Frequently Asked Questions

What (exactly) is a developmental edit?

A developmental edit looks at the big-picture elements of your story, including characters, plotlines, and themes.

This type of edit addresses the following questions:

  • Are my characters compelling?

  • Do my plot points make sense?

  • Will my plot create interest and intrigue for my reader?

  • Am I starting and finishing my story in the right place?

  • Are my scenes working to advance the plot and/or character relationships?

  • Does my story fit its intended genre?

The goal of a developmental edit is to diagnose and address some of the common problems that prevent stories from attracting and maintaining the interest of a target reader.

What is not part of a developmental edit?

A developmental edit does NOT include proofreading services or line edits*.

This means a full developmental edit does not address word choice, grammar, syntax, or sentence formatting.

*My package includes 10,000 words of line edits at the beginning of the manuscript.

Does my manuscript need to be complete?

No, you do not need to have a finished novel or story in order to submit your work for a developmental edit. Discussing possible endings for an unfinished work can be a valuable part of the editing process.

Which genres do you edit?

I am best positioned to develop novels and short stories in the following genres:

  • Contemporary and Commercial Fiction

  • Literary Fiction

  • Young Adult Fiction

  • Science Fiction

  • Fantasy

  • Romance

  • Historical Fiction

  • Experimental Fiction

  • Psychological Thrillers

I am not the best fit for horror, poetry, memoir, or nonfiction projects.

Will you edit every line or word of my manuscript?

I provide 10,000 words of line edits at the beginning of your story or novel. After the 10,000-word mark, I offer line edits as an optional add-on package.

These line edits will consider the following:

  • “Showing” vs. “Telling” - identifying when your prose is achieving the right goal

  • Character continuity, descriptions, and behavior

  • Clarity of figurative language

  • Dialogue phrasing and formatting and impact on character voice/mood

  • Word-choice, over-and-underwriting, repetition

  • Layout recommendations for chapters and paragraphs

  • Letter, word, line, and paragraph spacing

  • Pacing and flow of sentences

  • Spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, hyphenation and capitalization

  • Use of tenses and verbs

How long does the edit take?

Stories or excerpts below 30,000 words will be processed two weeks from the date of full manuscript submission.

Stories between 30,000-100,000 words will be processed four weeks from the date of the full manuscript submission.

Any manuscripts exceeding 100,000 words will take one extra week to process for every additional 20,000 words.

Which platforms do you use?

To submit and exchange manuscripts, I use Dropbox. For in-document comments and line edits, I use Word Track Changes. 1-to-1 meetings will be held over Zoom.

If you cannot use or do not have access to these platforms, please let me know, and I will work with you to find an alternative solution.