About me
Hi, I'm Steph Rawlins!
Coach, developmental editor, and line editor for indie romance, and your biggest cheerleader with a red pen. From sweet to scorching and every spice level in between.
How I got here
I love reading and have been a romance fan since I had loins to stir. Before I discovered editing, I was a project manager in IT, which honestly turns out to be surprisingly useful training for managing plot threads, keeping timelines straight, and telling people things they don’t want to hear. Diplomatically, of course.
The pandemic kicked my engagement with the indie pub world up to a whole new level. It started with the reverse harem community (I fell in deep, editing thousands of hours of why choose and RH), but it’s grown well beyond that. These days I work across the full spectrum of romance: contemporary, dark, paranormal, romantic fantasy, sci-fi, LGBTQ, romantic suspense, you name it. If it has a love story, I’m in.
I discovered I loved helping authors and had a real talent for developmental editing and world-building. Indie authors are kick-ass businesswomen wearing many hats, and I wanted to be the person who made at least one of those hats easier. So I took classes, joined the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading), and never looked back. Over 120 manuscripts later, from baby authors writing their very first book to USA Today bestsellers, I’m consistently booked and working with many of the same authors again and again. I don’t fear the red pen. I embrace it.
What makes me different
Romance is all I do
Not a generalist who also does romance on the side. This is my world. I started in reverse harem and Why Choose, but I've broadened to every corner of the genre. I know the tropes, the reader expectations, and what makes a book sell. Sweet to dark, contemporary to sci-fi, I've edited across them all.
No AI, ever
Every edit is done by me and my brain. I will never use generative AI in any part of the editing process. You get a human who's genuinely invested in your story, not a bot with suggestions.
I'll hold your hand the whole way
Writing can be lonely. I'm not just an editor. I'm a coach, a sounding board, and the person on the other end of a voice note when you're stuck at 2 am. Whether it's 1-on-1 coaching calls, brainstorming sessions, or just someone who genuinely cares about how your book turns out, I'm here for all of it.
By the numbers
- 120+ manuscripts edited and counting
- 10+ books in the Amazon Kindle Store top 50, the whole store, not just a category
- 2 authors who went from indie to landing six-figure traditional publishing deals
- Repeat clients who keep coming back, book after book
- Fluent in both US and UK English
- Member of the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading)
I’ve worked with debut authors publishing their very first novel and USA Today bestsellers with series in the millions of reads. Whether you’re just starting out or leveling up, I’ve been where you’re going.
Fun facts
Found family is my forever trope.
I will never, ever get tired of it. A group of misfits who become each other’s people? Take my money. Every time.
I’m an American living in London.
Traded one chaotic city for another, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I work in both US and UK English.
Neurospicy champion.
My brain works a bit differently, and I’m proud of it. If yours does too, you’re in good company. I get it, and I’ve got you.
I have two tiny brown rescue dogs from Cyprus.
They are ridiculously cute, wildly opinionated, and the unofficial mascots of Rawls Reads. They supervise every editing session from the sofa.
I love to travel.
Give me a new city, a good book, and a window seat, and I’m happy. Half the reason I love world-building so much is that I’m obsessed with real ones too.
I used to be a project manager in IT.
Which means I hit deadlines, communicate clearly, and can untangle a mess of competing priorities, whether that’s a software rollout or your series with five love interests and a timeline that’s gone sideways.
Ready to work together?
Tell me about your manuscript and where you’re at. I’ll get back to you with how I can help. No obligation, just a conversation.