD per labor hour for all services. However, I strive to accommodate disadvantaged authors when possible. Please feel free to email me and describe your needs, and we can discuss how I can help. This may include discounts or alternate billing structures. Consider subscribing to my Patreon for discounts on editing services!
- July 2024: I’m currently taking new clients. Email to inquire about availability.
I offer a variety of editorial and consultation services that may be right for you at multiple stages of your writing projects.
If you’re stuck on a manuscript or haven’t even begun writing it yet, you may like:
Book Doctoring: If a story just isn’t coming together or you don’t know how to complete it, I can help you get to the finish line. Manuscripts are tricky animals that can get stuck for many reasons. I’ll work with you to help you identify what’s getting in the way, both on a story and craft level and in terms of your writing process. Read KJ Charles eloquently describe the benefits of book doctoring. Highly popular service.
Artistic Consultation: Stories take work even before you write them, and may require planning and consideration on the concept level. I’ll help you refine your artistic vision, plan for your story, and identify what may intimidate you about writing it. This may include using an outline or similar tools if you feel they’re a good fit for you. Highly popular service.
If you have a finished manuscript, you may be seeking:
- Developmental Editing (AKA content editing): Big-picturing editing that focuses on the bedrock of the book—the characters, character development, pacing, plot, theme, consistency, and setting. This typically occurs before other steps of editing (see below) but can sometimes be concurrent with them. Highly popular service.
- Line Editing: Editing on the page and line level, which includes language, dialogue, scene set-up, action flow, fine-level characterization, and helping prevent writing errors of fact or logic. This process focuses on precision, clarity, and consistency, but involves more attention to artistry than a copyedit alone.
- Copyediting: If you need a text proofed and refined but don’t need as much attention as a full line edit, this is a useful option. The emphasis on technical detail tends to result in a less labor-intensive process than a line edit.
If you’re concerned about representation and sensitivity in your work, consider:
Artistic Ethics Consultation: My approach to the practice of sensitivity reading. While most editing traditionally focuses on the craft and artistry of a writer’s work, this service focuses on what I call artistic ethics. We all want our creative works to responsibly represent who we are and have a positive impact on our audience, without doing harm or disrespecting vulnerable populations. I help authors strike this balance while also educating them on matters of artistic ethics to the best of my ability. Highly popular service.
My areas of focus as an artistic ethics consultant: No one can be a universal advisor for every matter of artistic ethics, but we can work from strong practical principles. I bring to my work a robust foundation of care ethics and concern for all oppressed populations. However, I always advise that authors seek a consultant who is part of populations they seek to represent in their work, especially if that representation is an artistic highlight. I’m known for my work on trans issues, with a particular focus on trans women and transfeminine people, who are especially poorly represented in fiction. Other points of focus include: autism, ADHD, C-PTSD and childhood trauma, abuse survivors, disability, highly sensitive people, queer populations, bisexuality, feminism, poverty, and working class populations.
My Editorial Philosophy
My goal is always to help the author best realize their artistic vision. This means striving for a high standard of artistry and craft, but also means nurturing the confidence, voice, and artistic fulfillment of every author I work with. In my view, a skillful editor is sensitive to the experience of the author and to providing the most effective kind of guidance.
