Developmental edits are the first round of edits that your manuscript will experience once you've written your story. Whether you complete this process on your own or with an editor, your manuscript will undergo large structural changes to make your story more effective, and your characters more impactful.
Maybe you're struggling with a particular aspect of your manuscript or simply want an experienced editorial perspective before moving into revisions. My goal is to help you recognize what's working, identify what needs attention, and understand how to make your story stronger.
What I look for in Your Manuscript
Every story has different strengths and challenges. My developmental editing process considers four primary areas of your manuscript to identify opportunities for improvement and help you create a more cohesive, compelling narrative.
Plot and Structure Analysis
I will assess your overarching plot and structure and consider how effectively your major events connect, whether conflicts develop naturally, and whether the story delivers on the expectations that have been established for your readers.
What I look for:
Plot holes and narrative inconsistencies
Underdeveloped conflicts and unresolved storylines
Weak or unclear narrative stakes
Unnecessary or disconnected scenes
Structural weaknesses and issues with story progression
Opportunities to strengthen the central premise and major plot points
Character Development Analysis
Your characters should feel like individuals with their own motivations, desires, conflicts, and reasons for the decisions they make. I examine your main and supporting characters to evaluate how effectively they contribute to the larger narrative.
What I look for:
Underdeveloped or inconsistent characterization
Unclear or insufficient character motivations
Characters lacking meaningful agency or development
Weak or incomplete character arcs
Relationships that could benefit from further exploration
Supporting characters who lack a clear narrative purpose
Setting and Worldbuilding Analysis
I evaluate the consistency, clarity, plausibility, and integration of your setting within the fictional framework you've established. While particularly important in fantasy and speculative fiction, setting and worldbuilding are important considerations in every manuscript. I examine how effectively your environment, established rules, and surrounding circumstances support the narrative.
What I look for:
Contradictions within established worldbuilding details
Unexplained elements or gaps in information
Inconsistent setting descriptions
Excessive exposition or insufficient context
Opportunities to integrate worldbuilding more naturally into the narrative
Details that could be further developed to strengthen immersion and plausibility
Pacing and Narrative Analysis
I examine how your story unfolds from scene to scene, considering whether important events occur at appropriate points, whether tension and conflict are sustained, and whether individual narrative threads develop effectively throughout the manuscript.
What I look for:
Scenes that feel rushed, prolonged, or repetitive
Inconsistent pacing throughout the manuscript
Narrative threads that lose momentum or lack resolution
Weak transitions between scenes and chapters
Excessive exposition or unnecessary dialogue
Opportunities to strengthen tension, conflict, and scene progression
What You Will Receive
My goal is to provide actionable feedback that gives you a clearer understanding of your manuscript and practical direction for revision. Here's what you can expect from me:
An annotated manuscript with detailed comments throughout, identifying strengths, inconsistencies, areas of concern, and opportunities for improvement
An in-depth editorial letter (typically 10-20 pages, single spaced) with contextual explanations that explore why something may not be working and how it affects the larger narrative
I will never rewrite your story or attempt to alter your voice. My goal is to help you understand your story's strengths and weaknesses so you can make informed decisions about the direction of your novel. Every manuscript has room to grow, and sometimes outside perspective is exactly what you need to recognize where that growth can happen.
Ready to take the next step?