What Is Developmental Editing?
A developmental edit helps shape a book in its early stages. It addresses big-picture issues such as:
- overall structure
- narrative arc
- character development
- point of view
- style and voice
- organization
- length
- consistency of tone
What Do I Get with a Developmental Edit?
- A Word document with track changes and comments for suggestions or queries
- An editorial letter outlining the major points to be addressed during revisions
- A completed edit within 4-6 weeks, depending on word count
Who Is a Developmental Edit For?
- Self-publishing authors who intend to compete with traditionally published books in the marketplace
- New authors who want to submit their best work to agents and presses
- Established authors who have written themselves into a corner and need help with revisions
- Nonfiction authors who want to make sure their ideas are organized well and their tone is appropriate for the audience and material
What about the Cost?
- I provide a free sample of about 5 pages so you can see if my editing style fits with your work.
- I send a flat-rate estimate of both costs and time based on that sample.
- I require a 50% deposit before I begin the copy edit, with the remaining 50% to be paid after I return the edited manuscript.
- I provide a professional contract to protect both your work as author and mine as editor.