You’ve got your book onto the page, but does it all hang together in a logical way? Is it clear what the central argument or core story of the text is? Are there any gaps in the content or does some of the text repeat itself, or both? Would any paragraphs work more logically in a different place or chapters in a different order? I will work with you to structure and organise your text so that your message is conveyed clearly and effectively to your reader and the book flows from beginning to end.
What is developmental editing?
The main aim of developmental editing is to help you as the author convey your message clearly and effectively. Whereas, in broad terms, copyediting looks at the text on a sentence level and proofreading on a word level, developmental editing looks at the bigger picture and how well your manuscript hangs together as a whole. Imagine it as a painter moving away from their work to gain distance and a more objective view.
During this part of the editorial process, we will work together to shape and structure your manuscript to ensure the information is delivered in a way that is as easy as possible for the reader to process. If appropriate, we will also look at refining your content so that nothing is repeated and your argument progresses logically through the book.
Please note: It is important to understand that this stage of the editorial process does not look in detail at spelling, grammar and punctuation, as these are all things that will be covered in the copyedit. If there are errors here, they will remain in the text at this stage. The reason for this is that there is no point spending time on refining these areas when it may be that paragraphs will be deleted, moved or changed. It is much more efficient to get the content in place and in order first before moving on to looking at the flow of the text at sentence level.
The role of developmental editing within the publication process
The graphic below explains where developmental editing sits within the editing process on the road to publication.
How do I work?
First, I will assess the manuscript and carry out a skim-read to identify the central point or argument you are trying to make and then the conclusion you would like the reader to come to. At this stage I will also consider your target audience and what might be the most appropriate way for them to receive information, and I will identify any key issues in the text. It may be that I suggest returning the manuscript to you at this point before considering the text in more detail, if I feel it would be more efficient for you to address these issues before we continue.
I will then read the text carefully and look at whether the content of the book hangs off the central point and is backed up by evidence, if appropriate, and whether your argument or narrative is logical and persuasive. At this stage I will also look in detail at the structure, clarity, tone and flow of your work, highlighting what is working well and identifying any areas for development, as well as whether there are any gaps in the content. Some authors prefer me to go ahead and make direct changes to the text, flagging where I have done so; others prefer me to note my suggestions in the editorial report only. I am very happy to liaise with you to find the best approach.
Finally, I will write an editorial report that looks at where the text is working well and identifies areas for improvement, making recommendations for how you might develop the text. Once this is done, all content has been added, removed or moved as seems useful and any other issues have been addressed, your manuscript will be ready for the copyediting stage of the process. If you would like me to carry out both the developmental edit and the copyedit, please let me know.
How much will it cost?
Guided by the suggested minimum rates set by the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, my developmental editing fees are £45 per hour. To calculate how long the edit will take, I will need to see the full text and discuss with you how best you would like us to work together.