Hi, I’m Payton.
I’m a professional book editor living in Oklahoma City with my partner, plant babies, and endless collection of books. As a freelancer, I have the privilege of collaborating with diverse writers all over the world, helping them hone their unique voices and share their stories. As you might have guessed, I’m a certified bookworm, but I’m also a creative writer, mixed-media artist and aesthete, gamer, music lover, content creator, and tea and coffee aficionado as well.
I have worked as a freelance editor for over ten years and over the course of my editorial career, I’ve edited and contributed to a variety of fiction and nonfiction stories across a wide range of genres and demographics—such as novels, short stories, memoirs and other creative nonfiction works, literary journals, resumes, cover letters, and job search documents, social media content, marketing materials, website copy, and newspaper and magazine articles—to name a few.
I specialize in copyediting and proofreading and I’m comfortable with and confident in editing the following core genres:
Fiction: Contemporary, Horror, Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Speculative, and Romance.
Non Fiction: Academic, Aesthetic, Creative Nonfiction, Educational, Journalism, and Practical Nonfiction.
To see a detailed list of all the genres and subgenres I prefer to edit, as well as the genres I choose not to edit, read on or click here.
Just a midwestern girl travelling the world, one book at a time.
Even before my elementary school years, I knew I wanted to work in the book world. It has always been my dream to spend my days seeing the world and my nights with my nose tucked in a book (whether it be writing my own book or reading from another author). While earning both an associate’s degree in English Literature and Fine Arts (with a focus in creative writing and illustration), this passion has only grown stronger. Before launching my blog and freelance editing business in 2016, I worked as a staff writer, content editor, and social media coordinator, for a local newspaper.
After earning my Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of Central Oklahoma (Roll ‘Chos!), I focused on growing my online presence and freelance editing business. Currently, I am on the path to earning my editing certificate from The University of Chicago Graham School, and in the meantime, I am helping other writers bring their stories to life. It brings me great joy to help clients hone their crafts, polish their work, and evolve as storytellers, while remaining true to their unique voices and creative visions.
Since 2022, I’ve also worked as a K–12 and SPED substitute teacher in the Oklahoma City metro area and as an ESL tutor. These experiences have deepened my appreciation for language as both an art and a bridge to connect people, ideas, and cultures. In my spare time, you can find me sharing valuable writing tips on my blog or gushing about books on Goodreads!
Editing in Oklahoma & Territorial Acknowledgement
I recognize that I am a guest on the homelands and original territories of the Caddo, Wichita, Kiowa, Osage, and Apache peoples. I extend my sincerest respect and gratitude to the many Indigenous people who call these lands home. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your community and culture. I see you, value you, and I am doing everything in my power to be a worthy advocate and ally, and an involved member of the creative communities in the state of Oklahoma.
I share this land acknowledgement on my website and in my email signature not as a matter of appearance or trend, but out of a genuine commitment to supporting Indigenous communities. As a resident of Oklahoma, I acknowledge that I do not have the personal means to offer reparations. However, as the owner of this platform, I am intentional about dedicating space to honoring the histories and ongoing struggles of Native peoples.
This acknowledgement is not a signal of virtue, but a recognition of truth, and a step toward greater awareness and respect. I hope this space, at the very least, serves as a supportive and welcoming resource for writers from marginalized communities. It precedes my work and accomplishments and any calls to action for a deliberate reason. I have chosen to place this land acknowledgement towards the upper half of this webpage in an effort to visually demonstrate how important this message is to me and my local community.
I am continuously educating myself about the world around me and striving to be more involved in and supportive of the vibrant, rich, multicultural community here in Oklahoma. As a fellow bookworm, I know that seeing oneself through the eyes of a character and experiencing one's story through any form of media is a magic unlike any other. As a copyeditor and creative writer, I know that inclusive stories provide an incredible sense of joy and validation. In an effort to listen to their stories and lift up the diverse voices in my state, writers who identify with a marginalized community are strongly encouraged to get in touch.
What is it really like working with a professional editor?
Editors don’t exist to tear apart your writing or cover it in red ink—we are the writer’s greatest and closest friend throughout the writing process. As an editor, it is my job to bring out the very best in your writing by tightening, strengthening, and polishing the writing until it has become the greatest version of itself. I strive to provide writers with clear, constructive, empathetic feedback that they can then use to hone their writerly voice and sharpen their storytelling craft. As your editor I will serve as so much more than just a second set of eyes.
The editing process is a lot like mining for precious metals or hidden gemstones. As the writer, you are the miner. As your editor, I am the seasoned spelunker, serving as your guide through the perilous dark cavern. With thoughtful and knowledgeable critiques to serve as your pickaxe and chisel, together we chip away at the slab of stone that is your manuscript and unearth the story that is waiting for the world. Your story is pure gold. Sometimes you just have to mine it out of the (first, second, third, or even fiftieth) draft! Sometimes you have smelt down the gold to refine it and remove any impurities from the metal. Sometimes you have to dig for the diamonds hidden in the dirt. Sometimes it just needs a thorough polish so it can truly shine. That’s what the editing process is all about. The gold is there all along, we just have to sift it out of the rubble.
Values such as compassion, patience, understanding, kindness, and respect are at the core of my own personal identity and central to my professional process. For every project I take on, I make every effort to build a healthy, mutually beneficial editor-author relationship through connecting with my clients, discussing projects through discovery calls, and fostering communication and collaboration at each step in the process. For most of my projects, it is not just the manuscript that emerges as a diamond from the rubble of drafts. My clients claim that their writing practice has also improved as a result of implementing my edits. But don’t just take it from me…
Do you specialize? What genres do you usually edit? What genres do you reject?
I specialize in copyediting fiction and nonfiction manuscripts, across a wide variety of genres and topics. Additionally, I have experience in developmental editing and in other areas of the publishing industry from journalism, to social media, to marketing and more. My collaborative approach to copyediting allows me to work closely with writers to strengthen their manuscript, and builds on their understanding of writing as an art form, all while honing their unique authorly voice.
Inclusive stories provide an incredible sense of joy. I’d like to read more multicultural works. Writers who identify with a marginalized community are strongly encouraged to get in touch.
See the genres I typically edit below.
Fiction
Fantasy & Sci-Fi: Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Portal Fantasy, Romantasy, Space Opera, and Urban Fantasy.
Horror & Thriller: Supernatural Horror, Psychological Thriller, and Romantic Suspense.
Speculative & Other: Alternate Reality, Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Magical Realism, and Literary Fiction.
Non Fiction
Academic: Case Studies, Essays, Proposals, Research Papers, and Reviews & Critiques.
Aesthetic: Art History Books, Concept Art, Exhibition Catalogues, Monographs, Playscripts & Librettos, and Poetry Collections & Chapbooks.
Creative Nonfiction: Autobiography, Memoir, Personal Essay, and Travel Writing.
Educational: Curriculum Resources, Teaching Aids, Textbooks, and Training Materials.
Literary and Investigative Journalism: Feature Stories, News Articles, Opinion & Editorial, and True Crime.
Practical Nonfiction: How-To Guides, Instruction Manuals, and Self-Help Books.
While I’m open to most nonfiction genres, I generally don’t take on religious or faith-based projects, or erotic romance. That said, I’m always happy to refer writers to trusted editors who might be a better fit. My goal is simple: to ensure every author finds the right advocate to help them tell their story with confidence.
On a similar note, I don’t work with authors who are publishing through hybrid or vanity publishers and I don’t promote books published by vanity presses either.
“I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
What editorial associations are you a member of?
The editorial associations and creative communities of which I’m a member are listed below. For more information, click any association’s logo to open their homepage in a new window.
