What is developmental editing?

Developmental editing (sometimes called “substantive editing”) evaluates the overall structure of your manuscript, including the flow of ideas, presentation of arguments, organization and sequencing of chapters and sections, adherence to author objectives and reader expectations, and narrative or temporal flow.

A complete developmental edit includes multiple reads, chapter-by-chapter comments, an extensive report outlining the revisions needed to create an improved next draft, and a follow-up conversation between editor and author.

Nonfiction writing can include biography, cultural criticism, environmental and nature writing, essay collections, educational/instructional texts, history, how-to books, leadership and business, memoir, self-help, travel writing, and more.

What is nonfiction?

When should I work with a developmental editor?

Generally speaking, a developmental edit happens when the author deems a manuscript draft "complete" but before it goes to a copy editor. An author who plans to self-publish should consider it an essential step in the process.

Some authors might want to hire a developmental editor before querying agents, or some agents may ask an author to work with a developmental editor before they send the manuscript to publishers. And some overworked in-house editors may request outside developmental work to get the manuscript where it needs to be before sending it along to the rest of their team.

For most nonfiction genres, agents and acquisitions editors do not require a complete manuscript; they prefer to see a book proposal, table of contents, and one or two sample chapters. For that reason, an author might begin working with a developmental editor early in the process, to solidify the book's structure and then continue to get feedback on each chapter as they write it.

What other services do you offer?

  • manuscript evaluation

  • line editing

  • query letters

  • book proposal consultations

  • author coaching

  • editorial coaching

  • translation (Span. > Eng.)

  • contract consultations for audiovisual adaptations

  • script/story consultations for audiovisual adaptations

  • educational content writing

How do I reach you?

Thinking you might want to work with a developmental editor?

Tell me about yourself and your project, and we can schedule a free consultation to talk more about it.