Developmental Edit

PLEASE NOTE: I currently have no slots available for developmental edits in 2024.

I am passionate about delivering empowering, encouraging and educational developmental edits that allow authors to have a positive, supportive and informative experience as they work to improve their book and their writing craft.

For this reason, my full developmental edit is incredibly in-depth. This service looks at every element of your book, and delivers comprehensive, supportive feedback to ensure that you feel motivated to revise your manuscript, and that you can do so with confidence, clarity and excitement.

How it works:

With this service, I discuss your needs and writing goals in depth with you, to get a good feel for your intentions and hopes for the manuscript. Then, I read the manuscript through closely, considering various different aspects of the book, including:

• Narrative structure

• Plot and subplot

• Characterisation and character arc

• Pacing

• Dialogue

• Point of view

• Worldbuilding

• Genre-specific considerations (e.g. magic systems, etc.)

• Conflict

• Narrative style

• And so on…

At this point, I will begin to populate the book map (a document that allows you a bird’s eye view of the manuscript).

I then read the manuscript a second time, keeping in mind your intentions, and begin to mark up the document, using comments and the Track Changes feature. My aim with my annotations is to allow you to see where your manuscript is eliciting an emotional response, where there are specific narrative elements to discuss, and also to give examples of how you might choose to revise or amend.

I then begin to create your individual, bespoke editorial report, which will deliver a comprehensive and encouraging overview of the various elements of your manuscript, and how you can lean into the areas where you’re already excelling and develop areas that may need some extra attention.

Finally, I read the manuscript a third time, to ensure that my feedback is as comprehensive and helpful as possible.

What you’ll receive:

• Three read throughs of your manuscript

• A bespoke, in-depth editorial report (usually between 40-60 pages long) which will include:

  • A personally-tailored section specifically on writing craft

  • Overarching feedback on your manuscript as a whole, with sections on the each element of the narrative

  • In-depth discussion of revision strategy

  • A list of recommended writing craft resources to help you to execute your revisions and develop your craft.

• A fully annotated copy of your manuscript as a Microsoft Word document using tracked changes and comments

• A book map that shows a full chapter-by-chapter breakdown of your manuscript, including word counts, summaries and scenes, to give you a bird's eye view of your manuscript

• A post-project zoom discussion after you’ve received the report, to discuss the feedback, deal with any questions you have and discuss further recommended craft resources, for example.

What is not included:

• Everything is included in this service, barring the kitchen sink!

Who it is for:

This service is for authors whose manuscripts have already gone through multiple rounds of revisions and have received comprehensive feedback from critique partners and beta readers and are now ready for professional critique.

Rates

Every manuscript and critique is unique, and so all of my quotations will be bespoke, based on your individual project and requirements.

My quotations consider various factors including word count, service requested, the timescale, and the manuscript’s complexity and needs. As a member of the CIEP, my rates are in keeping with the industry standards, as detailed on the CIEP website.

(Please note: In circumstances where more than one round of developmental edits are requested, I offer subsequent rounds of developmental edits at a reduced rate.)

Interested?

If you think that a developmental edit would be a good fit for you, please head to the contact page and fill in the enquiry form to discuss your needs. I will endeavour to get back to you within two working days (although often much sooner).