Eli Goldman.

Editor.

BIOGRAPHY

Before I was an editor, I was a reader. As an editor, I am a reader first and foremost.

I love taking stories apart and dissecting how and why they work, and collaborating with an author to realize the best version possible of the story they are aiming to write and share with the world.

As an editor at Tor Publishing Group, I had the privilege of working with authors Sofia Samatar, Emily Tesh, Kate Elliott, Nicola Griffith, and many more, as well as acquiring the World Fantasy Award-winning anthology Africa Risen edited by Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight.

As a freelancer, I work with authors at all levels, from beginners to publishing veterans. I also work with agents on clients’ books and publishers on individual projects on a case-by-case basis.

My primary genres are adult fantasy and science fiction of any length (e.g. novels, novellas, short fiction). I am also available for contemporary/literary fiction, historical fiction, and young adult fiction.

I am not a good fit for nonfiction, poetry, middle grade fiction, or young children’s books.

Please reach out to me using the contact form below for a quote on your project, along with any questions.

SELECT EDITORIAL PROJECTS

EDITORIAL SERVICES

  • Plot, character, story structure, world-building—all the big-picture items.

    I provide an in-depth letter outlining strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript and suggestions for improvement, along with in-line comments on the manuscript as relevant. If desired, I also offer a one-time follow-up meeting to discuss any part of the feedback I’ve given.

  • More granular than a developmental edit, a line edit primarily focuses on sentence structure, language/word choice, and narrative flow.

    I provide a line-by-line edit of the manuscript, making suggested edits using Track Changes and adding comments as relevant.

  • A review of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other equally fiddly bits.

    NOTE: This item is intended for manuscripts that have already gone through developmental and line editing.

Note on Rates 

Rates are determined by length and the specific needs of each individual project. If you’re looking to get a sense of standard industry rates, I highly recommend reviewing the Editorial Freelancers Association’s rate chart.

TESTIMONIALS

  • “Eli knows the right questions to ask to bring into focus what is most important about a story and which aspects need clarification. The editorial notes I received reflected the story I was trying to tell, not a story Eli (or anyone else) thought I “should” tell or an approach I “ought” to take rather than the one I was taking. By the end of the editorial process, the story was tighter, stronger, more vivid, and very much more “itself,” that is, the thing I had in my head and that Eli helped me bring onto the page by means of all those very astute comments as well as a consistent attention to detail. In the specific case of the story we worked on together, “The Tinder Box,” I can safely say that I could not have achieved the final published draft without Eli’s editorial work. We are both very proud of it!”

    —Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun, Servant Mage, Cold Magic, Jaran, the Crown of Stars epic fantasy series, and many other science fiction and fantasy novels

  • "I loved working with Eli on my science fiction novella. With a sharp eye for detail and a strong sense of the work as a whole, Eli helped me smooth out inconsistencies, balance various character arcs, and deepen my worldbuilding. I'd gladly work with them on another book!"

    —Sofia Samatar, World Fantasy Award-winning author of A Stranger in Olondria

  • “Without Eli’s smart and compassionate editing, I don’t think my fantasy-noir novella "Comeuppance Served Cold" would have stepped into the world. Eli can see the story you’re trying to tell—then helps you make it stronger, brighter. They identify places where your prose detours away from the story and helps you get back on the main road. It’s all done with honesty and respect.”

    —Marion Deeds, author of Comeuppance Served Cold

  • "Eli Goldman was very much part of what made working with Tor on "Spear" such a pleasure! They are a great communicator—smart and organised, with a very keen sense of what a manuscript does and does not need to make it better. I'd work with them again anytime!" —Nicola Griffith, award-winning author

    —Nicola Griffith, award-winning author

  • "Eli Goldman not only bought and championed my first book, "Daedalus is Dead," they made the editorial process a dream come true. Eli asked questions and offered ideas that supported and deepened the themes of my story. They had suggestions for chapter arrangement and structure that made the text more exciting to work on and emphasized the atmosphere of inescapable horror that I was trying to evoke. I couldn't have asked for a kinder or more thoughtful introduction to the publishing industry."

    —Seamus Sullivan

Contact Eli.

If you are interested in a quote or have any questions, please reach out to me using the contact form.

For a quote, please attach a three-chapter sample and include as part of your message the genre, the wordcount of the full manuscript, and the type of editing you are looking for.

I will respond to all queries within a few business days, in the order I receive them.