I always viewed revision as the “fun” part of writing while many writers don’t. It’s viewed as the tedious and exhausting part of the whole writing-a-novel experience and makes you feel like you’ll never get anything done, sometimes in the timeframe that you want. While that can be true (and like many authors, I too have felt the excruciating strain of chopping my draft into microscopic pieces), revision can represent the beauty in this whole “birthing” process. It’s the moment of your story taking its first breath and begin to develop its sweet color that brightens the skin. Revision gives you more than what drafting could ever provide. Here, you can add the meat to the bones and watch it all take shape before your very eyes, and soon, you’ll be washed over with excitement, just as you did when you first dreamt up that novel as a mere little nugget of an idea.  

 

With development editing, editors assist writers in enhancing those areas and give a sense of which direction to go to compel the reader. They look at the overall “big picture” of the story and see how the elements are coming together, or not. They will look at things, such as how characters are developing in their arcs; how the plot & structure are achieving the story’s main purpose; as well as how the voice is carrying the rhythm of the story that keeps a reader hooked. They can also let you know if the story is starting in the right place or conclude where they think it should end as well as if there are too many POV characters trying to stir the story at once. Then they will create a possible revision plan that helps tighten those elements to match true to the vision of the author.   

 

For my service, I will do these things while also following the path of you, the author. The story belongs to you, and I want to work with my authors to develop the book that they have imagined. Here are the steps of my process:

 

Initial Consultation:

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Before I begin my review on your piece, I want to get to know you and your project by holding a virtual meeting. From there, I will ask more about what you envision of your story—how you want it to end, what significant themes you want to highlight, and what the overall message you want to establish behind your idea. If it’s a book series, I will even ask more about how you see your characters moving through their journeys and how you wish to get there as their writer. Then we’ll discuss what you wish for me to examine and bring to light, addressing your concerns that you've experienced with your draft so far. 

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The Edit: 

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A comprehensive overview of the manuscript with scene-by-scene annotations and an editorial assessment letter (3-5 pages, single-spaced) that addresses all of the following:

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Characterization

Plot holes

Paragraph organization & chapter structure

Pacing

Descriptions

Tone/voice/style

Story arc

Worldbuilding

Themes

Dialogue

Continuity

Redundancies

Clarity

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Editorial Assessment:

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An editorial assessment letter will contain an in-depth overview of my findings, accompanied by advice on how to strengthen your work while pointing out the brilliance that I feel should stay. Once you’ve received your feedback, we can reconvene (either by phone or virtual) to go over any questions that you have. 

 

  

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0.020 per word