A big-picture look at your story’s content.

The developmental edit focuses on identifying and both fleshing out main ideas at the story level and cutting ideas that diverge from the plot and distract the reader.

Do you need a developmental edit?

The dev edit is ideal if you want a thorough assessment of how your plot, character, POV, and setting work together. It is a perfect starting point when your story feels incomplete, isn’t making sense to your readers, or you’re being told it is more of a vignette or scene than a complete story.

What does a developmental editor look for?

I assess plotline, character arc, point of view, setting, and world-building for how they coordinate to develop a cohesive narrative that meets word count limitations.

Plotline. I evaluate the story’s events and conflict to make sure each element is getting the space it needs on the page.
Character Arc. I assess your character’s relatability, plausibility, and development relative to the events in the story.
Point of View. I make sure the narrator’s position creates the optimal narrative distance between the reader and the main character to support compelling communication of information.
Setting & World-Building. I check that the events and characters are grounded in concrete elements of the story’s reality.
Story-Level Word Count. I consider the number of plot points, characters, the complexity of world-building, and your writing style to make suggestions for meeting word count limitations.

I implemented all her suggestions, and she made my work shine. I sincerely recommend her services.

Margarita Escobar, author

Developmental Editing FAQ

Why do you separate developmental editing from structural editing?

The simple answer is that if the plotline or character arc requires development, and the story’s structure doesn’t support the plotline, most writers find it overwhelming to revise both simultaneously.

There are also no hard lines between compositional elements, though. If the bulk of your story’s editorial needs are structural, with a few minor developmental changes, I classify the edit as structural and suggest you tend to developmental revisions first.

I don’t want to have a plotline/character arc/consistent POV, etc.

My rule for short stories (and prose in general) is that you can do what you want as long as it works. “Works” means that the story meets three criteria: what you are saying is clearly communicated to the reader, your reader experiences the level of satisfaction you mean them to, and your desired publisher agrees that the piece is a good fit.

Ready to get started?

Book a free consult. I’ll read your story, and we’ll discuss how I can help.

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Authors’ Stories

I chose Lisa to edit my short story because I respect the work she has done with other writers I know. I was happy to find that she is as quick with compliments as she is to criticize. Working through the editing process together, I gained new insight into my character’s development, which resulted in a much smoother final draft.

Janice Hodge, author

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