What is a developmental editor?

Book 3 in the Necromancers’ Pride Saga – Storm of Shadows, is moving at a fast pace. We are deep in the writing process now and full speed ahead to the finish line. As such, I am going to be diving back into the world of Tarune shortly. However, I wanted to use today’s post to answer a question I was recently asked. A person asked me the other day how exactly a developmental editor works. Well, I will give you that answer in a nutshell because, as I said, the world of Necromancers’ Pride is calling and I have to get back to work.

So, here we go: Developmental editors offer specific suggestions as to how to improve the core intentions of the book. They assist with determining the underlying goals of what you as the writer intend. Also, they help with story structure and character development. Character development includes character arcs or how they interact with the main plot, usage of dialogue and proper voice.

In terms of style, developmental editors help an author with narrative voice, language, pacing and tone. A good developmental editor can help you hone in on the proper genre for you before you even begin writing. It is essential you know how to craft your book, and they can assist you with that. They help you as an author to establish your own voice in the telling of your story.

Remember, no one but you can tell your story your way. For that reason, if you have the desire to tell it, you must. A good developmental editor will give you the confidence to know that you are telling a well imagined, well developed tale. What a developmental editor will not do is correct your spelling, syntax and grammar. That is what a copy editor is there for, and that is a post for another day. Suffice to say, the copy editor comes much later in the writing process, whereas the developmental editor can be there for you from the start of your writing.

Today, you can find your own developmental editor from a variety of location. D.W. and I have found great success looking to meet our literary needs on a site called oDesk. Take your time and ask to see some examples of the editor’s work before you hire them. This is a necessary step in the process, so make sure you make this decision carefully.

Now, it is back to world building for us.

Did you find this post useful? What questions do you have in the development of your story?

This is your community. We want to hear from you.