Developmental Editing

The Big-Picture Edit

Before we fix grammar or punctuation, the story has to be solid. No use cleaning up a scene that needs to be cut.

How does a developmental edit work?

I go through your manuscript twice, leaving in-text comments throughout the document.
I write up a 5–10 page editorial letter outlining the manuscript's strengths and weaknesses.
We have a 60-minute call to discuss feedback and strategize revisions.

This three-step process is called an “editing round.” After the round, the author revises, but I don’t look over those revisions or edit the full manuscript again unless we do a second round. How many rounds are needed depends on the manuscript.

What do you look for in a developmental edit?

In a developmental edit, I’m checking to see if the structure of the book is solid. Think of it as making sure the foundation and walls of a house are solid before you start painting. Do the characters have complete arcs? Does the plot contain all the crucial elements of a story? Is there a meaningful theme? Do any scenes need to be developed? Is there too much telling instead of showing? Is there content that doesn't belong, or that does belong but is missing? All of this is commented on and addressed in a developmental edit.

What’s the difference between a developmental edit and a manuscript evaluation?

The manuscript evaluation is like a DIY developmental edit. All you get is the 10–20 page evaluation and a 60-minute follow-up call, and you then take the feedback and revise your work.

In a developmental edit, I leave comments all over the manuscript itself, highlighting examples, pointing out problems, and leaving suggestions. Sometimes I’ll shift around content as needed to improve the structure. I also provide an editorial letter outlining strengths and weaknesses, and we have a 60-minute call after to go over the feedback. It’s more hands-on and thorough than the evaluation.

Should I get a developmental edit?

A developmental edit is good for you IF

you need detailed feedback on big-picture elements of your book
you’re looking for a more hands-on approach than a manuscript evaluation
you’re willing to put in the work to mine your message for gold
your book is a genre I work with (check my genres)

Jacob Coldwell, Author

Adina has the unique skill of creating clarity with words. In developmental editing she is able to envision the end even before it’s realized. Without interfering with the author’s intent, she can structure cloudy ideas into organized ones to help make a book engaging to the audience.

Jason France, Author

Adina did an incredible job helping me through every step of the editing process. She educated, coached, and mentored me on so many things….and was patient and encouraging the whole time. She held me accountable, didn’t let me settle on “good enough,” and continuously challenged me to improve.

FAQs

Developmental editing is a big-picture edit that addresses structure, story, theme, and other foundational elements of a book to ensure that the story is solid and engaging. A developmental editor will go through the manuscript, leaving comments on areas that need improvement and giving suggestions on how to strengthen the story. They will then write up an editorial letter outlining the strengths and weaknesses so the author knows what to focus on when revising.

Specific sentences or words are not commented on at this stage; we're looking to make sure the structure of the house is in place before hanging up any curtains.

For a manuscript of 50,000 words, I charge around $3,000 for two rounds of developmental editing. A "round" of editing is defined by the amount of back-and-forth between editor and author. Within one round, the author gives me the manuscript, I go through it two or three times, and then I return the edit to the author. Round complete.

Manuscripts that need a lot of improvement tend to require at least two rounds of developmental editing to ensure that all the big-picture elements are addressed and there are no more large-scale revisions needed before the sentence-level edit begins.

Yes, you can! I can review up to thirty pages of your work and see if there are any developmental issues popping up. These could be point of view errors, lack of structure, too much telling vs. showing, confusing chronology, or incomplete scenes. I leave comments and suggestions on the document, which you can then apply moving forward. Also, the problems I see within a sample are often prevalent in the manuscript as a whole, so the sample gives you an idea of the main issues you need to fix in your book.

The sample edit is an important part of my process. It allows you to see my editing style, and it allows me to see if we're a good fit. If we are, I can then tell you how much the editing will cost and how long it will take.

I charge $150 for a sample edit because they take time and you get a ton of value in return.

Genre Check

I Work With

Nonfiction: memoir only

Fiction: sci-fi/fantasy, historical, mystery, literary, middle-grade

I Do Not Work With

Romance, horror, general nonfiction, heavy Christian content, or anything with excessive cursing or explicit material

Are we a fit?

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Developmental Editing

How does a developmental edit work?

What do you look for in a developmental edit?

What’s the difference between a developmental edit and a manuscript evaluation?

Should I get a developmental edit?

Jacob Coldwell, Author

Jason France, Author

FAQs

What is developmental editing?

What are your developmental editing rates?

Can I get a developmental edit sample?

Genre Check

Reach out for a sample edit!