By: Chelsea of Stand Corrected Editing
Once you’ve finished writing your manuscript, you may experience an intense feeling of joy and achievement. You’ll get the champagne out and celebrate with those you’ve been brave enough to share your writing with, and you’ll go to bed with a proud smile on your face. But you may also think: What the heck do I do now?
Well, I’m here to tell you that after your celebrations are over and you’ve left your manuscript to rest for a few weeks, it’s best to carry out a developmental edit first, whether that’s by yourself or through hiring a professional book editor.
A lot of writers have the misconception that they only need to polish the copy of their work – the grammar, repetition, syntax, and punctuation. But that’s simply not true.
These aspects should be edited, yes, but a developmental edit, also known as a “content edit,” is one of the most important parts of the entire editing process and should always come first.
Why should developmental editing come first?
Because you need to revise the foundation of the manuscript before you tweak the rest. Much like building a house, you need to lay the brickwork before you decorate and add the final touches. Otherwise, you’ll have a weak structure.
Plus, there would be no point line editing a 100,000-word manuscript if you’re going to cut 25,000 words due to structural issues, flat character development, or unnecessary dialogue. It makes more sense to deal with the content first and line/copy edit what you have left.
Writers often come to me at Stand Corrected Editing for book editing services and tell me that their beta readers didn’t find any developmental issues with their manuscript. Therefore, they only need a line or copy edit.
While that may be the case, a professional book editor will likely end up finding problems a beta reader missed. So, it’s always best to get a second or third opinion from someone who works in the field.
In that situation, I often give writers the option to have both a developmental and a line edit at a discounted rate, just in case there are areas in the content that need to be addressed (there usually is). It would be a shame to let a writer go on their merry way with plot holes, flat characters, and structural issues. So I always try to provide the best possible service to benefit them most.
If they do agree to a developmental edit as well as the service they initially requested, they usually ask me which areas of their manuscript I’ll likely focus on so they know what to expect.
So, if you’re hoping to invest in a professional developmental edit or carry out a content edit yourself, here are the six areas that should get the most attention:
1. Character Development
- Are the characters believable and consistent?
- Do their choices and actions match their personality?
- Are they suitable for the target market?
- Will readers relate to them?
- Are they three-dimensional?
- Will the reader instantly know what each character wants?
- Are they too perfect or do they have a good balance between strengths and weaknesses?
- Will they be remembered?
2. Structure
- Is the manuscript structured correctly in relation to its genre and target market?
- Does the story follow the three-act structure that includes an inciting incident, climax and satisfying ending?
- Is there a strong beginning to get readers hooked, an interesting middle to keep people reading, and a fulfilling end to make the journey worth it?
3. Plot
- Is the story gripping enough to be published and sold on repeat?
- Is the main storyline appropriate for the genre and target audience?
- Are there any plot holes that need to be filled?
- Does the plot make sense, or is it a little too complicated?
4. Subplots
- Are there any subplots?
- Do they weave in well with the main plot?
- Do they make sense?
- Are the subplots addressed enough without overshadowing the main plot?
- Are they cliché or too predictable? Will readers be interested in them?
5. Dialogue
- Can the reader work out which character is talking without the use of dialogue tags?
- Is the dialogue appropriate for the genre and target audience?
- Is it believable?
- Does it get to the point without rambling?
- Has each character got a unique voice?
- Does their dialect match the time period or geographic area of the book?
6. Chapters and length
- Are the chapters all a similar length?
- Do the chapter titles make sense?
- Could any chapters be cut for the strength and progression of the plot?
- Could any chapters be moved somewhere else in the novel to improve the structure?
You may wonder how the heck it’s possible to keep all these questions in mind when carrying out a developmental edit, but for me, it’s simple.
How to conduct a developmental edit step-by-step using the questions listed above
Like I mentioned in the previous paragraph, it may seem difficult to remember all those questions when you’re trying to focus on the actual editing, but when I carry out a developmental edit on a client’s novel, I follow these seven steps:
Step 1
I write out the exact list from above to keep next to me throughout the entire developmental editing process, ensuring there’s enough room to add tally marks or ticks.
Using a list may sound obvious, but some writers and budding editors start with one and completely forget all about it as they go, but it’s super important to refer to it at the beginning and end of every chapter to refresh your memory and make sure you haven’t missed anything.
Step 2
When I begin the prologue or first chapter of a client’s manuscript, I read through the list of questions regarding character development, the plot, the subplots, and the dialogue so they are fresh in my mind.
There’s nothing worse than diving into a manuscript without an idea of what areas to concentrate on the most. Sometimes, the writer knows which parts of the content needs work, but most of the time, they’re unsure. Either way, it’s best to be prepared with a list of questions at the ready.
Step 3
When an issue with the development arises in the manuscript, I mention it in the comments in the margin and try to provide a solution or suggestions on how to improve and fix the issue.
For example, here’s a comment I’ve written for a client who alternated between their protagonist’s first and last name, causing unnecessary confusion for the reader:
Throughout your book, you alternate between writing Amelia and Preston, and although they are the same person, your readers may get confused. So it’s important to initially introduce her as Detective Amelia Preston but then refer to her as either Amelia or Preston throughout the rest of the novel.
As she’s a detective, her colleagues often refer to her by her last name, so it makes more sense for you to call her Preston in the narration, as that’s what your readers will know her by more.
However, if you like the idea of adding a few more scenes to show Preston in her personal life, perhaps at a family event or meeting a new friend, you could refer to her as Amelia in the narration. It would be quite effective to call her Preston while she’s working as a detective and Amelia when she’s off duty, but it’s up to you.
Step 4
Once I’ve come across a developmental issue in the manuscript, I put a tally mark or tick next to the relevant question on my list so I can keep track of which areas need the most attention.
Doing this really helps me once I’ve finished editing the entire novel as it makes it easier to see which issues crop up over and over again.
Step 5
At the end of the prologue or first chapter, I revisit the questions about the structure and chapters to make sure everything is organised and arranged in the right way.
However, sometimes it can be difficult to assess the structure and chapters after reading and editing just one chapter. So I routinely refer back to these areas as I’m editing to ensure they are consistent throughout.
Step 6
I repeat these steps until I’ve finished editing the manuscript, making sure each aspect of the story is consistent, well-structured, and believable.
Step 7
Once I’ve completed the edits, I refer back to the tally marks and ticks next to each question and use that information to inform the writer of the book.
Although the client will have hired me to carry out the developmental edit so they don’t have to, it’s always useful to know which area needs the most attention and why, so they can then go away and revise as much as possible before publication.
Doing this can also be useful for writers who are conducting a self-edit as well as it gives them a general idea of which parts need to be worked on after they’ve completed their first draft.
Alternatively, if I’m doing a developmental edit on my own manuscripts, I like to colour code each section and keep a key.
For example, issues with the character development are usually highlighted in yellow and problems with the plot are often in purple.
That way, I know which issues need to be revised when I return to them at a later date. I also add short comments to remind me of the specifics, but as it’s my own work and not a client’s; that’s all I need.
Feel free to use either method to help you carry out your own developmental edit, as a writer or a budding editor, or combine them to create your own strategy.
Either way, I wish you well on your editing journey, and if you need professional book editing services, including a developmental edit, please get in touch with Chelsea at Stand Corrected Editing.
You can also follow Chelsea on Instagram and Pinterest.
Buy it!
Buy a copy of Developmental Editing here, and help support local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
Pin it!
