Developmental editing looks at the high-level aspects of your MS and how it works as a whole. A developmental edit will contain specific suggestions for improvement and questions to help develop the story or message of the piece.
For fiction and creative nonfiction, a developmental edit considers content like plot, character development, scene, conflict and tension, dialogue, theme, and language. For other nonfiction, developmental editing looks for appropriate support for research, use of sources, architecture, message, and language.
A developmental edit pays close attention to structure and pacing, making sure all the big pieces are in place. Feedback on a developmental edit will be directed toward aspects that will bring out the best shape of a book.
Developmental editing rates start at 2 cents a word. A one-on-one discussion to discuss feedback and next steps are included in the fee.
