The Developmental Edit: An Expansive View of Your Work

This post is the first in a series about different editorial services. You can also read about copyediting, proofreading, and the manuscript evaluation.

As we saw in the previous post, “Am I ready for an editor?” editing is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Different types of editing are useful for different reasons. The developmental edit is one of the most under-appreciated types of editing.

In the self-publishing community, developmental work—also sometimes known as a content edit—is considered either the be-all and end-all of editorial involvement in a book, or the first line item to get cut from the budget once the author sees the costs for their book begin to pile up.

It’s true that out of the “three buckets”—developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading—developmental editing is the most expensive. It’s also the one that overlaps with book coaching. In both cases, this is because of the scope of the developmental edit, which is expansive: nothing less than the overall message and structure of the book itself.

Developmental editing is a big deal for a reason.

Why you definitely want a developmental edit

The developmental edit cares about the most fundamental question of all: Is this a story worth telling?

A developmental edit is concerned with the 30,000-foot view of the work. Writers often jump the gun into line and copyediting before they’ve checked whether the story succeeds. We can make as many pretty sentences as you want, but let’s not put lipstick on a frog, as the saying goes.

What are you communicating? It’s easier to finesse phrasing than develop and elevate a story. Your struggles with spelling are a non-issue in comparison to the art of your storytelling. And development is passionate about storytelling.

A sampling of questions from this edit:

• Do we want to keep turning pages to see what happens next?
• What is the overall purpose or takeaway of the book and does it achieve these goals?
• Who are the readers, and why do they care?
• Does the structure make sense?
• What are the plot holes?
• Do we care about the people/characters?
• Is this the most effective way to tell this story?

The “sexy” part of writing, for many, comes at the line level: polishing those sentences, deploying nifty turns of phrase, or setting up the catchiest bulleted lists (depending on your genre). But if the story doesn’t work, not even the niftiest phrases will save it. You want a story that works, and that’s why you want a developmental edit.

(Want a more full list of developmental questions? Go here, you delightful nerd!)

What happens in a developmental edit

It’s all about the big picture. Your editor will want to read the whole shebang. This means you’ll have to make a commitment to deliver a beginning, middle, and end.*

Depending on your genre, they may ask you provide additional materials (for instance, I ask fiction writers to submit a synopsis, and nonfiction writers a table of contents).

Then, your editor will read the whole draft from top to bottom. You want big picture feedback? We’re getting the big picture.

You’ll receive a completely marked up manuscript in return. Depending on your editor’s style, they may lean more towards leaving you lots of notes, or making lots of direct changes; usually there’s a combination. Most editors (including yours truly) will provide you with a cover letter outlining our feedback.

Then, depending on your editor, you may have the opportunity for a discussion of the feedback. This is part of my process, and personally, what I find most valuable for the majority of writers. Different editors will have different boundaries, but be sure you can directly communicate with your editor of choice, whether via email, phone, or meeting.

What happens after the developmental edit?

Usually what happens next is revision. Time for you to take that feedback and further develop (hence the term) your manuscript!

It can be hugely helpful to have support during this process. Talk to your editor about what options they have for you. I’m also a fan of the buddy system, where you have a writer buddy to check in with. You might consider joining a writing group or taking a writing workshop.

Whatever you do, you might entice yourself with the knowledge that the “sexy” part of editing follows revision—all that fun work on beautiful sentences, memorable nuggets, and pithy turns of phrase.

The bottom line

A developmental edit is a conversation between the author and the editor about big points of theme and clarity. The organizational feedback alone can make a world of difference in the final shape of your book.

The developmental edit comes before any other editorial work. You’ll need to repeat any copyediting and proofreading once the development is complete, so why not start there? Save these other steps for later.

Every book can benefit. If money is a concern, discuss payment options with your editor, or consider a manuscript evaluation. Once you’re done, you can step back, and take in the view.

*Sometimes one of these three pieces is a bit muddy when you go into the edit. Good news! Developmental editing can help you figure out how to best start, end, or through-line your work. (Return)

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Thinking you might want a developmental edit? Check here for more info and to set up a consultation.

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CC image courtesy of Luigi Mengato on Flickr. Some rights reserved.