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What Does A Developmental Editor Do?

What does a developmental editor do?

Lucky for you I have a fantastic answer…

Stuff! A developmental editor does stuff

Not what you wanted to hear? Fine. Because I *really* like you, I’ll go into more detail, just this once.

A developmental editor examines a manuscript and analyzes it for story-centric strengths and flaws. That’s the over simplified answer, but fundamentally what a developmental editor does. As a developmental editor, I would take all those words crammed into sentences and paragraphs and chapters, and determine if they’re representing your story in the best way possible.

Sounds a little weird, right? Let me give you an example. This is the first paragraph from my very first manuscript, 9 years ago!

Example edits on a manuscript.

This is the very basic role of a developmental editor, to help take the words you’ve poured your heart and soul into writing into something much, much more than the sum of its parts.

Story is more than just a recorded event. Telling a story is more than just entertainment, or an escape. Story in its most basic form is harnessing emotion and allowing the reader to experience that emotion. Going back to my example above, I *personally* haven’t lost my parents, they’re still alive and kicking. But through story I can glimpse the internal pain that losing loved ones can bring.

That is what a developmental editor does. They clarify, hone, chisel, and expose words to create gripping emotion. They tighten pacing, smooth out rough edges, and overall polish a good story into a great one.

You might be thinking, ‘dude, I can do that by myself, I AM the author.’ And that’s true up to a point.

As an author you’re in a unique position to create that emotion in the exact way you’d like it. But as an author, it’s difficult to separate yourself from your written words and see the complete story you’re presenting to a reader. In the midst of getting that vision out of your head, onto paper (or a screen), things can get lost. And the more you stare at it, the more you are likely to miss due to attentional blindness.

Which is why plot holes, inadequate character development, slow pacing, and bad dialogue exist.

It’s easy to get lost in the middle of a vision, especially when you’ve spent time crafting that vision and struggling to get it all out in its complete form. I think it’s a universal truth that both a single man in possession of a fortune must be in want of a wife, and it’s hard for authors to separate themselves from their work. I guess Jane Austen had it almost right

Now, onto how a developmental editor like me helps to focus and hone the elements of story.

As mentioned above, identifying plot holes is an essential part. This also includes an analysis of any twists and how well they’re implemented. A developmental edit also includes character critiques. This allows the author to understand if their characters have developed well and are intriguing and consistent. Dialogue is also important to review, because it’s so very critical to the flow of story and character development. Clunky dialogue can pull a reader from the story faster than an oversized pebble in your shoe.

Developmental editors will also review pacing and action sequences. These can be hard for an author to really identity if there are any issues. Mostly because, as an author, you’ve probably read your manuscript a dozen times or more. It might seem like things match up in your head, but the reality can be very different. Reader expectation and writer experience can be vastly different, and a developmental editor closes any gaps in that. Even professionally published A-list books with teams of editors sometimes miss these things (and I tend to catch them when I read those books).

Now, my most favorite part of any story is the emotion. I really believe that emotion is the single most important factor in a manuscript. No joke. I read books that aren’t the best in terms of story or character just for the emotion, because it can be so damn powerful! So any developmental worth their salt should pay special attention to the emotional beats throughout the story.

Emotional beats? Yep! A story is essentially an emotional symphony, and how well you take people from emotion to emotion determines if it’s a brilliant symphony, or a discordant one.

Now, this is a lot already, and we’ve only really glanced over the surface, because a good developmental editor will also ensure the story is consistent. That includes everything from hair and eye color staying the same, weather, time frame, and character behavior. If your story skips from autumn to spring, back to winter again, the reader will notice, and they will probably ding you in a Goodreads review for it.

 

When To Do A Developmental Edit

A developmental edit really makes the best impact when the manuscript is complete, but before a line or copy edit. That means that you, as the author, have finally typed ‘the end’ and are ready for the next stage. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean the first draft. You should really seek a developmental editor when you’re 100% happy with the manuscript (you feel that YOU can’t make it any better).

This is critical, because a developmental editor will recommend changing things, sometimes lots of things. A developmental edit is sort of like the second step before you reach the finish line. The first step being completing your manuscript. Ideally, a developmental edit should be completed before any heavy line or copy editing takes place. Because, as I said before, a developmental editor will recommend changes. Even the brilliant authors you’re so fond of make mistakes, which is why a lot of them have entire teams of people dedicated to making sure they’re consistent, and stick within their own established worlds (and again, they still sometimes miss stuff).

So don’t be surprised when your manuscript comes back needing edits or even rewrites.

But this is a good thing! A good developmental editor will improve your story, and will find all those pesky problems that could drop your ratings from a five star to one (or a two or three, which is really just as bad).

Now, like writing itself, this is a unique process. Some writers have a developmental edit done on very early drafts to solidify ideas, ensure gripping characters and provide more support to the story. But others will wait for as long as possible before having a developmental editor take a look.

A developmental edit is critical in ensuring your words are as powerful, emotional, and gripping as they can be.

Also, it’s worth noting, even if you go with a traditional publisher, they typically DO NOT include developmental editing. Some agents may help you on this front, but that’s also pretty rare.

Don’t skip this!

 

What To Expect When Working with A Developmental Editor.

Opening yourself and your manuscript up to the eyes of someone else can be a really scary thing, especially when you’ve dealt with personal truths in your novel. It’s your baby, you’re attached to it…but with some idea of what will happen, you can prepare yourself.

1. Expect truth. Remain open-minded and remember, you hired them. Developmental editors know what they’re talking about. They will not tell you that your favorite character, Billy, is a total loser, unsympathetic, lout without there being a genuine need for it. So you’ll need to consider their advice very carefully. This doesn’t mean that you blindly accept whatever they say, no matter what. This means you need to take a step back, release any sort of connection to what you’ve written and decide if they’re right. My favorite thing to recommend is try it. Rewrite that scene, or dialogue, as they recommended it. See how it feels. You might decide they’re right. You might not. At the end of the day it’s still your call, but try hard not to blind yourself to truths you don’t want to accept.

2. Communication is King. Talk it out yo! Like any good relationship, communicating with the other person is critical. A simple misunderstanding can spiral out of control until you’re both speaking about two different things entirely. Your goals for your manuscript should align, or there is no point in having a developmental edit done. Without clear communication, the true meaning of the manuscript can easily get lost in limbo. This also means you need to be prepared for truth, harsh or not. This also means knowing when you can never agree and that it’s time to part ways. You don’t have to suffer. There are a lot of developmental editors to choose from, and you have a right to be a little picky. Just don’t go all novelzilla on some poor unsuspecting editor.

3. Remember, you both want the same thing, a successful novel: This is a sort of merging of #1 and #2. Because when your chosen developmental editor is telling you, yet again, that your favorite scene is super slow and dragging the entire feel of the chapter down, and you want to keep that precious scene; remember, remember the fifth of November Almost. Remember, they want your manuscript to sell; they want you to get the recognition it deserves. And, unless I’m mistaken, you as the author want that as well. So take their truth and examine it. Communicate with them to determine exactly why they feel that way. Know they’re only recommending it because their knowledge and experiences are telling them that’s the case.

 

What A Developmental Editor Expects from You

Candy, free hand rubs, and a good scalp massage. The great thing is I’m not even joking Okay, I’m half joking. There are only two things I expect from my clients. Trust, and consideration.

1. Trust: Trust me when I say something feels wrong or confusing. When I tell you something isn’t working. When you really love something, and I tell you it isn’t going to fit. Trust that I know what the reader is looking for, and that thing isn’t it. But this is a two-way street. Trust that I won’t tell you to do something that will harm your story. This can be a hard thing when someone who isn’t you, telling you, the author, to change something. But I don’t recommend things that are pointless, it’s all for the good of the story.

2. Consideration. Maybe thoughtfulness can work as well. When I agree to work on your manuscript, I expect you to consider my time and attention. If we have deadlines set in place, I expect you to honor them. It can throw any good schedule into chaos when agreed upon deadlines elapse without the work being complete. But like above, it’s also a two-way street. I’ll be considerate of your time and attention. Working closely with someone over a passion project like a manuscript is like a dance. Both partners need to be aware they’re dealing with other actual humans, with thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

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I love story. I know I’ve said it before, but it’s the truth. Seeing a story blossom and unfold like a perfect rose is one of life’s greatest pleasures. I’ve literally read thousands of books in my chosen genres, and I know those genres inside out and upside down.

Finding a developmental editor who you work well with, who understands your vision, story, and how to make a manuscript shine is one of the best steps an author can take to ensure that happens. And that’s exactly what a good partnership can offer, a good manuscript transformed into a great one. A good story elevated to greatness. And that’s all doable with a good developmental editor. Fantastic isn’t it?

Now, go forth and write!

The post What Does A Developmental Editor Do? appeared first on The Dangling Participle.

The 3 Different Types of Editing

Some folks will insist there are actually four types of editing, but I’m in the “three types” camp, so that’s how we’re going to roll.

Now, I’m sure you’re thinking you’ve got to be joking, right? Three types of edits! Nah, editing is editing!

Alas young Padawan, there ARE actually three main types of editing that a manuscript can go through, and three specific pieces of information you need to know for each, so here goes:

Content/Developmental editingWhat does a developmental editor do?How much does a developmental edit cost?How do you hire an developmental editor?Line editingWhat does a line editor do?How much does a line edit cost?How do you hire a line editor?Copy editingWhat does a copy editor do?How much does a copy editor cost?How do you hire a copy editor?

Some say that proofreading is the fourth, but I feel like that’s a component of copy editing, so we’re leaving it out. We can have a debate over that in the comments if it really puts your knickers in a twist

So, three types of editing. Let’s dive in!

 

#1 – Content/Developmental EditingWhat Does a Developmental Editor Do?

This is me! They’re sometimes called substantive or developmental editors. We deal with the manuscript’s overall content, basically what all those words mean that you put together.

We’ll find the plot holes, boring characters, passive voice, or yawn-inducing pacing. But beyond that, we get into the dialogue, POV errors, and that pesky “show don’t tell” guy. Content editing also includes lifeless middles, info dumps, or lack of conflict.

So basically, content editors look at the big picture, the whole kit and caboodle, the big behemoth. Most content editors won’t touch spelling and grammar mistakes, that stuff comes later.

This type of editor reads the manuscript in its entirety and gives a complete analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the plot and characters.

Most developmental editors will make comments in the manuscript, but usually won’t make any changes directly to it. But I’ve seen it go both ways. Sometimes a content editor will point out word usage that improves the flow and/or understanding of the sentence.

A fun fact: most traditional publishers don’t actually supply developmental editors. It’s expected that writers or agents send them manuscripts that are already polished story-wise and don’t require a lot of work on that front.

This is the first and most important type of editor for a work of fiction. If you do this after a line or copy edit, you’ll end up paying to do the line/copy edit twice, so keep that in mind.

How much does a developmental edit cost?

I’m glad you asked, young grasshopper. Some charge per word, some per page, and others a flat hourly rate. You can find a really helpful list of EFA rates here, which can give you a rough ballpark.

Some charge per word, per page, or an hourly fee. Generally, most developmental editors charge per word, somewhere between $0.03 and $0.12 per word. If the developmental editor you’re looking at charges by page, it can range from $7.50-$20.00.

How do you hire an amazing developmental editor?

This is where a good network comes into play. You can ask author friends or writers’ groups you belong to. I can guarantee you they’d have recommendations for editors they’ve used and loved.

If you’re not satisfied with their offerings, or you don’t yet have those resources available, you can always turn to the EFA, LinkedIn, Reedsy, or Upwork. They’re all great resources to find tons of editors. If all else fails, a trusty Google search can also turn out some leads.

But since I’m the best of the best of the best, you can just hire me (I’m also the humblest human ever, so there’s that.)

 

#2 Line editingWhat does a line editor do?

A line editor draws lines all across your pages, like pretty decorations! Just kidding

A line editor makes a line-by-line (surprising right!) review of the manuscript. They’ll point out things like passive voice, wordiness, weak words, repeated words, weird phrases, repetition, and paragraph structure.

There is some overlap with copy editing, and the boundaries are sometimes fuzzy. But there is a difference. Line editing doesn’t focus on content, but on the prose itself. This helps maintain a consistent mood through each paragraph.

How much does a line edit cost?

Let’s discuss the matter of payment (haha! Name that movie!?). The industry average for a line editor is about $0.05 per word, $12.50 per page, or $62.50 per hour.

How do you hire a great line editor?

Same as a developmental editor. You can ask writers groups and writer friends for recommendations.

Reedsy and UpWork also have an extensive list, as well as browsing LinkedIn.

 

#2 – Copy EditingWhat does a copy editor do?

A copy editor checks the technical details of words on a page, and corrects any errors they find. They’re looking at primarily at grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Basically, they make sure all those commas, periods, and semicolons are in the right place, doing the right things. They’ll be the ones to find run-on sentences, or put a comma where one is missing.

As with all types of editors, they might also catch some continuity errors, like eye color changes, calling characters by the wrong name, etc. But that isn’t their core focus.

Copy editors are the ones who follow the rules of grammar, and there are very few style choices in this field. They will reference things like The Elements of Style, and Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage.

This is where Microsoft Word’s track changes feature comes in to play the most, if they’re doing on-screen editing.

Now, a fact that some readers don’t really get: no matter how much editing you go through, there will always be issues with books, even printed ones that have been edited with a fine-tooth comb by a team of professionals.

No one is perfect. There are always errant commas and misused words. Not even the big publishing houses can claim to be 100% perfect.

But copy editing is still an important step, because a lot of readers (and I mean a lot) will really hate a book if it has poor grammar and punctuation, as it pulls them out of flow and, in a way, breaks the fourth wall.

So, this isn’t a step to skip or take lightly. Do your research and find a good copy editor!

What does a copy edit cost?

The average rate for a good copy editor is roughly $0.02-$0.04/word, $5-10/page, or at least $30 an hour. But generally, it will probably cost around $50 an hour, and you can expect a copy editor working on a fiction book to manage 7 to 10 pages per hour.

Considering that a lot of people will DNF (Did Not Finish) a book if the grammar/punctuation is shit, it’s a necessary expense.

How do you hire a copy editor?

I know it will shock you, so hold on to your pants…you find a copy editor the same way as the others, by hitting up your writing groups and friends for rec’s. If that doesn’t do it, then the EFA, Reedsy, UpWork, and LinkedIn will surely have someone to satisfy you.

This is the last type of edit you should do, and only after you have your manuscript otherwise completed. ALWAYS do this after a developmental and/or line edit (anything that requires rewriting), because otherwise you’ll have to go back and do another copy edit of anything that has changed before it can be published.

As mentioned earlier, no point in paying for this twice…

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So that’s it! The three types of editing to make your novel really shine and impress all the picky cats out there. Having a novel that stands out from the crowd is important, and one of the easiest ways is to make sure your manuscript is polished in every way possible.

You *could* do all of this yourself, if you have the training and attention to detail, but authors tend to develop a sort of attentional blindness to little things in their manuscript (since you wrote it, your brain isn’t usually giving it full attention when you read what you wrote). As such, you should really get a fresh (trained!) pair of eyes on your manuscript before you hit publish.

But hey, you do you.

Now, go forth and write!

The post The 3 Different Types of Editing appeared first on The Dangling Participle.