What is Developmental Editing?
Developmental editing is when a professional reads, reviews, critiques, and assists with the development of your book.
SRD Editing Services offers “developmental editing” for manuscripts that are at least 75% completed. If you don’t have a nearly completed manuscript, see “Book Coaching” below.
In a developmental edit from SRD Editing Services, the editor reads & reviews your manuscript, focusing on large-scale (“big picture”) issues, helping to guide you according to your text’s strengths and weaknesses.
The developmental editor does not “copywrite” or “ghostwrite” for you — meaning, the editor is not “hands on” in making corrections or changes to the wording on the page.
Instead, the developmental editor leaves comments in the margins and gives notes/suggestions to advise the writer on how to revise that section of text.
In a developmental edit from SRD Editing Services, the editor focuses on critiquing your manuscript for improvement. All suggestions are made in an effort to assist you with clarity and concision. The editor’s goal is to help you tell your story and deliver your message.
The developmental editor can help with writing tips and resources, as well as provide suggestions for alternate wording.
All critiques and comments are delivered back to you to help guide your next round of drafting, according to your goal for the book.
Focus of Fiction & Nonfiction Developmental Edits
Fiction Developmental Edits focus on:
- strength of hook & opening chapter
- plot holes
- world building
- story arc
- character arcs, motivations, & consistency
- historical, scientific, & philosophical (in)accuracy
- chapter structure & order of events
- strength of book’s conclusion
Nonfiction Developmental Edits focus on:
- Structure of book introduction & conclusion
- Structure of chapters
- Structure of internal arguments
- Consistency in use of terminology
- Validity & strength of support for arguments
- How to enhance the “storytelling” of the text
- Recommending references
- Transition/connection between ideas
- Suggestions for implementing actionable items for readers
- Strength of book’s conclusion
The SRD Developmental Editing Process
Approximate timeline: Two (2) to six (6) months.
About two (2) months per 50K words.
Step 1: Send your nearly complete manuscript to the SRD editor (Cortni).
Step 2: Schedule & conduct first 1-hour call with Cortni to begin the edits. Cortni will then perform her preliminary review.
Step 3: Cortni returns manuscript with margin comments and end notes.
Step 4: Revise! You can choose to schedule a 30-minute call with Cortni at this point, to discuss any questions about feedback. You return the updated manuscript to Cortni when complete.
Step 5: Cortni completes secondary review, resolving or replying to comments, and adding final feedback. You can schedule a final 30-minute call when Cortni returns the revised manuscript, to discuss any remaining questions.
What is a Book Coach?
If you don’t yet have your manuscript completed and you need guidance. If you need a coach, an advocate, someone to hold you accountable and point you in the right direction, then read what you write and leave extensive commentary and notes.
A book coaching contract entails the kind of assistance provided in the developmental edit, but adds a few details to help you cross the finish line and complete the manuscript you’ve been working on. While a book coach is also not a ghostwriter and won’t write or rewrite material for you, it’s a personal, one-on-one professional book idea assistant.
The SRD Book Coaching Process
Approximate timeline: Three (3) to six (6) months.
About three (3) months per 50K words.
Step 1: You and Cortni have an initial virtual conference to determine a weekly meeting schedule and 16-week writing goals. You’ll set a per-day word count goal for your writing.
Step 2: You and Cortni meet weekly (30 minutes) to discuss reviewed material and new progress. Writing goals will be adjusted after 4 weeks and again after 12 weeks, as needed.
Step 3: The first 16 weeks are up! You take 1 final week to revise and finalize your first draft.
Step 4: Cortni to spend 2 weeks per 50K words reading entire first draft manuscript. She leaves additional margin comments for further direction.
Step 5: Cortni completes first draft review and adds final feedback. You can schedule a final 30-minute call when Cortni returns the reviewed manuscript, to discuss any remaining questions.
Genres Available SRD Developmental Edits & Book Coaching
- Short Stories (any)
- Fantasy
- Science Fiction
- Contemporary Fiction
- Women’s Literature
- Literary Fiction
- Memoir
- Self-help
- Business/Entrepreneurship
- Spirituality (non-Christian)
Steps After Developmental Editing
After you complete your first draft, it’s advisable to have a few members of your target audience read it and provide feedback. Especially if your material contains potential sensitive content, this step provides you perspective during your revisions.
Line Editing
After you receive feedback and revise your story to its final form, it will be time for your line edit. Don’t complete a line edit until the conent is complete. An SRD Editing Services line edit includes correcting issues of grammar, punctuation, spelling, typos, tense and tone, consistency, fact-checking, anachronisms, and other areas of attention as needed.
Although the line edit will be as thorough as possible, please perform a final proofread before publication.
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