What Is Developmental Editing?
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
If you’re wondering, “What is developmental editing?” you’ve come to the right place. Writing a book is hard work, but drafting a manuscript is only half the job. Once you've written something, you need to revise, edit, and polish it to ensure you have the best version of your idea possible. That's where getting writing feedback from an editor comes in. If you're wondering what is developmental editing, how it can benefit you, and when to seek it, let’s dive in.
What is Developmental Editing?
Here, I’ll delve into what is developmental editing, what it can do for you as a writer, and when to consider seeking this service. Whether you're aiming for traditional publishing or self-publishing, developmental editing can help you take your work to the next level.
First of all, let's define developmental editing. Also known as substantive editing or content editing, it's a level of editorial feedback that focuses on the big picture of your manuscript. It looks at your overall concept, novel or memoir structure, pacing, character development, and themes to identify any weaknesses or areas that could be improved.
Developmental editing differs from copyediting or proofreading, which focus on sentence-level edits, grammar, and spelling. Instead, developmental editing is about optimizing the structure and content of your work to make it more engaging, memorable, and impactful.
So, now that you know what is developmental editing, let’s talk about what it can do for you as a writer. In short, it can transform your manuscript from a flawed first draft to a polished and publishable work. By working with a developmental editor, you'll receive feedback on all of the major craft elements of your novel or memoir. You'll gain a fresh perspective on your work and an objective opinion on its strengths and opportunities for growth.
This feedback can help you take your writing to the next level by identifying areas that need more work and helping you brainstorm solutions. What is developmental editing if not a chance to see how your work is landing, and to improve your craft it you find that your intentions are not coming across? If you're stuck on how to develop a certain character, plotline, or theme, a developmental editor can help you generate ideas and push you to explore new angles.
What is Developmental Editing All About?
That said, developmental editing isn't for everyone, and it's important to know when you're ready for this level of rigorous feedback. While any writer can benefit from receiving writing notes, developmental editing may not be the right fit for you if you're not ready to revise your work in a significant way.
You need to be open to criticism, willing to make changes, and able to handle feedback that might be harsh at times. That’s not to say that developmental editing aims to break you down, but you must have some practice getting feedback if you want to emerge from this process with all of its benefits in hand. It can be tough to hear that your manuscript needs more work after you've already put in months or even years of effort, but developmental editing can help you create a much stronger book in the end … if you are willing to take the advice to heart and make the revisions.
Likewise, if you're hesitant to change your work or get defensive when receiving feedback, developmental editing may not be the best option for you. This service requires a level of maturity and professionalism from the writer to be ready to engage.
What is developmental editing? An incredibly valuable tool for any writer who wants to take their work to the next level. It can help you transform a flawed or lukewarm manuscript into a polished and publishable work of art. Provided that you're ready to receive criticism and revise your work accordingly, of course. If you're unsure whether developmental editing is right for you, consider reaching out to an editor for a sample evaluation or to discuss what to expect. Trustworthy developmental editors will help you create the best version possible of your manuscript and make it ready for publication.
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