What's your biggest hurdle at the moment?
Are you a first-time novelist with structural issues?

Is your voice or tone inconsistent? Perhaps your characters feel a little flat, or your world doesn't feel immersive. Maybe you have numerous hurdles!  

A developmental edit can fix that, so you feel more confident about moving towards the next step of polishing your novel (copyediting) and readying it for publication. I work with literary, dystopian, and science fiction manuscripts from first-time writers interested in trade or self-publishing and with published authors.

Here’s a run-down of the process:

  • You’re welcome to submit a contact form to let me know about your project.
  • You receive a pre-project questionnaire to complete and return.
  • We arrange a half-hour discovery call to go through your goals and requirements.
  • You send a digital version of your manuscript for assessment (1.5 or double-spaced in Microsoft Word).
  • You’re also welcome to send a clean photocopy of your handwritten work (containing no notes), but please ensure it is legible.
  • We agree on the quote and draw up a timeline.
  • You receive an editorial report, outlining areas for development.
  • You’ll also receive an annotated version of your manuscript (developmental edit).
  • We’ll arrange a follow-up call to discuss the edits, or I can email the highlights.
  • You’re welcome to set up a further round of edits and receive support (additional cost).

Some of the thorns that developmental edits help tackle: 

  • Theme
  • Genre
  • Story
  • Plot
  • Structure
  • Character
  • Point of view
  • Narrative style
  • Scene and summary
  • Dialogue
  • Character arcs
  • World-building
  • Voice and style

Package options

Summary manuscript critique

Includes a thoughtful overview of your novel's landscape, noticing where your story already blooms, where the soil could be richer, and where tangled vines of plot or character might need gentle pruning. It's a popular choice with more experienced authors, and sometimes all that's required. 

What will you get? 

  • A 12-page report (or thereabouts) that highlights strengths, suggests areas for development, and gives you clear, creative direction. It typically covers the top five areas requiring the most improvement. 
  • Choose whether you want to meet via Zoom for a half-hour to go through the feedback or receive an email with the recommendations highlighted. 

Ballpark costs: 

  • £275 – £375 plus £7 per 1,000 words 
  • £55 per hour for extra support hours (if requested) 
  • £195 for a partial review (first 10,000 words) and a five-page editorial report 

PLEASE NOTE:  

  • This service does not include making direct changes to the manuscript. 
  • A partial review does not include book coaching (advice on how to finish the draft). 
  • Nor will I carry out copyediting or proofreading. Find out more about the difference between developmental editing and copyediting here.  
  • The costs listed are ballpark figures until a finalised quote can be drawn up after seeing the manuscript. 

Full developmental edit

In contrast, a full-service edit will be more beneficial if you need more targeted feedback than a top five of big-picture recommendations. A good choice for new authors. It includes detailed margin comments on the manuscript as well as an in-depth report with practical suggestions, pointing out what's thriving, what needs feeding or weeding, and where new seeds might be sown. 

You're also welcome to continue working with me for a second-round edit if you wish to implement the first round of changes and resubmit it. The second round will be cheaper than the first, as I'll already be familiar with the work. 

What will you get? 

  • A detailed 20-page report (or thereabouts) that suggests areas for development and gives you clear, creative direction. 
  • Helpful suggestions and comments on your manuscript, including book mapping tools, if appropriately useful.  
  • A one-hour meeting on Zoom to go through the feedback and discuss how to implement any proposed revisions to move your work forward. I'm happy to arrange face-to-face meetings if you can make it to Falmouth, or that's where you're located. 

Costs: 

  • £20 per 1,000 words 
  • £12 per 1,000 words for a second-round edit on the updated manuscript 

 

PLEASE NOTE:  

  • This service does not include copyediting or proofreading. Find out more about the difference between developmental editing and copyediting here.  

 

Need to climb out of the weeds? 

Let’s get pruning

Cultivate your next chapter with a discovery call to discuss your needs,
goals and how we might work together.Â