Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚

@editsinthemargins

I help writers to shape their stories and hone their skills via developmental editing, coaching, beta reading, workshopping, and more. As a writer, I enjoy kid lit and exploring fantastical worlds. 🐉

1.949 Folgt1.561 Follower5.748 Posts

Instagram Bluesky

Ist das dein Profil?Übernimm es — dann gehört dir editsinthemargins.dirty.social.Profil übernehmen

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· 13d

Dear Writer, Remember: success is a series of small wins. Love, Kayleigh

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· 14d

✨ Writing Prompt ✨ In honor of the Spider-Man release this week: Write a short scene in which your main character meets their doppelgänger or themselves from a parallel world. #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity

One Spider-Man pointing at another Spider-Man

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· 20d

Dear Writer, Write the story you want to read and you’ve already found one reader: you. There will be more readers waiting to read your work. Keep going. Love, Kayleigh

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jul 8

Today is my mum's birthday, and I'm remembering her in the best way I can: through books and words. 💜

"In Irish we don't say I am sad; we say tá brón orm-there is sadness on me. And we don't say someone is grieving, we say they are faoi mhéala—under grief. The phrase 'going into mourning' literally translates as 'putting on a robe of sorrow.' We wear our feelings, wrapping them around ourselves like cloaks that separate us from the world, and grief is the heaviest one of all."

from Better by Far by Hazel Hayes

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jul 6

Happy Monday, all! I’m taking this week off before my next edit begins, so I will be offline and (mostly) unavailable. I wish you all many words and happy times with your characters. (Posts are pre-scheduled, so comment replies will be delayed.)

Panel 1: Police sending up the bat signal
Panel 2: Bat signal returned and reading "Out of Office"
Panel 3: Batman surfing

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jun 30

I'm working on an editing report for a client, so I popped into my notes app because I often throw thoughts for reports in there if I have them when I'm out. I just found this note that was written last week at 11:52PM (so clearly while I was likely half- or fully asleep) and...what? 🤣

Aren't meant to see corpses. Bodies dangling in the morning l if jt

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jun 19

I emailed the author of my current edit to clarify something as an important detail from book one (which I read six months ago, btw!) had changed in book two. I wasn’t sure if a major shift had happened during book one revisions or if it was an error. This is the email I got back. 😂💜

Hello! Oh, shoot, I just started to write a response, and I replied you’re right! [Redacted: Specific Book Details]. This is why I need you, Kayleigh! Thanks for checking in.

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jun 16

I sometimes describe myself as the nerd emoji come to life. Here's why. (This is before I had LASIK. 😂)

Kayleigh with glasses smiling besides the nerd emoji which has glasses and lil buck teeth

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jun 3

from Meredith Ireland:
Person: what's it like being a writer?
Writer: basically I try my hardest to put words on the page that are so good they make you hallucinate the story and emotions
Person: like... a drug dealer?
Writer: well yes but not paid nearly as well

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jun 3

New headshots finally landed in my inbox last night! Website is already updated. 😂

Kayleigh sitting at a cafe table outside, smiling with a notepad, pen, tea, and scone

Kayleigh smiling while sitting on a bench under a tree with a notepad and pen

Kayleigh next to the fantasy and sci-fi bookcase in a bookstore

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· May 19

The email I logged on to this morning. 😭💜 This is from CC Robinson, author of the Divided series, who just got a glowing review on Booklife.

Thank you for all your hard work on this series. It's amazing to me that the entire series is almost all done and out. I'm putting the finishing touches on the print ARCs for both Betrayed and United now and proofreading both. ARC reader reviews are already coming in for Betrayed and readers are loving it! I'm blown away.

Be blessed! Your work makes a HUGE difference!

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· May 15

Finally, I can tell you what I’ve been up to in the background! On June 1, I’ll be opening applications for financial assistance up to $4,000 to help alleviate the costs of developmental editing for an author who would otherwise be unable to afford it.

Coming Soon
Financial assistance for developmental editing
Applications open June 1

Thanks to a generous contribution, $4,000 is available in assistance for an author who would otherwise be unable to afford developmental editing on their own. Details at www.editsintbemargins.com/assistance

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Apr 11

Not sure which service is right for you? Let's do a quick comparison:

What I do: A manuscript deep dive. I provide detailed feedback and suggestions on big picture elements (i.e. timing, characters, plot lines).

What you get: Detailed marginal notes, light in-line edits, and a 10- to 20-page feedback letter.

Developmental Editing
Goal: Strengthening a completed manuscript
Time and cost: $$$$
Because it takes about one week per 20,000 words, developmental editing is the most expensive of my services.

Skilled Beta Reading
Goal: Getting general feedback

What I do: A temperature check. I respond to your story as a (skilled) reader, providing my thoughts on strengths and weaknesses, and my overall questions and suggestions.

What you get: Occasional marginal notes
and a 2–3 page feedback letter.

Time and cost: $$
Because it requires significantly less time and feedback, skilled beta reading costs far less than developmental editing.

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Apr 11

I've officially opened up the rest of 2026 for developmental edits and beta reads! Transparent pricing and full details available on my site: www.editsinthemargins.com

Kayleigh's Upcoming EDITING Availability:
May: 1 slot (70k or under)
June: BOOKED
July: BOOKED
Aug: 1 slot
Sept.: 1 slot
Oct.: 2 slots
Nov: 2 slots
Dec: 1 slot

Kayleigh's Upcoming BETA READING Availability:
May: 2 available
June: 3 available
July: 1 available
Aug.: 1 available
Sept.: 2 available
Oct..: 3 available
Nov.: 1 available
Dec.: 1 available

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Apr 11

Made the mistake of stating that the *publications* that first published my work had died during/after C19—that is, the literary magazines and journals went out of business. Just in case anyone was ever wondering if illiteracy played a big part with these folks. ☠️

Voices and Vaccines @voicesandvaccines.bsky.com
Plenty of vaccinated people died. Vaccines don't work to prevent infection and doesn't work to stop the spread.

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Apr 10

A client had a couple agents throw the "No prologues!" line at them. This is a personal grievance of mine as I find it tends to pop up out of social media discourse among folks who don't understand the proper purpose of a technique. So I dug through my stuff to find this from a couple years ago. 😂

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Feb 25

Gentle words for the author of my next developmental editing project, and a gentle reminder for anyone hiring a book editor. This is a process that requires trust and vulnerability. It can be hard. But the right person will tell you what you need to know. 💜

Thank you!

I know I can say "Don't be terrified," but it's a totally valid feeling. You're inviting someone in to take a critical eye to something you've poured yourself into. Everyone responds differently. Due to to the depth of the report/comments, it can be a lot to take in, and the emotions that come with it can be big/take time to process. Just know that when I come at this, it is from a place of curiosity, a love of stories, and wanting to help you/the story to grow—never, ever with judgement.

I recommend that writers find another project to work on and distract themselves with while I have their manuscript, as it can help with some of the antsy feelings. :)

Kayleigh

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Feb 7

Folks are sometimes surprised to find out that I don't accept every inquiry that comes my way. This is for a number of reasons, but the most common is very simple: sometimes I just don't think that I'm the right fit. This may be due to content, genre, timing, etc., but I'm honest about it.

Email screenshot.
2:51PM (49 minutes ago)
Thank you so much for the recommendations! And Thank you so much for putting in all the effort of drafting this even knowing you wouldn't take me on as a client.

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Feb 2

Today is the anniversary of my mum's death, so I will be offline. 🖤

"My mother's death was like a puncture in the fabric of my existence, beginning as a pinprick and expanding outwards to become a gaping black hole around which every other moment seemed to catch and drag. Minutes, hours, days, all spiralled inexorably inwards, endlessly elongated by the brutal pull of that tiny, terrifying iris, that ineluctable instant, from which no light or life could possibly escape. My mother was in there, I was sure of it, beyond the event horizon, alive, pre-served, pristine, just as she had been, but neither one of us could cross it; she couldn't exist after that point, and I could never return to a time before it. Nor could I move forward, it seemed, to the day it didn't hurt anymore, when time resumed moving at a regular pace. I was trapped in the space between grief and healing, no longer the person I was, not yet the person I would be, with no choice but to endure it."

—from BETTER BY FAR by Hazel Hayes

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Feb 1

03/28/26
LITERARY AGENT SUMMIT
A VIRTUAL PITCH & PAGES EVENT WITH LIVE AGENT MEETINGS
readychapter1.com/summit

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 27

If you're able to participate fully, please do. If you can only do a part, do that part. One day may not seem like much, but it makes a unified statement, and pressure can build. 💜

NATIONWIDE SHUTDOWN!
FRIDAY JAN 30,2026
NOWORK
NOSCHOOL
NO SHOPPING
ICE OUT EVERYWHERE!!!

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 22

💜

Dear Writer,

Acceptances and rejections do not determine your worth. Keep going.

Love, Kayleigh

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 21

Writers! I have space for a SMALL developmental edit (under 50k) starting April 13 that I would love to fill. If you have a novella, chapter book, etc. that you will have ready by then, reach out so we can squeeze you in. (My next availability after April isn’t until late-June!)

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 20

I dream of working and writing from an old, sun-soaked balcony, maybe draped in flowers, with a view of the water, somewhere warm (not hot). Think Italy, N. Spain, Portugal, Greece, France... Light breeze, a cup of tea next to me. ✨ Do you have a fantasy place to write or work from? Where is it? ✨

View from room balcony of Mazzarò Sea Palace in Sicily
CREDIT: Alfio Garozzo/Mazzarò Sea Palace

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 15

Dear Writer, Be curious. Inspiration can be found anywhere. Love, Kayleigh

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 14

A friend sent me this—these are actually great writing prompts. 😂💜

Posted to Tumblr by northshorewave on Apr 2, 2023:

Reading sports headlines while pretending sports doesn't exist suggests a fascinating world of magic and whimsy.

"Darius Slay says he was 'this close' to becoming a Raven"

"David Montgomery was pursued by Vikings, Bears"

"Transfer Portal Created in Good Faith, But is Out of Control"

"Wolf Enters Transfer Portal"

"Wizards And Raptors Injury Reports"

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 13

“If she herself had had any picture of the future, it had been of a society of animals set free from hunger and the whip, all equal, each working according to his capacity, the strong protecting the weak, as she had protected the lost brood of ducklings with her foreleg on the night of Major's speech. Instead—she did not know why—they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking crimes.”

—from ANIMAL FARM by George Orwell

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 8

Dear Writer, Your ideas are valuable. Write the story already. Love, Kayleigh

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 7

If today's news cycle isn't the day for this famous quote . . .

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." —from 1984 by George Orwell

Kayleigh | Developmental Editor ✍🏻📚@editsinthemargins· Jan 6

Did you think I'd start the year without a promo? Never! I'm offering my biggest savings ever on new monthly or bi-monthly Coaching packages, with up to $375 off. Support and guidance are just a few clicks away. Here's click one: editsinthemargins.com/promo