Congratulations! The next step in your journey to become an author is to edit your work into something you can be truly proud of. 

Developmental editing (step 1)

Developmental editing is the first step in the editing journey of any manuscript. It is a comprehensive review of the book from beginning to end, to make the story as strong as possible. 

Often referred to as a “big picture” edit, it’s the process of evaluating the story as a whole – its plot, structure, characters, POV, pacing, and themes.   

When should I do the developmental editing? 

When you feel like you've got the story down, and you're open to receiving and implementing constructive feedback. You have the beginning, middle and end, and you know what you’re trying to say.

Quality-wise, the book has to be readable without major gaps or spelling mistakes, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.

The developmental editing phase can mean major changes to plot, POV, characters, scene order, pace and so on. So don’t wait too long for this step, as you may end up deleting or changing things you’ve already spent considerable time working on.  

What I look for during a developmental edit: Does the story make sense? Do the characters develop in believable ways? Is the POV consistent? Are there any plot holes or missing pieces? Does every scene move the story forward, or do we get lost in subplots or unnecessary backstories? Should we combine these two characters into one? Is the dialogue natural and effective? And so on. 

What’s included in my developmental editing package:

• Initial video call (30 minutes) to discuss your vision for the book and ensure we’re on the same page
• A comprehensive editorial letter (10-15 pages) with detailed, actionable feedback on plot, structure, characters, POV, pacing, themes and more
• Step-by-step instructions on how to action the feedback
• Email support for questions
• Follow-up review of a chapter (or 5,000 words) of your choosing once you’ve completed your revision 
• Follow-up video call (30 minutes) to clear up any last questions and talk about next steps

Required format for submission:

• English or Swedish language
• Word document
• Neutral font like Arial or Times New Roman
• 12pt size 
• 1,5 spacing 
  
• Page numbers 

Please note that I do not take on specialist literature or poetry. 

Timeframes: The timeframe depends on my capacity and the state and length of your novel. Right now, the turnaround time for a developmental edit of an average-length novel (70,000 to 90,000 words) is around 3–4 weeks. 

Cost: Developmental editing is considered a custom project and priced accordingly. My current going rate for a developmental edit is around €0.024/word incl. taxes (US$0.27). This may vary depending on the state, length and genre of the novel. 

For example, a developmental edit of a 70,000-word contemporary fiction novel lands on around €1,680, incl. taxes, video calls and email support. 

Ready to get started?

Use the contact form to send through a brief description of your manuscript and the number of pages.

If I think I’m the right person to take on your project, I will email you a quote and an invite to a complimentary 30-minute video call to discuss the process and estimated timeframe.

Photo: Public mini-library in Manila, Philippines (2024).

Line editing (step 2)

If you've got your story down and all the big picture issues are dealt with, you're ready to get into the nitty-gritty. This is when we go through the whole book line by line and make sure every single word serves a purpose.

As a line editor, it's my job to ensure that every page pulls the reader in closer and that every scene is engaging enough to keep them hooked.

I help polish the language, fine-tune any dialogue, improve clarity and word choices, and suggest ways to make the characters and environments come alive on the page.

Most authors go through at least two rounds of line edits. 

This is the last creative part of the editing process. After the line-editing is complete, the final steps are copyediting and proofreading.

When should I do the line editing? 

Once you've revised your manuscript several times and your story structure is finished. Does the text have to be perfect? No. But it needs to have a well-developed plot that unfolds in the correct order, with all the scenes and characters in place. 

What I look for during a line edit: Is this the best way to phrase this? How can we fix this awkward sentence? Does the author show rather than tell what's happening? Why is this part hard to read? Does this character speak like a real person, or does it sound unrealistic? Does the author pull me in with his/her descriptions of environments or people? Is there a better word to use here? Do we really need this sentence? And so on. 

What’s included in my line editing service:

• Initial video call (30 minutes) to discuss your vision for the book and ensure we’re on the same page
• One line-by-line edit of the entire book with tracked changes and comments in the margins
  
• Email support for questions
• Follow-up review of a chapter (or 5,000 words) of your choosing once you’ve completed your revision 
• Follow-up video call (30 minutes) to clear up any last questions and discuss next steps

Required format for submission:

• English or Swedish language
• Word document
• Neutral font like Arial or Times New Roman
• 12pt size 
• Double spaced
• Page numbers

Please note that I do not take on specialist literature or poetry. 

Timeframes: The timeframe depends on my capacity and the state and length of your novel. Right now, the turnaround time for a line edit on an average-length novel (70,000 - 90,000 words) is around 3–4 weeks. 

Cost: Line editing is considered a custom project and priced accordingly. My current going rate is around €0.026/word incl. taxes (US$0.31). This may vary depending on the state, length and genre of the novel. 

For example, a developmental edit of a 70,000-word contemporary fiction novel lands on around €1,820, including taxes, video calls and email support. 

Ready to get started?

Use the contact form to send through a brief description of your manuscript and the number of pages.

If I think I’m the right person to take on your project, I will email you a quote and an invite to a complimentary 30-minute video call to discuss the process and estimated timeframe.

 

Confidentiality 

Confidentiality is central to my work at Studio ME. All sessions are treated as confidential, and any material you submit will only be read and reviewed by me. If requested, your material can be permanently deleted after our collaboration.