I am Emily Shaw-Higham, the face behind Orchid Edits. I’m a fantasy/sci-fi editor with the passion and skills to help you take your vision from manuscript to polished book.

My claim to fame is that I’m in the acknowledgements of most of the recent books by Brandon Sanderson, #1 New York Times best selling author of Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and more. Oh, and that I’ve had the pleasure of copyediting and proofreading most of his recent releases. That too!

I am an avid reader, and I spend most of my time in the sci-fi and fantasy genres (with extended detours into romance, horror, historical fiction, and memoirs). While most of my high school peers dreamed of becoming a famous author and writing their magnum opus, I would take breaks from my school work by editing said manuscripts. There is something about seeing someone else’s vision and digging in elbow deep to help them achieve it that has always brought me so much joy. From the moment I opened my first friend’s Google Doc and started working with her, I formed a dream. I dreamed of spending my career working with enthusiastic authors to help their visions become reality.

But I’m not just a dreamer—I relentlessly pursued my goal of becoming a first-class editor. I got a bachelor’s degree in editing and publishing, and then I got a job on the editorial team at Dragonsteel, LLC., Brandon Sanderson’s company. I’ve since spent the last three and a half years there copyediting, proofreading, and more. Now, after a cross-country move, I have switched to freelancing. While I continue to work with Dragonsteel as a client, I also seek to branch out and open my schedule up to more authors, which I’m very excited about!

If you have a fantasy or sci-fi manuscript that you are excited about and are looking for a freelance editor, I’m your gal! Please reach out to me via contact form!