Developmental Editing

Service Overview

A developmental edit takes a close look at all the elements that make up your story—pacing, voice, characterization, plot structure, organization, continuity—and guides you, the author, to strengthen these foundational pieces into the best version of your manuscript. This service is designed for manuscripts that have already been carefully assessed and revised by the author and early readers and is ready for a final polish before seeking representation or publication. If you’ve just finished your first draft and don’t know where to start revising it yourself, we recommend you start with a manuscript assessment.

We approach developmental edits with a strong bent toward writing coaching. We point out the weaknesses and strengths of your novel using structure data, critical literary analysis, and market trends. We’ll talk about not only what needs to be revised and where to find it but also why it’s an issue and how we can strengthen your writer’s toolbox to execute the necessary revisions. Together, we’ll find specific, concrete solutions to your novel’s problems, and we will equip you with the skills needed to take ownership of your work and craft a beautiful story—while always being just a phone call away for wordsmith support.

Prepare for an intensive, private masterclass on creative writing with your novel as the syllabus.

Words from Our Author, Raya

Amber Helt is nuts. I signed up for a developmental edit which, would revise several weakened plotlines in my 110,000-word novel and tighten my characters’ development, but what I got was nearly a hundred pages of feedback, suggestions, a book map, breakdowns, explanations, concerns, and steps to take when my novel is completed. In short, what I got was well beyond what I could ever thank her for in a measly testimonial.

I searched through dozens of editors to take on this extensive project. I came across many proficient and thorough individuals and had even hired one prior to Rooted in Writing who, in comparison, looks like they did the job of an intern next to Amber’s work.

Boldly, I would say it’s a crime to call what she did a developmental edit. She reclaimed the meaning and set the bar high for other editors. Rooted in Writing truly is the diamond package. Amber created a custom book map, which I’ve never seen another editor do before. Each chapter was color-coded per POV and broke down everything from plot synopsis to how much time passed in that chapter. She went in depth with internal and external motives—which was extremely beneficial to help me track how the characters’ motives gradually evolved throughout the manuscript. This master of organization is exactly why I call her level of editing the top of the line.

Amber and her team has a niche for knowing what your story needs and what you need to work on as a writer. I can’t recommend Rooted in Writing highly enough. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that for what you pay, they’re worth every penny and more. Amber Helt is nuts—and I wouldn’t change that for the world.

Raya Harper

The Beginning of the End

Sample Edit

We do not provide sample edits for developmental editing. It’s too difficult to offer effective advice for a single scene without deeply understanding the plot and character arcs for the whole novel. After all, you wouldn’t trim a branch of an oak without first understanding the overall shape and balance of the tree. However, if you schedule a discovery call with us we will show you real past projects so you can get an idea for how we structure our editorial reports and handle different kinds of editorial suggestions. Before you receive a proposal with a formal quote, we’ll spend a couple of hours reading through your novel to understand its editorial needs.

Deliverables

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Book Map

A spreadsheet that details your novel’s subplots, tracks your character arcs, and shows you how all your story threads weave together (or fall apart) in the grand scheme of your novel. We’ll use this map as our guide while we navigate the large structural edits of your novel.

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Manuscript Edits

Using Microsoft Track Changes, we prune and polish your novel to cultivate its best self, leaving detailed comments throughout the novel suggesting revisions and explaining the changes we made. Since we use Microsoft Track Changes, you’re in control of accepting or rejecting whatever revisions we implement. As editors, it’s our job to uplift and polish your manuscript, but if there’s something you don’t like, you can always reject the change—we will always honor your artistic vision. When we’ve finished your project, you’ll get the whole manuscript with the final draft already assembled in one clean file.

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Extensive Editorial Letter

The pride and joy of the Rooted in Writing method, our editorial letters are 70-100 pages of dedicated feedback and instruction for your novel’s revisions. This document takes a step back from all the comments and revisions in the manuscript itself and gives you a bird’s eye view of the revision strategy. We’ll break down the manuscript’s edits by writing element and chapter to explain what we’ve done, why we did it, and how you can build off these revisions to enhance your novel even further.

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Post-Edit Consultation

We’ll walk through the editorial letter and manuscript comments together after delivery to answer any questions you have about the revision process. This meeting usually takes two hours and is recorded so you can easily rewatch and refresh down the road. Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this rewrite process.

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Optional Weekly Editor Consultations

During the 90-day period after you receive your developmental edit materials, you have the option to schedule an hour-long call each week to discuss your progress and brainstorm any pain points you may have during the revision process.

Rates & Dates

Final edits will be returned after 6-10 weeks, depending on the word count and the manuscript’s condition. Rates range from $0.04 to $0.06 per word (for industry comp, check out the EFA’s rate chart). Please contact us for your custom project quote.

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Developmental Editing

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