Developmental Editing is big picture work. I always think about it as the map-on-the-table view at the beginning of a long adventure.
What I work with in a developmental edit:
- Story Structure
- Character Creation and Development
- Character Motivation
- Setting
- Genre Tropes
- Themes and Symbolisms
- Resolution
- Keeping promises and consistency of internal logic
Examples of feedback a writer could receive in a developmental letter:
“The side adventures Isis and Bane take in chapter six doesn’t move the main story forward, though it develops their characters. Consider making that adventure relevant to the rest of the plot by….”
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“Sarah’s motivation at the beginning of this scene is unclear.”
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“Very good use of the oak tree as a symbol for the first half of the MS. Consider bringing it all the way through, for continuity.”
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“There doesn’t appear to be closer for John’s story arc. We last saw him leaving for Canada but he didn’t show in Toronto with the others.”
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“Although Edith’s back story is compelling, not hearing about it until chapter five deprives the reader of having sympathy for her, or understanding her motivation for the first four chapters.”
Each manuscript is different in terms of how much developmental editing attention it requires.
Pricing for a 60,000 word manuscript typically starts at $400 for a basic developmental review with a summary letter. Deeper developmental editing is priced at a base of $30 an hour. I will give you a quote after reviewing a sample.
Time for back and forth consultation after receiving the summary will be included in the final quote.
The Art and Science of Words 