Invisible Ink’s developmental editing and manuscript evaluation services are an opportunity for you to receive in-depth feedback on your novel from a professional editor. Developmental editing is a vital first step in the editing process and typically takes place after you’ve received feedback from beta readers but before you move on to line editing.
What’s the difference between a manuscript evaluation and a developmental edit?
For a manuscript evaluation, your editor will read the entire manuscript, but won’t make any comments in the margins of the document. Instead, they’ll provide a critique of the overall storyline of the novel, with suggestions on what you need to do to improve the story, characters, plot, etc. Because the editor is doing more of a top-level assessment, manuscript evaluation cost is lower, and turnaround time is faster than developmental editing.
A developmental edit includes all of the above, but your editor will go deeper on the manuscript, with comments throughout the manuscript itself, highlighting the exact areas of the novel that need your attention before it’s ready for the next stage of editing. Developmental editing has a higher cost point because you’ll receive more in-depth guidance and a critique that goes above and beyond what you’d receive in a manuscript evaluation.
If you aren’t sure which service you need, your editor will be happy to guide you once you submit your manuscript sample. We can also develop a hybrid option that falls somewhere between these two services, both in the level of detail we provide and the cost of the editing service.
Developmental editing is a chance for you to receive feedback on your manuscript before you have finalized a first draft. If you have completed all or most of a first draft and would like feedback on your plotline(s), characterization, story development, consistency, style, tone, and the other fundamentals of the novel, this service is right for you.
During the developmental editing process, one of Invisible Ink’s book editors will read your entire manuscript start to finish, taking detailed notes on what works and what doesn’t. In addition to making comments in the margins, your fiction editor will provide you with a separate document compiling their notes into a detailed evaluation of the manuscript, otherwise known as a critique.
Your manuscript does not have to be complete before you undertake developmental editing; in some areas, the story may not be fully fleshed out, and there may even be some chapters or passages that are purely in outline format. If you have hit a wall and cannot write anymore—or if you’re feeling as though you’re suffering from writer’s block—developmental editing can help you find a way forward to finish the manuscript.
Every critique we write is unique, but there are some general areas we typically cover in developmental editing. These are some of the most common types of feedback we give our authors:
Grammar and mechanics. While we usually don’t perform any line editing or proofreading during the beta reading phase, we will take time to point out any consistent grammatical or mechanical issues we come across.
Tone and style. Your editor will consider your tone and style as they edit your novel and factor this into their final critique. You’ll receive feedback on what qualities define your style and how you can further weave your voice throughout the manuscript.
Language and repetition. During developmental editing, we look for words and phrases that are misused or overused, so you can clear them up before embarking on your next novel editing service.
Characterization. You can expect a thorough examination of the characters in your novel. We will discuss what works and doesn’t work for certain characters and how you can further develop your characters and their relationships in the next round of edits.
Plot and consistency. We will examine your novel for plot and consistency issues. We’ll identify any major plot holes, and we’ll also point out places where the story drags or where you may want to add more information or description.
What’s the difference between developmental editing and beta reading? While there is a lot of overlap, beta reading typically refers to peer-to-peer editing. Beta reading allows you to test your novel with members of the public who enjoy your style of writing or your particular genre. While this may sometimes mean handing your manuscript to a trusted friend or family member, there are also author exchanges and online groups that offer free or very low-cost beta reading.
Developmental editing, on the other hand, is a chance to workshop your novel with a trained professional book editor. At Invisible Ink, we go deeper and provide more extensive feedback than you are likely to receive from peer beta readers. We can also provide insights into your genre, the world of self-publishing, and the nuances of professional writing.
Beta reading is a valuable exercise for any independent author, and we highly recommend you have at least one or two people read your manuscript before it’s submitted for formal developmental novel editing.
Developmental editing, more than any other service, requires a strong relationship between editor and client. The developmental editing process addresses the foundation of your novel, and often you’ll need to do some of the heavy lifting once you’ve received your critique. We have built-in processes to make sure you get the level of communication and support you’ll need during this stage of the editing process. Depending your needs and preferences, you can expect sequence like this:
Our manuscript evaluation service starts $0.009/word, and developmental editing starts at $0.015/word. However, this price may fluctuate depending on your manuscript or if you are purchasing an editing bundle.
Use the form below to submit a sample of your manuscript. One of our editors will review it and get back to you.
