Developmental Editing

Are you looking to strengthen the structure and flow of your manuscript? My Developmental Editing services are designed to help you craft a compelling and cohesive story. Whether you're working on a gripping thriller or high stake fantasy, I provide in-depth feedback on the big-picture elements of your writing to ensure your narrative shines.

But before that, What is Developmental Editing?

Developmental editing goes beyond fixing grammar and spelling errors. It focuses on the overall structure, content, and organization of your manuscript, including:

Story Structure: Does the plot make sense? Is the pacing right? Are there any plot holes or inconsistencies?
Character Development: Are your characters fully realized? Do their actions and dialogue feel authentic and true to their personalities?
Theme and Message: Is your book conveying the themes and messages you want it to?
Scene Flow: Do the scenes transition smoothly, and does each scene contribute to the story?
Narrative Voice: Does your writing voice engage the reader and match the tone of the book?

My Developmental Editing Process includes:

Three comprehensive reads to ensure a thorough and detailed evaluation of your manuscript:

First Read: I begin by conducting a meticulous beta-read of your manuscript. This initial read allows me to familiarize myself with your story, characters, and structure while identifying overarching strengths and areas that need improvement.
Second Read: In this phase, I perform an in-depth analysis of every element of your story, including plot, pacing, character development, world-building, and overall coherence. Based on this analysis, I construct a detailed editorial letter outlining my observations, suggestions, and actionable feedback to enhance your manuscript.
Third Read: The final read serves as a cross-check to ensure that my editorial letter aligns seamlessly with your manuscript. During this stage, I review my suggestions to confirm they complement your vision and do not contradict the essence of your story.

I edit genres of Thriller, Mystery, Horror, YA, NA, and Speculative Fiction (Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Sci-Fi)

Deliverables:

1) An editorial letter encompassing in-depth story analysis, character and dialogue evaluation, structural feedback and overall analysis of theme and tone.

2) A follow-up meeting, a complimentary session walking you through my editorial letter, clarify any doubts, and address any questions. The meeting will be conducted through any online conference software for a duration of 30 minutes*.

(*For a more detailed discussion, including tailored suggestions and in-depth explanations of all feedback points, an additional $30 fee applies. This session will offer a complete breakdown of recommendations, irrespective of timing, conducted in one sitting.)

Pricing:

Developmental edits are priced based on your manuscript's word count and the intensity of editing required. The exact quote will be stated after analyzing your manuscript (i.e., providing a FREE sample edit)

Charges starting from $0.009/word.

Delivery/Turaround time:

Delivery of the edits will greatly vary depending on personal workload, intensity of edits and word count. A rough estimate would be as short as 3 weeks or long as a month and half. Delivery dates can be rushed for a 20% extra charge of the original quote.

Ok Sarah, I want to work with you!

I would be honored, To work with me the steps are simple -

No. 1 - Send me an email with a short blurb, genre, word count (exact) and desired turnaround date of your manuscript to sarah.narrativenook@gmail.com.

No. 2 - I will review your blurb to determine if the project aligns with my interests and expertise. If the manuscript is a good fit, I will reply with a request for sample pages to edit. These submissions must adhere to the guidelines provided in my response or you can check the submission guidlines here. Unfortunately, if I must decline, you will receive a polite rejection email.

No. 3 - Once you send your sample pages (following the specified guidelines), I will conduct a sample edit to ensure that my editing style suits your needs. After completing the sample, I will provide a customized quote for the project.

No. 4 - If you find my sample edit and terms satisfactory, we will move forward with the payment process. Please refer to the FAQs for details about payment policies.

No. 5 - After confirming the payment, I will begin working on your manuscript, aiming to meet the agreed-upon deadline. In the event of any unforeseen delays (I am human, after all), I will notify you in advance via email.

No. 6 - Once the editorial letter and edited manuscript are delivered, you will have one week to review the edits and compile any questions or concerns. On the 8th day after delivery, we will schedule a meeting to discuss your feedback and clarify any queries.