People I’ve Used (I can personally vouch for them not using gen-AI in their work)
- Adam Heine – developmental editing, line editing, copyediting
Adam is a long-standing critique partner of mine. His insights into storytelling and command of craft always take my novels to a higher level. He has a whole editing business, and I highly recommend him. He’s also a published author.
- Steven Novak – cover design
Steven is my go-to guy for many of SKQ’s covers and all of Penname’s covers. I’ve worked with him for years, and he’s designed a wide range of genres of covers – for me and many others.
- A Little Red, Inc. – macro, copy editing, proofreading, final pass
Erynn and Bethany are also long-standing author-friends who have their own works published but also went into the editing business (a while ago now). They were critique partners of mine, and I can attest to their keen eye in bring out the best of your story.
- Richard Editorial – developmental edit, line edit, copy editing, proofreading
Richard is the husband of a long-standing indie author friend who is also an accomplished author. They make a good team! Plus Richard has an editorial business in his own right.
- BZN Studios – cover design
Arel did the reboot on my Singularity covers as well as a couple series for Penname. Her work is top-notch and I love her artistic eye. Even when I had a very hard “concept” cover (Singularity), she was really able to bring it to fruition. Highly recommend.
- Jennifer Willis – outline review, editing, book formatting
I haven’t used Jennifer’s services personally, but she’s a good friend and her outline review service looks extremely useful, plus she’s got the full service available, from developmental editing to book formatting.
The above freelancers are ones I can personally recommend–either I have extensive personal knowledge of their work in the past or I’ve worked with them personally (or both). I can vouch that none of them would ever use AI in their work. But finding the right editor or cover designer is a personality fit as much as experience and recommendation.
COVER DESIGNERS COMMITTED TO NOT USING AI
It’s really hard to know if a cover designer is truly committed to not using AI in their work unless you know them personally and can vouch for them. The next best thing is a personal recommendation: a friend willing to vouch for them being committed to not using gen-AI. See the link above for who recommended the artists below:
- Ravenborn
- Yukimi Lumaris
- Rainbow Glade Designs
- Deranged Doctor Designs
- Jade Love Art
- Illustrated Author
- Lyrical Lines
- Tom Edwards
- Erin Dameron-Hill
- NMT Design Studio
- Atra Luna Cover & Logo Art
- AvivArtistryNY
- Mihaela Voicu
- Caroline O’Neal
- Dreams2Media
- Jes Ireland
- LCM Designs
GERMAN LANGUAGE EDITORS AND COVER ARTISTS WHO DO NOT USE AI
My friend Amalia has compiled a list (in German) of German-language editors and cover artists who do not use AI! (Warning: not all these folks speak English or will work with international authors, but it’s a resource nonetheless. Some of the editors do work in English and might do translations.)