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, 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 emerging authors polish their manuscripts before self-publishing or submitting to literary agents and publishing houses.

Fiction authors: I’m your gal if you write literature for teens or kids (Young Adult, New Adult, Middle Grade, picture books, graphic novels). My favourite stories balance strong character development with a driving plot.

Memoirists & creative nonfiction writers: We’re likely to be a good match if you write about identity, relationships, feminism, mental health, nature, travel, 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 have specialized in editing independent creative writers, though I also freelance for publishing houses such as Owlkids Books. Past clients include FriesenPress, one of Canada’s best-known self-publishing service providers, 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 need a pair of eagle eyes on your grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choices, and paragraphing to make sure that everything reads crystal clear
• 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 kick-butt query letters, book descriptions, or promotional material

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 email me or visit me at my website or on LinkedIn.

Also check out my latest reads on
Goodreads.

Free 30-minute consultation

To find out whether we’d make a good team, you’re welcome to email me with your availabilities and I’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 estimate

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. For a free estimate, please fill out a quick intake form to introduce me to your book and the services you’re looking for, then email me an excerpt of ~5000 words of your manuscript (for picture books, send the full manuscript). I will happily return an estimate of costs and timelines along with a free sample edit.