Get your story, scenes, plot, characters, and dialogue in tip-top shape for publication
With developmental editing
Developmental editing is an important stage in the creation of a bestselling novel. It focuses on the big picture elements of a story. During a developmental edit, the editor will make suggestions to the author on overall story elements such as plot holes, weak dialogue, poor character development, or unnecessary elements that don’t add to the overall story.
This step is important as it helps the author to really hone in on the story and refine their work and showcase their writing talent.
What is Developmental Editing?
Developmental editing is the process where an editor will give you a thorough evaluation of your work to help determine what it needs in order to be ready for publishing. This includes a manuscript critique which addresses various story element issues like plot holes, poor character development, confusing dialogue, sentence phrasing, and any other issues that arise in relation to story elements.
Do I Need Developmental Editing?
Though a developmental edit is not necessary for every type of writing, for example, blog posts, pamphlets, some nonfiction works, etc., it is highly recommended for literary work, especially fiction work. It will help you to really focus in on the story, cut out anything that doesn’t add to the story, focus on really bringing your characters and scenes to life and iron out any issues that may confuse your readers or take away from your writing talent.
When Should I Get Developmental Editing?
Developmental editing is typically the first stage of editing to get once you have a completed first draft of your manuscript. Your manuscript will be evaluated. The editor will review your entire work and compose what is known as an “editorial letter,” which is a summary highlighting all the issues they might have come across in your book.
Because the outcome of the review may result in a series of rewrites, it is usually recommended to have this done before any proofreading or fine-tuning, as anything added or changed will need to be re-edited.
I Want a Developmental Edit. How Do I Get Started and What Does the Process Look Like?
If you are ready to get developmental editing services, then the first step is to get in touch by filling out the contact form or sending me an email at [email protected] with the subject line “Developmental Editing Services Inquiry” to get a conversation started so we can discuss your current work. You will be asked to share a sample of your finished manuscript along with a short synopsis of the overall work. If you don’t have a finished manuscript, please indicate that and how far along you are in the writing process.
A free email or telephone consultation will follow. This will help me to get a good idea of what your story is about, what stage in the writing process you are, what your vision for the finished product is, and how I can best help you. It will also help you to get a good idea of how I will help you, how long the process will take, and of course, the costs involved. All of this will be discussed before any commitments are made.
After the consultation, you can decide if you would like to move forward. If you would like to move forward with a developmental edit, then you will be required to put down a non-refundable 50% deposit and sign a simple contract. I will also provide you with an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) if you do have one.
After all the legal stuff is out of the way, I will get straight to work. I will read through your entire manuscript carefully two or three times and make notes of areas of the plot, events, scenes, character development or dialogue that could use improvement and prepare an editorial letter for you.
Once the editorial letter is ready, I will deliver it to you. At this point, you will be required to pay the remaining 50% of the fee. I can answer any questions you have regarding the contents of the editorial letter. We can also discuss future projects such as a copy edit and/or proofread.