Bill Siever

Bill Siever – Editor

I edit books on every conceivable topic, from geology to romance novels to theology, frequently for Amazon Publishing. No topic too obscure!

Overview

I'm a freelance editor who spends most of my working time editing full-length manuscripts (novels and nonfiction) as well as book reviews for Kirkus Reviews; I occasionally work on scientific papers, dissertations, master's theses, conference papers, and the like. I'm comfortable working on pretty much any genre, from romance novels to materials science. Much of the work I do is for Kirkus, Elite Editing, and various imprints of Amazon Publishing. My goal is always the same: to make your voice shine through as the author, whatever the genre. My specialties are geography, history, and the environment. I'm also writing a hiking guidebook to my area (the southern Berkshires of western Massachusetts), to be published by K. Daniels and Associates, and I'm very much interested in the natural world. I believe you'll find that my experience as a soon-to-be-published author will help in working together. I know what you're going through and will treat your book project with the utmost care it deserves.

Services
Fiction
Classics Historical Fiction Mystery & Crime Young Adult
Non-Fiction
Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences History Nature Political Science & Current Affairs
Languages
English (AUS) English (CAN) English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Kirkus Reviews

Jul, 2023 — Present

I copyedit and proofread over 300 book reviews a month for the children's, young adult, and indie sections of Kirkus Reviews.

Media and editing company based in Austin, Texas

Jun, 2015 — Present

I line edit, copy edit, and proofread fiction and nonfiction of all genres. We send authors detailed notes on their work so that they can see what works well with their writing and what needs improvement; in turn, the production editors (including me) conduct rigorous quality assessments of each editing order based on Chicago style, author preference, and common sense.

Canada-based editing company

Sep, 2014 — Present

I edit work from clients around the world, primarily by ESL authors. This includes technical journal submissions, PhD dissertations, newsletters, and project reports on everything from materials science to electrical engineering to Buddhist theology.

Academic publisher based in Great Barrington, MA

Jun, 2008 — Sep, 2015 (over 7 years)

As project editor and then managing editor, I edited and revised full-length book manuscripts, produced multi-volume encyclopedias (on China, sustainability, and sports, among other topics), and copy edited, proofread, and wrote articles and marketing texts.

Portfolio

The Spy Coast: A Thriller (The Martini Club Book 1)

Gerritsen, Tess

Thomas & Mercer

It Will All Work Out: The Freedom of Letting Go

Hart, Kevin

Amazon Original Stories

Slot Machine Fever Dreams (Obsession collection)

Bohjalian, Chris

Amazon Original Stories

All the Lovely Pieces

J.M. Winchester

Motherly love can drive her to the absolute edge…For nine years, Drew Baker has been running from her brutal husband and the dark deeds of the night she left him. Focused on protecting her ten-year-old son, Drew reluctantly settles into a small town, eager to ... read more
The Good Stranger (A Kate Bradley Mystery)

Dete Meserve

From the bestselling author of Good Sam—now a Netflix feature film—comes another Kate Bradley story about the nature of generosity and finding unexpected connections with strangers.TV reporter Kate Bradley arrives in Manhattan ready to take on a challenging ne... read more
This Fleeting World: A Short History of Humanity (This World of Ours)

David Christian

A great historian can make clear the connections between the first Homo sapiens and today's version of the species, and a great storyteller can make those connections come alive. David Christian is both. This Fleeting World: A Short History of Humanity makes t... read more
A Guide to Lightweight Backpacking in Olympic National Park

Aleta Erickson

Hike the wild Olympics with less! Many backpackers prepare for the diversity of habitat, topography, and weather in Olympic National Park by overloading their packs with unnecessary clothing and gear. In this book, ecologist and wilderness advocate Aleta Erick... read more
Woven into the Fabric

Tsehai Essiebea Farrell

Scurrying across Stanford’s Quad, Brenna was shocked—suddenly she just knew she was going to Africa. It’s the height of the Black Pride Movement and, unbeknownst to her, the Watts Summer Festival boldly decided to send its next Miss Watts to Africa, a metaphor... read more
A Girl Divided

Ellen Lindseth

An emotional novel of love, loyalty, and faith—and one woman’s exhilarating journey of self-discovery during World War II.Rural China, 1942. Twenty-two-year-old Eugenia Baker exists in a bubble as yet untouched by WWII. Content to help her father with his miss... read more
The Quarter Storm: A Novel (Mambo Reina)

Henry, Veronica G.

47North

Spirit Land The Peyote Diaries of Charles Langley: Against Witchcraft and Evil Ones

Charles Langley

This is the true story of Charles Langley, an Englishman from London, who became apprentice to a powerful Navajo Indian medicine man in the remote desert of the American Southwest. His early experiences of Navajo witchcraft, divination and healing, and of the ... read more
The Robber Bridegroom: A Grimm Tale

Aariel Portera

In a German county north of Hamburg rests a town named Sommerwood, where Ruby and Rosa Muller, two enchanted sisters, live. Engaged to be married, Ruby is a feisty teenage girl, while Rosa is more subdued and mature. One day, their mother becomes ill, and Rosa... read more
The Emerald Stone: Serena and the Five Precious Stones

D. J. Loomis

Serena has spent her entire life with her loving father in her small village. One day while out looking for adventure, she finds a dazzling emerald in the stream, and her life changes forever. A strange woman appears, warning her that something special will ha... read more
This Is America : A Short History of the United States (This World of Ours)

Duncan A. Campbell

This Is America: A Short History of the United States, the fourth in Berkshire's acclaimed "This World of Ours" series, is a unique and very short introduction to the United States of America, a nation that in recent history has been the most affluent, influen... read more
Sins of Commission: A Martha Beale Novel (The Martha Beale) (Volume 5)

Cordelia Frances Biddle

SINS OF COMMISSION, the fifth novel in the Martha Beale historical mystery series. Sins of Commission conjures up nineteenth-century Philadelphia in an immersive tale of treachery, loyalty, and passion. A case of arson turns lethal, but who was the perpetrator... read more
Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability Volumes 1-10: Knowledge to Transform Our Common Future

Ray C. Anderson

In the 10-volume Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability, experts around the world provide authoritative coverage of the growing body of knowledge about ways to restore the planet. Focused on solutions, this interdisciplinary print and online publication draw... read more

Bill has 15 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Robin B.

Robin B.

Apr, 2024

This was the fourth book Bill edited for me, and he is excellent! He makes certain every sentence in my book is clear and easy for the reader to understand. He tells me where and how to strengthen my story to make it better and what I should cut to streamline it. He not only corrects my mistakes but tells me why he is making the correction and provides references, so I can better understand my ...
Read more
Bill S.
I love working with Robin, too, and I really appreciate her positivity. I feel like I learn more and more of the art of storytelling every time I work on one of her books. I can't wait to read what...
Read more
TheLegendOf M.

TheLegendOf M.

Jul, 2023

Bill is amazing to work with. His notes are clear to understand, his edits are thorough. He is kind and straight to the point and even shares the different rules of writing. I am looking forward to working with him again.
Bill S.
That's very kind of you, Maren, thank you! I look forward to working with you soon, too!
Dave S.

Dave S.

Jan, 2023

Our collaboration wasn’t completed, entirely related to the demands of the project, but Bill was great to work with.
Bill S.
I'm grateful to have had a chance to work with Dave on his project, albeit briefly, and I'm sorry our schedules didn't work out. I'm looking forward to reading the final result!
Luca G.

Luca G.

Dec, 2022

It was really a pleasure working with Bill. He did an excellent job on a book that was really bad in terms of proofreading. The book discussed quantum physics, so not one or the simplest topics, but despite that Bill gave me several tips and insights. I highly recommend him and will definitely work with him again!
Bill S.
I'm grateful to Luca for the kind comments, and I really enjoyed the book. I'm very much looking forward to future collaboration!
Tom P.

Tom P.

Nov, 2022

Bill was a pleasure to work with, professional, punctual, and flexible as our needs changed unexpectedly. I have no hesitation in recommending him.

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