How to Perform a Developmental Edit on Your Draft
Edit and write your book like a professional to hook readers, land agents, and lockdown that book deal
What is Developmental Editing?
Developmental editing takes into account the big picture and overall structure, story, and content of your book, including characters, dialogue, subplots, and the like. At this level, you won’t worry or focus too much on the grammar or copy editing side of things. This is also the stage where a lot of writers get alpha readers involved to help them figure out what parts of their book need the most work.
When you return to your book for the first time and start reading through, making notes of what doesn’t feel right or even cutting out whole sections, you are performing a developmental edit.
This is the first stage of edits that a manuscript goes through because it addresses the elements of craft and story working together to pull off your novel. Personally, I love this stage of editing. In developmental editing, you can take a hard look at your story and pinpoint what isn’t helping your vision for the book.
