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 

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 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 

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 from submission. 

Cost: Developmental editing is considered a custom project and priced accordingly. My current going rate for a developmental edit is around €0.024/word (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. video calls and email support. 

This business is exempt from VAT under applicable regulations.

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).

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.