Home Services About Contact
Editor  ·  Writing Coach  ·  Publishing Consultant

From first draft
to published book.

I work with authors one-on-one at every stage — from the earliest, messiest drafts through developmental editing, line editing, querying agents, and publication. Over 200 book-length projects. Fifteen years.

Start a conversation
Matthew M. Perez
200+
Book-length
manuscripts
15+
Years independent
practice
Chicago · Harvard · Cornell
Indiana · Johns Hopkins · Temple
University press
clients
First draft
through print
Full-service
range
Writing desk with books and manuscript
Editorial Assessment
Full read, written evaluation, and a follow-up call.
$85/hr
Developmental Editing
Structure, argument, arc. Weekly. A real collaborator.
$95–130/hr
Line & Copyediting
Sentence-level clarity, consistency, and style.
$55–100/hr
Publishing Consultation
Query letters, agent submissions, book proposals.
$125/hr
What I do

The work I find most rewarding is the earliest and messiest.

First drafts, structural overhauls, manuscripts that don't yet know what they are — that's where I do my best work. I specialize in one-on-one collaboration with authors over the long haul. And when you're ready to take it further, I can guide you through querying, proposals, and publication.

I love to help writers find the book they’re actually trying to write.
Selected clients

Trusted by publishers, scholars,
and debut authors alike.

University of Chicago Press Harvard Education Press Working Fires Foundation Shambhala Publications Toho Publications RAND Corporation Palgrave Macmillan
Services & rates

Clear scope.
Honest pricing.

Every project begins with a conversation about your goals, timeline, and budget. I work with writers at every stage — from first draft through publication. Rates reflect actual pace; no flat-fee surprises on longer manuscripts.

Writing desk
Development & coaching
Developmental editing
$95–130/hr
Structure, argument, arc, character, pacing, voice. Editorial letter plus in-text notes. Standard fiction and narrative nonfiction $95–115; genre fiction, memoir, self-help, and academic monographs priced to complexity.
Writing coaching
$125/hr
Structured sessions with written feedback between meetings. Tailored to how you actually work — including neurodiverse writers. Package rates available.
Publishing consultation
$125/hr
Traditional vs. indie paths, press targeting, agent query strategy, platform development. Book proposals $1,500–3,500 project-based; query & synopsis packages $350–600.
Ghostwriting
$110–150/hr
Full-service book-length writing from outline through final draft. Memoir, narrative nonfiction, fiction, and academic crossover. Your voice, your ideas — fully realized on the page.
Manuscript & editorial
Editorial assessment
$85/hr
Holistic read with a 1–2-page written evaluation of strengths, weaknesses, and a recommended editorial path. In-text notes included on manuscripts under 100,000 words.
Line editing
$80–100/hr
Sentence- and paragraph-level clarity, rhythm, register, and voice consistency. Often paired with developmental work. Clean and tracked copies delivered.
Copyediting
$65–90/hr
Grammar, syntax, consistency, fact-flagging, style-guide adherence (CMOS, APA, house). Light/medium $65–80; heavy $75–90. ESL authors welcome.
Proofreading
$55–70/hr
Final error-pass against a style sheet. Assumes near-publication-ready copy; catches residual typos, inconsistencies, and formatting issues.

Also available on Reedsy →

About

Editor, coach, and publishing
consultant based in New York.

I've spent fifteen years working with writers at every level — from debut novelists to tenured scholars. The work I find most rewarding is the earliest and messiest: sitting with a writer in the development phase, when the book is still becoming itself. I'm not looking for clean manuscripts to polish. I want to help writers find the book they're actually trying to write.

Matthew M. Perez
Background
I've worked as head editor at Toho Publishing, Publishing Director at the Working Fires Foundation, and as a freelance editor for university presses including Cornell, Stanford, Chicago, Indiana, and Harvard Education, as well as the RAND Corporation, Palgrave Macmillan, and Shambhala Publications.

I hold a BA in English Writing from Pomona College, where I was a Writing Fellow.
How I work
Every engagement starts with a conversation about what you're trying to accomplish and what's getting in the way. I work in tracked changes, deliver clean and edited copies, and follow most projects with a written editorial letter and a call.

I can take a writer from first draft all the way through querying agents, writing proposals, and publication. I know the full road.
Neurodiverse writers
I have extensive experience working with neurodiverse and neuroatypical writers — including those with ADHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia. Neurodivergent writers often bring distinctive strengths: associative thinking, intense focus, unconventional structure. The editorial process works best when it's built around how a particular writer actually thinks, not a standard template.
Genres & disciplines
Fiction · Memoir · Creative nonfiction · Academic monographs · Scholarly articles · Government and policy reports · Medical communications · Stage plays · Screenplays · Travel writing · Young adult · ESL authors for peer review
Contact

Let’s talk about
your project.

I respond to all inquiries within two business days.

Message received.

Thanks for reaching out. I'll be in touch within two business days.

Direct contact
Emailmatthew@matthewmperez.com
LocationNew York, NY
Reedsyreedsy.com/perez-matthew
LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/matthewmperez

I work with clients remotely across all time zones. Initial consultations are by video call.