Developmental Editing
Did you finish a draft of your memoir or creative nonfiction manuscript?
Congratulations!
You put in some serious hours, and a complete draft a real accomplishment.
But now that the confetti has fallen, what are your plans?
Are you looking for a publisher or agent?
Do you plan to self-publish?
Are you ready to turn that draft into a book that publishers and readers are excited to read?
If so, developmental editing may be critical to your success.
What is developmental editing?
Developmental editing is big picture editing.
It takes you from a rough draft to a manuscript with a coherent and engaging narrative you can be proud of.
We work together to:
streamline your story structure
tighten your pacing
focus your character development (even if that “character” is yourself)
make sure the manuscript engages readers in an emotionally compelling way
Developmental editing is NOT:
Copyediting that polishes your sentences. (You need to to get your story straight before adding writerly polish.)
Proofreading commas, headings, formatting, etc. (This comes as the very last stage in the publishing process.)
There are no guarantees in publishing, but I can help you increase your chances of success dramatically.
In addition to making sure your manuscript has a strong foundation, I help you refine how to talk about your book, including:
How to describe your book in one sentence.
How to describe your book in one paragraph.
Why your book is relevant, and to whom?
Being able to answer these questions helps you focus on what’s important, both in the editing process and in getting your book into the hands of the readers who need it.
You might be ready for developmental editing if…
You have a full draft of a manuscript (or a partial draft, if you’re stuck on how to finish).
You want to increase your chance of success with agents and publishers (and/or readers).
You want your story to be as compelling as possible, and you want people beyond your family and friends to read it.
You know you need to make your story structure, pacing, and characterizations solid before you spend time polishing every sentence.
You’re not sure if the tone or perspective is right for the story you’re trying to tell.
You’re worried you have too many different subplots, and you don’t know how to tie them together.
I can take you…
From being unclear on what your book is about to laser-focus on what you’re writing and why.
From throwing word spaghetti at the wall to knowing the structure that works best for your story.
From being unsure if your story is “good” to having confidence in your craft.
From feeling isolated to having professional support from someone who actually cares about what you are trying to do.
From worrying about how people will react to having confidence in your writerly ethics and legal standing.
From a rough draft to a manuscript you’re actually proud of.
Your story is important. And developmental editing brings out a book’s fullest potential.
After developmental editing (and your rewrites!), you will have a manuscript you can be proud of, and you will know how to talk about it.
Your manuscript will likely either be ready for querying agents and publishers, or you will be one significant step closer to self-publishing.
While there are no guarantees in the publishing world, developmental editing ensures that your overarching story is solid and compelling before you initiate the publishing process.
That puts your book way ahead of the curve, both in terms of eliciting publisher and reader interest, but also in leaving them satisfied and wanting more of your work.
I specialize in:
memoir
essay collections
narrative nonfiction
autobiographical fiction
LGBTQIA+ issues
chronic illness and disability
How do you know if you’ll like working with me?
It’s a big leap of faith to start working with an editor on such a monumental project.
Why not book a 15-minute Zoom chat to ask me questions and feel out my vibe?
Alternatively, I also offer sample edits on your first chapter! Simply fill out the application form and send me your draft manuscript. I’ll get back to you within one week.
About the process…
How long does a developmental edit take?
A developmental edit with me includes two intensive rounds of editing, with time for you to rewrite your manuscript in between. The time in between edits is usually about 6-8 months, but you have up to 1 year to complete your rewrites and send back the revised manuscript for your second edit.
In general, the first edit looks at the bigger-picture elements, and the second one digs deeper into scene-by-scene pacing and flow. But this is all very dependent on what your manuscript needs.
How much does it cost?
Unfortunately, I need to see your draft manuscript to be able to give you a quote!
Developmental editing is an intensive, personalized service, and my rates are based on manuscript length and complexity, as well how many major changes I suspect will be needed.
A single edit usually takes a minimum of 15-20 hours to complete, and my rates reflect that time commitment. To get an exact quote, please fill out my application form and send me your draft!