Laura Bontje

Whether you’ve written an unforgettable picture book, the next great novel, or your company’s annual report, I can help you refine your words and bring your best ideas forward.

FICTION
What I Edit
– Children’s literature: picture books (prose and rhyming), middle grade (MG), young adult (YA)
– Adult literature: a variety of genres, with a particular focus on upmarket fiction and mysteries

What I Can Help You With
– Developmental editing to help you structure your ideas
– Stylistic and copy editing to improve effectiveness, accuracy, and consistency
– Rhyme and metre analysis for rhyming picture books (get a head start here: www.laurabontje.com/blog/rhyme-series-part-one)
– Proofreading your edited, formatted picture book to identify errors prior to production
– Editing query letters and synopses to help you prepare for submission

CORPORATE & NONPROFIT
What I Edit
– Web copy
– Marketing collateral
– Stewardship materials (personalized or mass communications)
– Grant applications and award nominations
… and more

What I Can Help You With
– Structural editing to help you organize your ideas
– Stylistic & copy editing (with a focus on plain language) to ensure clarity, accuracy, and consistency
– Proofreading to identify errors prior to production
– Creating style guides to help your staff maintain internal consistency in communications
– Ghostwriting copy for your website or business materials (contact me for writing samples from my time in communications and fund development)

About Me
I’m an editor and writer with a passion for fiction, from charming children’s literature to twisty adult mysteries.

My debut picture book, Was It a Cat I Saw? (illus. Emma Lidia Squillari) was released in 2024, followed by When the Air Sang (illus. Sarah Whang) in 2025. There are at least two more to come!

Visit my website to learn more about my editorial education and qualifications. Outside of editing, my hobbies include travelling, trivia, and board games.

I look forward to working with you to bring your vision to life.