Developmental Editing: What is it and why do you need it?
Editing isn’t one-size-fits-all. I was surprised when I first began my training about how many different types of editing there are. But once I understood the difference between each, it all made sense. If you’re not quite sure where you are in the editing process, make sure to read my previous blog post: Don’t Wait Until “The End.” A guide for when to book your editor.
When do you need a Developmental Edit?
The Developmental Edit begins after your second draft. Your first draft is to get it all out of your head and onto your computer. The second draft is to make sure your work is coherent and makes sense to you before you send it off to your editor. The cleaner a document we receive, the more time your editor gets to focus on the little details to make your story shine that much more.
So what is it?
The dev edit: Your editor will work with you to make sure that the plot and characters are developed well and maintain their integrity throughout your work. They will make sure that the story flows well, makes sense, and give ideas and suggestions on how overall improvements can be made. Any plot holes or inconsistencies will be documented with ideas on how to fix them. It is basically an in depth look to make sure that your book is everything that it possibly can be.
While working on a dev edit, I made a comment about explaining a specific instance of the magic. The author told me the answer and shared they thought it would be boring for the reader. I explained that while world building can be boring for the reader, it doesn’t have to be. We were able to figure out a way to give the reader the information in an interesting and unique way. It ended up making it so that she was able to build out the world even farther, without really adding to the reader’s workload.
Do I need a developmental edit?
That’s a great question, and one I can help you answer. If you’d like to chat about where your WIP is, head to my contact page. It is up to you whether to move forward with one. Generally, I ask the author how they’re feeling about their plot, character development, world building, and pacing. If they are worried about the reader understanding any of it, I recommend doing a dev edit. If this is your debut, and you aren’t sure if you’ve done enough for the reader to be fully immersed in your world, this is also a good option.
A developmental edit is a very deep look into your WIP. If you are wanting something lighter to make sure readers understand everything you want them to, you can also ask for a critique. While I don’t offer those, I know other editors do. An unpaid critique is generally referred to as a beta read. These can be friends, family members, or a fellow author that will read your work, ask questions, and give overall feedback. This can also be a helpful tool in deciding if you want to move forward with dev edits. If your betas come back with multiple questions about the world building or what motivates a character, those can be focused on and detailed out in the dev edit.
Does this sound like something that your manuscript could use? Let’s chat!
