Developmental Editing: What To Expect

Congratulations, you’ve finished the first draft of your manuscript. Now that you have hired an editor to help bring out the best of your story, the first thing they will want to do is a developmental edit.

What is a developmental edit?

A developmental edit is an initial assessment and the first round of edits completed by an editor. A developmental edit helps your editor get a true understanding of your manuscript what you want to achieve and what work needs to be done to get there.

Developmental edits consider all the complex factors that shape your novel like:

• Character growth

• Theme and Genre

• Dialogue

• Storyline and plot holes.

• Flow, language and writing style.

The editor will provide you with a detailed report of your manuscript, highlighting the positives and negatives of your manuscript. As well as provide feedback to help you improve your writing.

Developmental edits can be intense, but they are necessary to create an outstanding manuscript that is ready for the next stages of editing.

It’s a lot to have someone critique your writing but don’t fret – a good editor is there to help you bring the best out in your writing and help you grow as a writer. As you progress through your creative journey, you can build a positive relationship with your editor to make editing a truly memorable writing experience.