Developmental Editing Services

Substantive, in-depth guidance on revision to bring out a manuscript’s full potential and prepare for final copy editing

Overview of Services

Our developmental editing services pair you with experienced developmental editors, writing teachers, and industry insiders to help you craft a book that reaches its fullest potential and has the best chance of success in the marketplace. While the process varies based on your needs, objectives, budget, and preferred working method, steps may include the following:

  • A preliminary review to assess your manuscript’s needs
  • In-depth annotative and evaluative feedback to help you revise your work with clear goals and objectives in mind
  • Guidance and coaching on writing technique and points of literary craft relevant to your manuscript
  • Consultation with your editor as needed by phone or email to discuss questions, ideas, problems, possible solutions, or next steps
  • Follow-up feedback on new drafts to make sure you’re on track and to identify new opportunities for improvement

At the conclusion of the developmental editing process, your manuscript should be exceptionally sound in concept, content, structure, and overall execution, and it should be ready for final polishing and correction.

Pricing for developmental editing services starts at $.01 per word and is based on the scope, depth, and nature of the work involved plus your preferred method of receiving feedback. (We can generally work with you by phone, editorial letter, in-manuscript annotations, or any combination of these.) We provide written no-cost/no-obligation quotes based on careful consideration of your manuscript’s needs and the program(s), service(s), and editor(s) that best fit what you’re trying to accomplish.

Further information about developmental editing services pricing, turnaround time, and coverage is available via links at right (desktop) or below (on mobile devices) or by contacting our author services director Ross Browne at the Tucson office.

Explore Options

A hybrid of manuscript critique, developmental editing, and in-depth revision guidance via editorial memorandum and margin comments  in manuscript text.

$.014 per word (1.4 cents) for most manuscripts

Ongoing editorial feedback, revision guidance, and development support in writing, by phone, or in-person in some cities.

$.004 per word for reading plus $75 per hour for feedback

Follow-up review and feedback for a new draft of a revised manuscript already at least once reviewed by The Editorial Department.

$.01 – .014 per word, depending on method

“I’m a writer – I sit in a room by myself making things up. That is where I’m happiest.”

Paula Hawkins

Recommended Reading

Spotlight on Developmental Editing An overview of why it’s needed, how it works, and what to expect from the process

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When many people think of editing, they think of arcane symbols and scribbled margin notes in red or blue pencil – move this paragraph, delete these words, add a hyphen, correct that spelling, capitalize this [...]