Laura MacAulay, Book Editor

Hi! I’m Laura: story structure strengthener, word choice wizard, grammar guru, punctuation polisher, continuity checker, author advocate.

If you’ve penned a novel, short story, children’s book, or memoir and are looking for a structural editor, stylistic editor, copy editor, or proofreader, I would be thrilled to come aboard!

I’m a friendly, professionally trained book editor who helps creative writers polish their manuscripts before querying literary agents or self-publishing.

🚀 Kidlit: I’m your gal if you write for kids or teens (Middle Grade, YA, picture books, graphic novels). My favourite stories balance strong character development with a driving plot.

🔮 Speculative fiction: Bring on the weird, wacky and wondrous, whether your flavour of choice is urban fantasy, high fantasy, magical realism, fairy tale, soft science fiction, or some strange and beautiful mix of the above. 

🕰️ Memoir & creative nonfiction: We’re likely to be a good match if you write about identity, relationships, feminism, nature & the environment, travel, health & well-being, education, dance, or the fine arts.

My story

I bring eight years of editorial experience and a whole lot of love to your manuscript. I trained in Toronto Metropolitan University’s Publishing Program, where I was three times nominated for the Robert Weaver Award for Excellence in Editing. Since founding Cellar Door Editorial in 2019, I specialize in editing independent creative writers, though I also freelance for publishing houses. Past and current clients include Scholastic Canada, Owlkids Books, FriesenPress, and Episode, the world’s largest mobile publisher of interactive teen fiction. Before coming to my greatest passion—stories!—I taught English to kids, teens, and adults.

Today, I’m still a teacher at heart. My mission is to set you up for success as an author with conscientious editing adapted to the unique needs of your manuscript. I’ve spent countless hours studying writing craft and analyzing bestsellers, and I distill what I’ve learned into practical guidance that honours your unique voice, your narrative, and your message.

Your story

If one of these scenarios describes you, let’s chat!

• You’ve written a first (second, third, millionth) draft and want professional guidance in bringing your story to its best possible form.
• You’re looking for in-depth, personalized feedback on your novel’s plot, characters, setting, dialogue, pacing, and other big-picture elements.
• You want compassionate constructive criticism of your memoir or personal essay to increase your chances of landing a publisher.
• You’re seeking a line editor (aka stylistic editor) to scout out any awkward, wordy, or confusing passages and suggest revisions to make sure your story reads crystal clear.
• You need a pair of eagle eyes on your grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choices, and paragraphing to clean up errors and distractions.
• English isn’t your first language, and you want your story to read like natural Canadian or American English.
• You’d like assistance from an industry professional on writing and editing a kick-butt query letter, synopsis, book proposal, or other pitch materials.

Comments on my work

“This candidate has a remarkably astute editorial eye. If I were an author, I would want this person editing me. They have a great ear for the rhythm and flow of a sentence. One suspects this editor is also a very good writer. The candidate had a good feel for spelling, grammar, and usage. Caught many errors commonly missed. Overall, this is a brilliant editor. I would not let them get away.” —Editors Canada, Copy editing examination

“Laura isn’t the kind of editor who simply hands back your manuscript with the wrinkles ironed out. Instead, she teaches the why behind every improvement, empowering you to elevate your writing to its best. Beyond her editorial expertise, she also understands the business side of publishing, offering invaluable guidance on crafting a compelling, targeted query letter and insight into what agents seek. In 25 years of writing, working with Laura has been the most rewarding editorial collaboration I’ve experienced.” —Joseph Keon, memoirist and author of The Alzheimer’s Revolution

“Laura went above and beyond in bringing my story to life.” —Susanna Oreskovic, author of Expedition to Mystery Mountain

“Laura has the gift of encompassing the content of the story, the interests of the readers, and the author’s wishes.” —Zel Winter, author of Unveiling

“I couldn’t have found an editor who gets my characters like Laura does.” —Naemi Tiana, author of The Lovely One

Get in touch

I’d love to hear about your work-in-progress. Feel free to contact me through my website or on LinkedIn.

Curious to get a peek at what I’m currently reading? Check out my latest reads on Goodreads.

Free 15-minute consultation

Let’s have a virtual tea or coffee and chat about your editing and publishing goals! You’re welcome to contact me with your availabilities, and we’ll schedule a teleconference meeting or phone call, whichever you prefer. My office hours are M­­–F 11 a.m.–5 p.m. EST.

Free sample edit & quote

I offer a free, no-obligation sample edit to give you a feel for my editorial style and to determine whether we’re a good fit. To request a sample edit, please send me the first ~5000 words in a Microsoft Word document. (For picture books, you may send the full manuscript.) I will happily return a complimentary sample edit along with a quote.  

My rates depend on the complexity and needs of your unique project. Rest assured, I do my best to keep my services affordable without compromising on quality.