Services

A developmental editor's marks focus on the big-picture elements of your manuscript. You can expect from a developmental editor:

• Editorial Letter: This is a comprehensive report detailing the editor's overall assessment of the manuscript's strengths and weaknesses. It covers major areas like:
  • Structure: Is the plot well-organized? Are the beginning, middle and end clear? Does the pacing work effectively?
  • Plot & Pacing: Are there plot holes or inconsistencies? Does the story move forward at the right pace, or are there areas that drag or feel rushed?
  • Characters: Are the characters believable, well-developed, and intriguing? Do they undergo meaningful transformations? Are their motivations clear?
  • Theme: What is the underlying theme of the story, and is it effectively conveyed?
  • Point of View: Is the chosen point of view consistent and effective for the story?
  • Market & Audience: Does the manuscript align with its intended genre and target audience's expectations?
• Marginal Comments / In-Line Suggestions: These comments, often provided using features like Track Changes in Microsoft Word, point out specific areas in the manuscript that need improvement or highlight strengths. They might include:
  • Questions about character motivations or choices.
  • Suggestions for expanding or condensing scenes or sections.
  • Observations about inconsistencies in character traits or plot points.
  • Recommendations for improving the flow or clarity of ideas.
  • Feedback on dialogue, such as identifying filler words or clichés.

Instead of just pointing out problems, a good developmental editor will provide clear, actionable instructions on how to revise and strengthen the manuscript. (I charge a little more because I fix it myself.)

My specialties include developmental and substantive editing. If you're not sure what you need, attach a writing sample to your Contact Form submission, and I'll point you in the right direction. If I'm unable to help, I'll make a recommendation based on one of the following.

The Four Types of Editing:

• Developmental editing focuses on the big picture: story, character, scene, pace and coherence. 
• Line editing focuses on style, sentence structure, meaning and flow. 
• Copyediting involves checking for errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and style, as well as making suggestions for improving clarity and flow. 
• Proofreading involves a final check for errors in spelling, punctuation, and formatting.

Yes, we provide standard book formatting services with all basic developmental editing at no extra cost.

Editing fees vary by word count. For an evaluation of your manuscript, the rate would be $.04 per word. For a full developmental edit on a file that is clean and free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors the rate would be slightly less than a file that is heavily incorrect and inconsistent. To avoid higher fees, always use Microsoft Editor or some other spell checker before submitting a file to an editor. For the most accurate quote, please provide a writing sample with your inquiry. 

NOTE: A developmental editor is not a copyeditor, and a copyeditior is not a developmental editor. Neither is responsible for doing the other's task, and prices are higher for developmental editing than any other kind of edit, particularly if we are distracted from the story due to technical errors. While sample edits can be provided for line editing, there is no way to perform a sample developmental edit. It would require reading the entire file to check for structural inconsistencies throughout.

Developmental editing happens in stages. First, the scan for any glaring discrepancies takes place. Next, the deep dive into the story itself occurs. Once the revisions are made, a virtual meeting is held to discuss all individual changes and to get answers to any necessary questions, filling all holes. The file is then returned to you for you to accept or reject suggested edits and to complete any relevant last-minute, one-time changes. When I get the file back, I review the most recent updates to ensure no major shifts have taken place. The file is then finalized and returned to you. 

NOTE: At this point, your book is ready to be printed as a galley (proof copy) if the cover mockup is finished. If changes are necessary after you are flipping through the galley, youfix them and repeat. Normal processing time is typically 30 days or better.