Developmental Editing
Insightful commentary to help your stories evolve.
Encouraging guidance to help your writing grow.
A developmental edit (also called a "substantive edit") helps you improve your story, from beginning to end and top to bottom and everything in between.
It's just that simple - and just that hard.
How does a developmental edit work? First, I read your novel a couple times, analyzing its strengths and potential. After getting to know your story, intentions, and vision, I give you LOTS of feedback, including praise, suggestions, resources, advice, and guidance to help you make your story more closely align to that vision in your head.
But it doesn't stop with the letter and manuscript: I'll be there to assist you as you go through revisions. I know that revising can get just as messy - sometimes even messier - than writing the first draft. So I will be right there cheering, advising, researching, and giving guidance through consultations and email support.
By the end of this process, you will come out with loads of knowledge about the craft of writing, plenty of advice and techniques, tailored suggestions, and an avid supporter on the sidelines that's ready to give guidance as you continue on your writing journey.
Who It's For
Generally, I recommend this kind of edit for:
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Writers who want to publish traditionally and write a manuscript that has the best chance of catching an agent's attention.
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Writers with a newly-finished or self-edited manuscript that hasn't been workshopped or heavily critiqued by others yet.
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New writers who want to learn more about the craft of writing, fiction, and/or storytelling.
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Experienced writers who have structural problems with their manuscripts, but are having trouble finding those problems and/or fixing them.
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Writers who have an idea in their heads, but want someone to help act as a sounding board as they bring their idea from concept to story to manuscript
What's Included
Developmental edits come with the following deliverables:
- An editorial letter of 15+ pages
- A heavily annotated manuscript
- 1 post-edit consultation
- 2 hour-long consultations during the revisions process (up to 6 months after the edit has been delivered)
- up to 8 hours of email support during the revisions process
What It Costs
Novels up to 60,000 words: $1,700
+$25 for every additional 1,000 words
How Long It Takes
Turnaround time is typically 3 to 4 weeks from the scheduled date, provided that I've received the signed contract and full manuscript in Word (.doc) format AND the payment schedule has been appropriately completed.