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Development Editing

Incredibly intense but worth it

Development editing (also called substantive editing) is the most intensive type of editing. It focuses on every aspect of the novel and has a learning element attached to it.

In a development edit, we analyse and develop every aspect of your manuscript to help you create something you can be proud of. Throughout the learning process, you will be told not only what changes should be made, but why. It’s important when undergoing a development edit to take into account the learning aspect, as it’s quite a work and time intensive process.

The Process:

Development editing can be very difficult. Having someone pick apart every element of your hard work can feel quite dispiriting. But, there’s no question it will not only make your work stronger, it will also provide you with tools to take into your next project.

Working together, we create a schedule:

  •  We’ll have a discussion about what you feel may need the most help and what elements you’re most unsure about. The editor will do a hard edit. That means they will go through the entire project and make comments about things that may not be clear, things that could be said better or differently for clarity, and analyse your characters and structure, looking for any inconsistencies or aspects that could be altered.
  • The project will be sent back to you, so you can work through it at your own pace. You’re never alone, though; you can always contact the editor if you have questions!
  • You send it back to the editor, and the process is repeated until you’re happy with the final manuscript.