Development Editing

A development editor is concerned with the big picture and thinks about books and chapters as a whole, rather than agonising over sentence structure.

Development editing is done early in the editorial process, even before the copy-edit. The development editor looks at the book ansd asks herself, is the book (and its chapters and paragraphs) ordered logically, does it all fit together as it should? Is there sufficient explanation for the target audience? Are there jumps and inconsistencies in the plot? If a chapter needs re-structuring for clarity she will suggest a suitable format. Development editors are commonly found on technical titles where authors are hired for their knowledge, not their ability to write. The development editor then becomes a type of author’s coach. Development editing is very creative and requires the editor to ask herself constantly, “If I was writing this, what would I do differently,” and then suggest those ideas, as tactfully as possible, to the author.

Please use my contact form if you would like to learn more about how I can help you with development editing your project.