Developmental editing is editing the content of a story. It focuses on the story that is being told, not how the story is written.
It looks at the big picture to make sure the story is solid and logical and that readers will be engaged while reading.
Developmental editing is the first level of editing a book should go through.
Developmental editing is about the ideas, concepts, and art of the book, not grammar or how the words and sentences are structured.
The number of developmental edits a manuscript needs varies for each writer and manuscript.
A developmental edit consists of an editorial letter (a.k.a. editorial report/critique letter/manuscript evaluation) detailing the strengths and weaknesses of the manuscript with specific suggestions. This is a long letter that touches on thoughts and ideas from the whole manuscript. The editor will detail what she enjoyed and what she thought could be better. It will consist of advice on what to do in revisions for the next draft. The editor will note suggestions, why she is making them, and how she believes they will improve the story.
It can come with a book map or outline of the story, and there may be a few comments within the manuscript itself.
Developmental editing looks at many categories of story craft.
Plot
Story elements
Conflict
Clear, believable resolution
Flow of the story
Story arc
Worldbuilding
Pacing
Narration
Subplots
Plot holes
Shape the story
Characters
Development and growth
Characters that are missing or left behind
Useless characters
Motivation
Relationships
Structure
Logical structure
Scene structure
Order of scenes
Story structure (three-act structure)
Craft
Purpose of the book
Strengths and weaknesses of writing
Consistent tense
Voice and style match the genre
Word count
A developmental editor must be a problem solver, empathetic, and have knowledge of the subject matter and genre. The editor must keep the author's message and ideas.
The editor will act as a critical reader and ask the author questions to combine what the author wants to say with what the readers want to read. The editor will continuously ask the author questions only in an attempt to help make the story better.
Questions a Developmental Editor may ask include:
Will the reader be engaged?
Does the plot make sense?
Are the characters believable? Do they grow and change?
Does the structure make sense?
Does the story fit into the genre?
Is there enough description? Too much description?
Will the reader want to keep turning pages to see what happens next?
Is the story appropriate in tone, style, and format for its intended audience?
Is this the most effective perspective to tell the story from?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the writing?
Comment below any questions you still have about developmental editing.