Developmental editing
https://i0.wp.com/www.writerandthewolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Dev-editing.png?fit=900%2C300&ssl=1 900 300 Siobhan O'Brien Holmes Siobhan O'Brien Holmes https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ba3674976788a4e771f9a93e14b42805?s=96&d=mm&r=gWhat is developmental editing?
All editors tend to define and refer to their services differently so it can be hard to understand exactly what’s being offered when we talk about developmental editing. As opposed to a copyeditor, line editor or proofreader who focus on sentence level issues like spelling, grammar, consistency and style, a developmental editor takes a step back to concentrate on the big picture. They’ll help you with story elements like plot, structure, character and pacing and you might choose to work with one right at the start of your writing process when you’re planning and outlining, or later when you’ve already written several drafts.
Typically, a developmental editor will read your manuscript and then either write a report full of feedback and recommendations for strengthening your story (which might be called a critique or assessment or something similar) or do a full developmental edit which usually means marking up your manuscript with comments and suggestions to accompany a written report. I leave my comments in the margin using Word’s track changes feature but all editors work differently.
What do children’s authors need to know?
When researching developmental editors, look for somebody who knows the middle grade or YA market and has experience editing those books. An editor who only works with picture books or adult fiction, for example, won’t be familiar with the very specific conventions and audience expectations attached to MG and YA, nor will they understand what agents and publishers are looking to acquire right now.
- What is Developmental Editing? | Masterclass
- The Writer’s Guide to Developmental Editing | The Write Practice
- What is a Developmental Editor and What Can You Expect? | Jane Friedman
