Developmental Editing

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What is a Developmental Edit (DE)?

Commonly referred to as a DE or Dev Edits, a Developmental Edit is a detailed story review.

Story or content reviews assess the overall plot and evaluate whether plot points blend together, feel plausible, increase tension, and whether a plot map is intact, etc. They also look at general characterization, pacing, tone, and reader engagement as well as genre suitability.

A Developmental Edit is an in-depth story analysis, frequently drilling down to a scene-by-scene level.

"In Depth"

I'm looking at the story as a whole, and will evaluate all the way down to individual scenes, where necessary.

Feedback is provided in both a technical evaluation and a story-specific evaluation. My remarks focus on the question, "Is this story working?" and if not, where can it be adjusted to make the story flow for optimum reader engagement.

All feedback comes from a "teaching angle" with examples from your manuscript.

The key to remember with a developmental edit is that this is a thorough, detailed evaluation that looks not only at the overall picture, but the chapter linkage and can even go to scene review when it's needed.

"The devil is in the details."

Dev Edit vs. EA

An EA is often much less in-depth than a developmental edit. Dev Edits are the heart and soul of an editorial relationship. They will often go to the scene level, sometimes line level, and will include more specific feedback. Instead of "This character is not consistent in terms of her conflict" the feedback might be more like "This character conflict would be more consistent if you move this forward and push this to another section."

Comments in the manuscript are much more frequent than with an EA, and less generalized. The accompanying editorial letter is often more detailed, contains specific actionable items, and focuses less on craft, compared to the letter received with an EA.

Who Needs Dev Edits?

Generally, developmental editing best serves the author who is confident with the general craft methods of storytelling. If you know the difference between telling vs. showing, or you're aware of GMC, or what constitutes passive writing, proper paragraphing, and proper dialogue construction, then you're probably ready for a developmental edit.

Any author can request a developmental edit. But if craft is still something being learned, the developmental letter will include a significant discussion on technical aspects. If you're not certain? No biggie! A sample review will usually help you get started.

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Claire's insights into my novel helped me identify areas needing improvement--what was working, and what wasn't--allowing me to polish my novel and take it to the next level. Knowledgeable and easy to work with. I would recommend her to anyone.
National bestselling author and Hugo-nominated editor Bryan Thomas Schmidt (Davi Rhii, John Simon, Fox's Predator)
Claire was a breath of fresh air, giving me honest, unvarnished -- but very constructive -- feedback! I'm confident I'll be able to make the project better because of her work :)
Derek R.
She takes the effort to guide the writer through the process and produces high-quality work. A pleasure to work with and highly recommended!
Dan M.
In every project we've worked on together, she has consistently shown professionalism, efficiency, and patience;-) Most importantly, she is very detail-oriented, which is crucial for me.
Michael B.
Her insights into narrative structure and character development were invaluable, enhancing my manuscript while respecting my original vision.
Saima I
Claire was great to work with. She has a positive attitude and communication style. She also has an amazing eye for detail. Thanks, Claire!
Steve M
Claire is fantastic. VERY supportive and helpful. Working with her has helped me become a much better writer.
Deborah W.
Claire was wonderful to work with and made my first experience with this sort of thing a breeze. I feel like I have learned so much through working with her!
Katrina C.
Her critique was constructive and encouraging, and she clearly has the background to address problems at both technical and developmental levels.
Mark M
Very detailed in her feed back. Gave examples for me to follow to improve my novel.
Adrena J
Claire is friendly, communicative and efficient. I also appreciated that my voice/style of writing wasn't altered in the editing process.
Alexa C
Claire gave me a very helpful, constructive critique. I appreciate her encouragement and wisdom when it comes to writing scenes that move the story forward.
Abby G
Claire was great to work with. She is thorough in her approach, responsive, and professional. She exceeded my expectations!
Kendall M
Working with Claire was just what I needed. She manages to mix a perfect blend of encouragement and feedback in her editing.
Deena B.
She truly goes above and beyond the call of duty, not to mention a very thorough copy edit.
Chris B.
Hire Claire immediately if you want someone who will challenge you and bring the best out of you and your story. She's amazing.
Lamar G.
Claire's work is phenomenal! You will receive quality editorial services and supreme kindness! Her professionalism is excellent, and her turnaround time is surprisingly quick.
Sheila B.
I found her very easy to communicate with, and her project turnaround time was unreal!
Angela S.
Claire, you did a great job copy editing a massive and complicated science fiction novel for me, and you did it under an insane deadline with grace and aplomb.
Patrick C.
She was prompt and professional. Her speed also allowed me to move my release time table up significantly which is a huge bonus!
Nathan A.
She submitted a very thorough editorial letter with excellent suggestions of how I could improve my overall story, character building, themes, and even did some copy editing. She is well-versed with what the industry is looking for, and as a new author, I greatly needed this education.
Denise B.
Claire made me feel at ease the minute I started working with her. She is exceedingly refreshing, professional and encouraging to be around and I am so looking forward to working with her again in the future!
Ada A.
Not only a thorough developmental review, but a long editorial letter filled with teaching moments. Her work has already improved my writing style and should power my book to the next phase.
Diana M.