Hilary Doda

Hilary Doda – Editor

Editor with 20+ years experience in TTRPGs, genre fiction, and academic writing. Specialties in history, sci-fi, romance, and LGBTQ fiction.

Overview

Professional editor with more than 20 years in-house and freelance experience. Available for fiction, non-fiction, and games. LGBTQ works of all kinds are particularly welcome.


I am available for developmental / structural edits, editorial assessments, copy editing, and proofreading, with or without the Oxford comma. My fiction editing portfolio is heavier on the romance at the moment, but I also welcome historical and modern fiction and women's fiction, LitRPG, mystery, horror, sci-fi, and fantasy of all word counts.


I have a background in TTRPGs, having worked on over 100 core books and supplements in a variety of capacities, including acquisitions, story development, developmental editing, playtesting, copy editing, and proofreading. The majority of this work was for Dream Pod 9 and the Silhouette system, but I have also worked on indie games, and have player experience with a wide range of systems including - but certainly not limited to - D&D (various editions), Storyteller, and Unisystem. I would be happy to discuss rates for editing and/or playtesting games and supplements.


On the non-fiction side, I welcome humanities and social sciences monographs, articles, and chapters, whether they're being reworked for submission or polished for a major university press. My Ph.D is Interdisciplinary (humanities), and I have specific expertise in Atlantic history, material culture studies, dress studies, and archaeology. My most recent book, 'Fashioning Acadians,' was short-listed for the 2024 Governor General's Award for 'Best Scholarly Book in Canadian History.'


My rates range between 0.7 - 3 cents / word USD, depending on the service(s) requested and the state of the text. I do offer package discounts for multiple services on the same manuscript.


I have been called "intimidatingly thorough," and I choose to take that as a compliment. I can edit with a lighter touch when that's requested, however, and I always keep a sense of humour. My job is to be the invisible partner who makes your text the best it can possibly be. The gallery includes a small representative sample of books and genres I've worked on in the past and would be happy to work on again.


Please note that, as a Canadian small business, I am required to collect GST and provincial sales taxes from Canadian clients.

Services
Fiction
Gaming & LitRPG Historical Fiction Historical Romance LGBTQ Fiction Psychological Thriller Romantic Suspense Space Opera
Non-Fiction
History
Languages
English (CAN) English (UK) English (US)
Awards
  • 2002 Origins Award for Best Game Aid or Accessory - "Gamemastering Secrets"
  • 2024 Shortlist for Governor General's Award for 'Best Scholarly Book in Canadian History.'
Certifications
  • Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary: History, Archaeology, Dress Studies)
  • Master of Arts (Early Modern History)
  • Diploma (Costume Studies)
  • Bachelor of Arts (Anthropology)

Work experience

Sourcebooks

Jun, 2014 — Present

Performing first-round developmental and line edits for new fiction in the Casablanca and Landmark imprints. Depending on project, focus was either developmental (structure, pacing) or a combination of developmental and copy-edit (structural and grammatical corrections, fact-checking, ensuring consistency of content and authorial voice).

Self-employed

Oct, 2013 — Present

Taking on clients as an editor involved at all stages of production - assessments, developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, and proofreading.

Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) Program, Dalhousie University

Oct, 2012 — Sep, 2013 (11 months)

Assisted CEBS course developers with general and specialized tasks connected to curriculum development, exam development, program research and materials preparation. Duties included content research, course materials review, proofreading and fact-checking course and exam materials.

Dalhousie University

Sep, 2012 — Present

Teaching courses as a part-time academic at the Fountain School for Performing Arts, Dalhousie University.

Dream Pod 9

Oct, 1998 — Mar, 2002 (over 3 years)

Responsible for determining the direction, content and authorship for books published for the Tribe 8 and Jovian Chronicles roleplaying game lines. Supervised single and multiple-author teams through publishing process from proposal to final draft; collaborated with layout team and artists to determine book appearance; performed copy editing and final proofing on books for Tribe 8, Jovian Chronicles, Gear Krieg and Heavy Gear game lines. Wrote ad copy for hard and soft-copy catalogues, designed and implemented contests, web promotions and public demonstrations of product lines.

Portfolio

Delicate Condition

Valentine, Danielle

Sourcebooks Landmark

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing Proofreading
I Kissed a Girl

Jennet Alexander

Can an up-and-coming horror actressand the makeup artist for her newest "creature feature"turn on-set chemistry into the romance of a lifetime?Lilah Silver's a young actress who dreams of clim... read more
Developmental Editing
Final Hour

Rushdan, Juno

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Earth Sucks

Chambers, Heather

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Into the Outlands (Tribe 8)

Vella, Guy-Francis

Dream Pod 9

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing Editorial Assessment
Men of Legend

Broday, Linda

Developmental Editing Copy Editing
A Problem Princess (Lords of the Armory Book 6)

Harrington, Anna

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Made with Reedsy
True North: a novel

Carina Lupo

Ella Kerr, a master pianist and gifted composer in her thirties has a renowned and enviable career but her personal life is at a standstill. Two years after the passing of her husband, she is ... read more
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
The Pecan Children

Connor, Quinn

Sourcebooks Landmark

Editorial Assessment
Any Duke in a Storm (Daring Dukes Book 4)

Howard, Amalie

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Editorial Assessment
The House of Five Gates

Martin, Alexandra

Alexandra Martin

Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Heavy Gear Technical Manual

Marc-Alexandre Vezina

Copy Editing
Developmental Editing Copy Editing

Hilary has 47 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Bryce D.

Bryce D.

May, 2024

Pinned
Hilary far exceeded my expectations and did a phenomenal job editing my manuscript. She is extremely talented at all aspects of copy/line editing and has a keen sense of how to improve a passage to really make it shine without changing the original substance. Seriously. So many dull sentences just flowed after incorporating her changes. I found her edits for key moments, particularly for inter...
Read more
Dan S.

Dan S.

Feb, 2024

Pinned
Working with Hilary has been an exceptional experience. Her meticulous attention to detail, deep understanding of language nuances, and constructive feedback have greatly enhanced the quality of our project. Her professionalism and dedication are evident in every interaction. I highly recommend Hilary for her outstanding editing skills and commitment to excellence.
Joshua T.

Joshua T.

Oct, 2023

Pinned
Hilary literally worked through a hurricane to make sure our deadline was met. Beyond that, she makes my work shine, while always leaving encouraging notes along the way. Her feedback is invaluable and her attention to detail is fantastic. Thanks Hilary!
Eden J.

Eden J.

Aug, 2024

Hilary was fantastic, there was a measurable improvement in the chapters she edited.
Michael T.

Michael T.

Aug, 2024

Hilary was so responsive from the inquiry. She was respectful and quick, and helped me pinpoint the exact type of editing I needed. Her assessment was thorough and specific, which I really appreciated. Hilary was able to not only point out things that didn't work, but provide specific examples of things to think about to strengthen the storyline. I highly recommend booking Hilary for whatever e...
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