Behind the Scenes: What Happens During a Developmental Edit
Maybe you’ve heard that you should hire a developmental editor but aren’t sure what they do. Maybe you’re planning to hire a developmental editor but aren’t sure what to expect from the process.
In this blog post, I go behind the scenes of a developmental edit to share exactly what developmental editors do to evaluate your work and how each phase of the developmental edit is designed to give you clarity and confidence for the next stage of the revision process. This isn’t the only way to complete a developmental edit, but it is my method and I stand behind it 100%. Consider this your official backstage pass as I take you into my personal editing process—let’s go!
P.S. Not sure what developmental editing is? Check out my introduction to the different types of editing here.
Step Zero: The Sample Edit & Quote
We’re starting before the edit truly begins.
Most editor-client relationships start with a sample edit. You send me (and other prospective editors) your manuscript. I comment on the first 10 pages and provide a 2-3 paragraph summary of my feedback. I’ll also prepare a quote that includes the total cost for the edit and a proposed timeline for completion.
Once you accept the quote, I’ll send over an official contract and an invoice for the deposit. Phase one starts when your manuscript arrives!
Step One: Manuscript Setup & Prep
As soon as you send me the manuscript, I open the document and check to make sure the formatting is correct. I make sure that all of the chapter headings are highlighted with Microsoft Word styles for easy navigation.
Then, I set up all the other documents for the edit including the book map template and editorial letter document.
Step Two: The Initial Read
Now, the real real fun begins!
I read through the entire manuscript and add comments based on my initial observations. These comments address the following fiction elements:
· Characterization/ character arcs
· Setting / world building
· Scene dynamics
· Pacing
· Structure
· Transitions
· Genre Conventions
· And more!
These comments are in draft mode. Each comment will be updated, expanded on, moved, or deleted once I’ve read the entire manuscript. I also keep a running list of overarching issues and questions that can’t quite be captured at the comment level.
I also start the book map during my initial read. The book map is an excel spreadsheet that provides a visual breakdown of the novel’s structure. Each scene of the book gets a row on the sheet. During my initial read, I summarize the plot, conflicts, and character development for each scene. The rest of the book map gets filled out at a later stage.
Step Three: Comment Analysis & Editorial Letter Outline
After I’ve read and commented on the entire novel, I use a tool called “Perfect It” to export all of my comments into a separate Word document and print them out. Then, I grab a set of highlighters and categorize all of the comments. The categories vary based on your particular manuscript.
Typical categories include comments about characterization, conflict, and structure, but each manuscript is different. Sometimes I’ll comment most frequently on worldbuilding, scene structure, or transitions—it really depends on your story and your writing. I also distinguish between comments that can be extrapolated to the manuscript as a whole and those that only apply to one particular spot.
I also make a note of comments that need to be edited to reflect the manuscript as a whole and make a note of comments that need to be added or taken out.
Once I’ve highlighted each comment, I look for the broader trends (the color-coding is essential for this step) and compare them with my list of overarching story issues. I take these trends and use them to outline my editorial letter. I try to put as much detail into the outline as possible so that I know exactly what I’m going to write when I get to the drafting stage.
Step Four: Comment Review & Book Map Analysis
I don’t jump straight into drafting the editorial letter at this stage. Instead, I go back and revise all of my comments on the manuscript. As I go, I add new comments, delete comments that no longer apply, and rewrite each comment to ensure that it reflects the needs of the manuscript as a whole.
At this stage, I also check to make sure that my feedback is actionable. If my comment is only pointing out a problem, I revise it to make sure that I’ve given you clear, actionable next steps.
During this step, I also go back to the book map to fill in additional details and note revision suggestions that apply at the structural level.
Step Five: Editorial Letter Draft
Now it’s time to write the editorial letter! My editorial letters tend to run long for two reasons: 1) I believe in providing comprehensive feedback and providing multiple ideas that you can use in your revisions; and 2) I recognize that developmental editing is a massive investment in your writing and I aim to provide insane value in every edit.
Each editorial letter contains the following sections:
1) An overview of the manuscript including basic stats, a premise statement, and a synopsis of the novel. As an added bonus, you can swipe these sections for use in your own querying or marketing materials.
2) Next, I describe the aspects of your manuscript that are working. This section is meant to highlight the strengths that are already present so that you know what to maximize in future drafts.
3) The longest section of the manuscript describes the areas for growth in your manuscript. For each one, I describe the problem and its impact on readers. Then, I recommend solutions that you can use to address this issue in revision. Whenever possible, I make multiple recommendations and address the implications for each option. I try to make this section as clear as possible, setting you up for a clear, manageable revision process.
4) At the end of the letter, I recommend next steps for your revision process and offer suggested resources that can help you revise. This section also includes instructions for scheduling the follow-up Zoom call included in all editing packages.
Each developmental edit includes a number of moving parts. Steps 6-8 are all about revising and making sure that each part works together to support your revision process.
Step Six: Edit Letter Revision
I revise my editorial letter to ensure that my feedback is clear, coherent, and helpful. Revisions happen in three separate rounds. First, I revise the edit letter on my computer. Then, I print out the draft and revise it on paper. For my final check, I use Word’s read aloud function to hear the edit letter out loud. This final check helps me catch typos and any awkward or unclear phrasing.
Step Seven: Comment & Book Map Edit
I reread the manuscript comments and each section of the book map to check for typos and to ensure that each element of the editing package is working together to support you and your revision process.
Step Eight: Final Checks & Delivery
I give everything one final look and then it’s time to send you the completed editorial package. This step still gives me butterflies—I know how vulnerable it is to send your work to others for feedback and I want to do my absolute best to honor the trust you’ve put in me. That means doing everything I can to ensure that my feedback is perfectly designed to support your revision process. I’ve done my job when you have the clarity and confident to rock your next revisions!
Step Nine: The Zoom Call
After you’ve had some time to process my feedback and gather your questions, we get to meet for a follow-up conversation. This is your chance to ask questions, bounce revision ideas off me, and brainstorm your next steps. I’ll ask for your questions a couple days ahead of time so that I can prepare, but otherwise this call is your time and we’ll shape it to you individual needs.
Thanks for joining me! I hope you enjoyed this behind the scenes look at each step of a developmental edit.
Have questions? Let me know in the comments!
