Also known as story editing, a developmental edit involves refining the story map, finding and filling any gaping plot holes, and looking at the big picture from beginning to end.
Key Notes About Developmental Editing:
- A developmental edit is the first major editing process a novel typically undergoes and should occur after the first draft of your manuscript is written, although it can be performed sooner if you're unsure about the story's progression—or if you're completely stuck.
- The developmental editing process examines every aspect of your book including the story, plot, conflicts, characters and their arcs, dialogue, pacing, setting, world-building, point of view (POV), narrative, and more.
- A developmental edit does not include stylistic or mechanical editing (word or sentence flow, grammar, punctuation, or misspellings, for example). Those occur later in the process during line editing, copy editing, and proofreading.
- Not every manuscript (or author) needs a developmental edit.
Developmental editing closely examines the:
- Story—the events from beginning to end. The story is the entire series of events described between the first and last page of your manuscript.
- Plot—how the story is pieced together through cause and effect. Plots generally should be character-driven and interesting enough to hold a reader’s attention (and without being too predictable).
- Conflict(s)—what poses a problem for the main character(s). Conflicts should be compelling but believable within the scope of the world your characters live in, and are (ideally) resolved through means that make sense. (No deus ex machina, if you can help it.)
- Characters—the people driving your story. Characters should be developed (to avoid being one-dimensional), with demonstrated personality traits that drive their motivations and decisions in a sensical way.
- Character arcs—the changes your characters undergo throughout the story. Rarely does a main character remain the exact same person from beginning to end because they are ultimately transformed by the story they’re living through. That doesn’t mean their personalities must fundamentally change (although they can); they might simply grow stronger in the face of adversity, for example. Although not every single character needs an arc, they’re important to majors (and some minors) because they provide character depth and add to the story’s pacing.
- Dialogue—what your characters say to one another. Dialogue should always serve the story’s purpose in some way, which is easier said than done. It provides information (or hints) to the reader, conveys emotion, shares important details about a scene or a character’s history or mannerisms, and gives the reader a reason to care about the people who are talking to one another on the page.
- Pacing—the heartbeat of your story. Pacing not only refers to the speed at which your story progresses but the way the scenes transition throughout the chapters. Think of it this way: if the story lags in spots (or for too long), the heartbeat slows and the reader might die of boredom (or give up on the story) if it stops completely.
- Setting—where your story takes place. The setting should be an effective tool that works with your story, enhancing it and at times, even helping to drive the plot and/or conflict and shaping your characters.
- World-building—the design of a fictional world, its inhabitants, and their way of life. This generally only applies to fiction that involves a setting not based on reality. If you’ve built a world, you essentially make all of the rules but they should be fleshed out enough to avoid unanswered questions (that aren’t intentionally left that way) or miles-deep plot holes, and the rules should be applied consistently throughout your story.
- Point of view (POV)—the voice that’s telling your story. Consistency is important, but so is making sure that the right narrator is chosen. A story may be “fine” written from first person POV, but it might sing if rewritten from third person omniscient—or vice versa.
- Narrative—how it all comes together. The narrative includes every element above and how they work together to tell your story.
- Genre and subgenre—the “groups” your story essentially belongs in. Genre refers to a classification based on form (prose, poetry, or drama) as well as content (fiction or nonfiction, or genre fiction such as thriller or romance). Subgenre is a more precise category classification based on content, tone, style, and sometimes intended audience (e.g., historical fiction, young adult fantasy, crime thriller, or paranormal romance). Although there is crossover in genre fiction, it’s important to consider the general guidelines of your book’s genre (word counts, themes, elements, for instance), particularly if you’re seeking agent representation and/or a traditional publisher later on.
Aside from line editing, a developmental edit is one of the more expensive services offered by professional editors and although it's a vital part of the process, many authors are capable of performing it on their own through the use of an outline, self-revisions, and feedback from writing partners or alpha readers.
If you aren't sure whether your manuscript is ready for a developmental edit—or if you even need one at all— there are a few important questions to ask yourself:
- Did you work from a thorough outline that allowed you to flesh out the story, characters, conflicts, progression, and narrative?
- Have you completed your first draft and performed multiple revisions and self-edits?
- Have you discovered plot holes in your manuscript but already figured out how to close them?
- Do you feel confident that you can take your manuscript where it needs to go on your own?
- If your book is complete and you've been submitting it to agents or publishers, have you received a positive response?
- Are you planning to self-publish your work and feel it's ready to move straight to line or copy editing?
If you answered "Yes" to any of the questions above, your manuscript likely doesn't require a professional developmental edit at this point.
A developmental edit is expensive—typically costing thousands of dollars. To get the most out of your investment, the best time to work with a developmental editor is when you can't take your novel any further on your own or you aren't sure how to.
Learn more about developmental editing here.
A professional alpha read can be a great alternative to a developmental edit because it's more budget-friendly and (generally) can be done in a lot less time. An alpha read isn't as thorough, however, but it offers in-depth insight that can support your work—without breaking the bank or hindering your budget for line or copy edits later on.
Learn more about alpha reading here.
If you're not sure what your manuscript needs right now, Dark Star Lit created a short interactive quiz to help you figure it out!