Developmentalediting

Once you've revised your complete draft as much as you can, but can feel something isn't working. Maybe beta readers or agents and publishers are giving feedback about structural issues, or the story just isn't landing the way you want it to. A developmental edit is where we work out exactly what's missing from your story and why. You can also use a developmental edit to make your manuscript the best version of itself that it could be.

Once you have a complete draft and you've revised it as far as you can on your own. A developmental edit works best on a manuscript you've already taken seriously; self-editing and beta readers/critique feedback beforehand will improve your story first, and the better shape the draft is in when I get it, the higher-level the feedback can be. When you book, it helps to tell me a bit about what you're going for: your goals, your target audience, and anything you think isn't working. If you're several drafts in and still feel something fundamental is off, that's usually a good sign it's time.

Both are thorough reads that evaluate all of the big elements: structure, pacing, character, worldbuilding, whether the story is doing what you want it to, etc.

A Manuscript Assessment only provides an editorial letter, while Developmental Editing also has comments written throughout the manuscript so you can see how the feedback applies to exact points on the page. An assessment is usually enough if you just want big-picture direction, but if you want detailed advice on revising your story structure closely, Developmental Editing is the choice.

You get comments and tracked changes throughout the manuscript itself, pointing out specific points of strengths and weaknesses, alongside a separate, detailed editorial letter that covers each major element of the story and my overall thoughts. Once you've had time to read through everything, there's an optional follow-up call to answer any questions and talk through how to tackle the revision.

No, keeping your voice intact is the whole point. A developmental edit works through comments and suggestions on your manuscript, so every change is yours to make or ignore. My job is to help you tell your story more clearly and effectively, not to change it into something else. If anything, the aim is to get more of your voice onto the page, not less.

It depends on the length and complexity of the manuscript, but I usually aim for around four to eight weeks, and you'll have a confirmed delivery date before you commit. If you're working to a deadline, let me know early and I'll be honest about what's realistic.

Revision, mostly. The edit gives you a clear picture of what to change and why, then the work of revising the manuscript is yours. Once your revisions are done, the manuscript is usually ready for copyediting.

No. AI tools can give generic structural advice, and some can flag obvious things like length or some pacing problems, but they can't feel a story like a person can. They can't tell you why an ending doesn't feel earned, read the emotional layers of a scene, or tell the difference between a genre expectation you're breaking on purpose and one you've broken by accident. AI tools lack the nuance to improve your story in the unique way it needs, and can't care about your work the way a real editor will.

I never put your manuscript into an AI tool, and the reading, thinking, and suggestions are always my own.