Developmental Editing

Developmental editing (also called substantive editing or structural editing) is a high-level analysis which looks at how the book works as a whole.

With a developmental edit, you receive detailed feedback on issues such as:

It is not concerned with grammar, spelling or punctuation, or with the nitty-gritty of each sentence. There’s little point in making these detailed edits before the major structure of the book is in place!

What you’ll get

Different editors take their own approach; there is no one standard definition of a developmental edit.

With my service, you’ll receive:

• a comprehensive editorial report on the entire book, covering the areas as detailed above. I’ll highlight the strengths of your manuscript and discuss the areas which could benefit from improvement.
• edits and comments throughout the manuscript itself. These may highlight points made in the report or give suggestions for improving specific techniques. I might edit certain passages of the manuscript to demonstrate how one of the issues discussed in the report could be addressed. I won’t rewrite your work.
• recommendations of websites and books for further reading and a suggested plan of action – what to do now!
• the offer of a one-hour video call or an email Q&A so you can ask questions to clarify anything in the report. I’m happy to give further editorial support after that, but I will need to charge for this at an hourly rate.

What happens after a developmental edit?

When you receive the edit and report, you will need to go through it to make sure you understand and decide what action to take. When you’ve had a chance to do this, I offer your choice of a follow-up video call or email Q&A, so you can ask questions and clarify anything you’re unsure about.

You’ll almost certainly need to make some changes to your book. These will depend on where it needs work – you could find yourself tweaking the narrative arc, reworking some scenes or developing the dialogue.

Afterwards, your manuscript may need further developmental editing. Or, if you feel it is then structurally sound, the next step is line and copy editing.

Do all books need a developmental edit?

Not necessarily! If you’ve studied your craft, carried out your own edits and revisions, made use of beta readers and so on, you may feel confident that your book’s structure is sound and you’re ready to go straight to line and copyediting.

If you don’t want a full developmental edit but feel you’d like some high-level feedback on the way your book is hanging together, then a manuscript evaluation may be the thing. This is also a big-picture look at your manuscript, but it is less extensive and therefore more economical.

Not sure? Then do contact me to discuss. I’m more than happy to work with you to help you decide. I certainly won’t try to push you to a developmental edit if I don’t believe your manuscript needs one. There may be other services more suitable.

Cost and timescale

Because a developmental edit is so thorough and comprehensive, it is also time-consuming, and the cost reflects that.

For fiction works, my developmental editing rate ranges from £16 to £18 per 1,000 words, depending on the level of work involved. I usually quote a project rate, so we both know the cost up front, and I offer payment in instalments.

For non-fiction books, please contact me for a price.

This cost is for one round of editing. If you would like further developmental editing afterwards, that would constitute a separate service, costed according to the scope of the work.

Before finalising your booking, I’ll ask you some questions to help me understand your aims for your book and how I can tailor my report and advice specifically to you.

You will normally need to book your edit in advance so that we can agree deadlines and a payment schedule.

Please take a look at my Terms and Conditions for more information about working with me, and do feel free to contact me for a no-obligation quote, or to ask any questions.