Member
MFA, New Mexico State University
Developmental editing
A developmental edit is what stands between the draft you have and the best version of your book.
"He asked the questions that made every chapter answer for itself, pushed me to say things my way when I was reaching for someone else's, and told me the truth even when it meant more work for both of us. If you're a first-time author wondering if he's worth it: he's the reason mine became a real book."
Sohrab Ansari, author of Passenger
It's the difference between a rough manuscript with good bones and a potential bestseller.
Very few manuscripts become books without first undergoing substantial editing and revision.
For some reason, new writers dread approaching an editor. Yet, time and time again, I have heard from clients saying it was the most rewarding part of the journey to publication.
In 1957 Harper Lee handed her editor a manuscript called Go Set a Watchman. Tay Hohoff told her the real story was in the flashbacks, in the child and her father. Lee revised, and what came out was To Kill a Mockingbird.
Maxwell Perkins did the same kind of work at Scribner's. One letter from him sent Fitzgerald back to the galleys until Gatsby himself came into focus, and he helped Thomas Wolfe cut a sprawling first manuscript down into Look Homeward, Angel.
And it's by no means only a literary tradition. When Leon Shimkin, a young executive at Simon & Schuster, took Dale Carnegie's public-speaking course, he saw a book in it. Carnegie wasn't convinced, so Shimkin had the lectures transcribed and worked with him to shape the transcripts into a manuscript. The result was How to Win Friends and Influence People.
1. Try the free sample edit, and you'll know within two business days whether it's a fit.
2. We agree on terms.
3. I do a substantive review through the full manuscript, leaving in-text comments and suggestions, then write the editorial letter: usually 8 to 12 pages on structure, concept, pacing, voice, and what the book wants to become. You also get a detailed revision map, which turns the letter into a sequence you can choose how to implement. Afterward, if you'd like, we meet for a 45-minute call to work through everything and develop a clear plan.
4. Guided by the steps in the revision map, you turn the book into what it always wanted to be.
A developmental edit starts at $2,200 for manuscripts up to about 50,000 words and $3,000 up to 80,000. Longer books, heavy structural work, and technical subject matter are quoted. Half on signing, half on delivery. Delivery is within three weeks of my receiving the manuscript and the deposit, and the date is confirmed in writing that day.
Once you've revised, the next step is usually a line edit. For drafts that came together with AI assistance, voice restoration is a must. Each service is its own engagement, scoped against the revised manuscript.
If you want the book produced as well as edited, see the studio.
| Manuscript assessment | Developmental edit | |
|---|---|---|
| Question | What's working, and what should I do next? | How do I fix everything, chapter by chapter? |
| Readiness | Early drafts, first completed drafts, or writers unsure whether the project is viable. | Best on a complete draft you've already revised at least once. |
| What you get | The memo about the book: an editorial letter on structure, character, pacing, point of view, and market fit. | The memo plus the marked-up manuscript: margin comments throughout, a chapter map, and the revision map. |
| Fee | $1,500 up to 50,000 words; $1,800 up to 80,000. | From $2,200 up to 50,000 words; from $3,000 up to 80,000. |
| Timing | Two weeks. | Three weeks. |
| Best fit | Writers who revise well on their own and need direction. Also useful before committing to a bigger edit. | Writers who want granular feedback, or manuscripts with structural challenges. |
What if the draft is a mess? Then you're in the right place.
Do you work in my genre? I have worked with writers across literary fiction, memoir, poetry, self-development, and business and founder books.
My draft was written with AI. It used to be that writers were confounded by messy drafts. Now the most common challenge is how to deal with artificially-shaped writing. Learn more about voice restoration.
Try a manuscript assessment. The assessment gives your manuscript a thorough analysis and a step-by-step path to implement any recommended changes.
Member
MFA, New Mexico State University