Developmental Editing + Editorial Letter

Developmental editing (sometimes called structural or content editing) is big-picture chapter-by-chapter and scene-by-scene editing. This includes an analysis of the full manuscript and suggestions for reworking the following where needed to help you create the best story possible.

1) Premise/plot – What dramatic questions are being asked in the narrative? Do these dramatic questions create tension and engage the reader? Do they drive the plot forward in a meaningful, relevant, comprehensible, complete, and consistent way? Are the dramatic questions consistent for the characters to whom they pertain? Are they resolved in ways that the reader will find engaging and satisfying? Does the storytelling fit within the genre or perhaps stretch it in entertaining new ways?

2) Conflict – Are the primary and secondary conflicts of the story clear and comprehensible? Does the central conflict develop consistently in a manner that creates dramatic tension and engages the reader? Is there an escalation of risks, stakes, and consequences to carry the narrative forward throughout the story? Are conflicts layered, and are they paced in ways that intrigue, captivate, and compel the reader to continue?

3) Character – What are the personal goals, motivations, stakes, and conflicts (both internal and external) for each character? Is each character multidimensional and unique? Does each have his or her own voice and inner journey? Do the characters react to the story’s conflicts in ways that are consistent with their personalities? Are their motivations clear? Is there enough emotional exposition and movement in each character to show her or his depth and relationship to others, the plot, and the conflicts?

Using MS Word’s track changes feature, I will make suggestions for tightening up or further developing all of the areas above, with each page, paragraph, scene, and chapter evaluated in the context of the full manuscript. Examples (though by no means a comprehensive list) of the types of suggestions you might see include,

• Highlighting scenes that do not advance the story with an explanation about why this may be and potential ways to rework them.

• Suggestions for strengthening characters’ goals, stakes, and motivations.

• Showing where conflicts can be deepened to increase these stakes and consequences for characters.

• Ways to further actualize settings that may be underdeveloped and use them to advance the plot and conflicts.

• Suggestions for strengthening the premise and/or themes for greater impact and to increase reader engagement.

• Advice on ways to increase tension through pacing and/or structural rearrangement.

• Pinpointing narrative weaknesses or digressions that water down or derail the plot.

Additionally, upon completing the first full pass of the novel, I will provide an editorial letter, generally eight to twelve pages long, describing main areas to focus on for improving and revising the manuscript. Often, the best process for a complete developmental edit of a novel is iterative and may take multiple back-and-forth interactions between author and editor to develop the novel to its best possible form.

Developmental editing does not include revisions or rewrites done by me, but may include examples of rewritten passages to help clarify my suggestions. Keep in mind, once developmental editing is complete, it is usually recommended that a manuscript be line-edited, and all manuscripts should be copyedited and proofread before being published.

Basic Package – Fee: 2.5¢ per word

• The initial edit of the manuscript, with specific, granular editorial feedback included as comments and notes in the manuscript itself and an editorial feedback letter of between 8 and 12 pages.

• A one-hour follow-up phone conversation (if desired) or brief email exchange following the return of the first round of feedback to discuss any related topics or questions.

Basic Plus Package – Fee: 4¢ per word

• The Basic Package and up to 10 hours of continuous email support for the author’s revision process, which is available over a span of three months.**

**Email support between the first and second draft of the manuscript can include anything the author would like to cover, from questions about character or plot arc, to brainstorming, to coaching, etc. It excludes any review or editing of revised content, however, as this is part of the Advanced Package.

Advanced Package – Fee: 6¢ per word

• The Basic and Basic Plus Packages, plus a second round of editing of the revised manuscript. This will include margin comments but not a feedback letter.

• A final one-hour follow-up phone conversation or email exchange to discuss any last items related to the manuscript.

Genres:  Speculative fiction, including all science fiction, fantasy, steampunk (or any punk), urban, paranormal, horror, superhero, dystopian, etc. Suspense, thriller, and crime. Action-adventure.

Manuscript Critique/Professional Beta Read

In a critique, I will assess big-picture manuscript strengths and weaknesses. In addition to addressing any specific areas you would like feedback on, I'll focus on the following questions: Does the plot have legs and flow well? Are the characters well drawn with clear motivations and goals? Does the conflict drive the story forward in an exciting and engaging way? Does too much exposition and info-dumping slow down the pace? Is the tone consistent?

A critique includes a three-to-five-page editorial letter to answer your specific questions and highlight the manuscript’s main opportunities for improvement. This service tends to best serve writers who are more confident in their self-editing and rewriting skills or those who are just starting out and are looking for some guidance on where to focus their efforts on improving their craft.

Rate: $10.00 per 1,000 words for novel-length projects of 50,000 words or more. Click here for a quick project estimate → Estimate.

Genres:  Speculative fiction, including all science fiction, fantasy, steampunk (or any punk), urban, paranormal, horror, superhero, dystopian, etc. Suspense, thriller, and crime. Action-adventure.

If you’d like to read what some of my clients have said about working with me, please visit this page → Testimonials.