Editorial Services

Developmental Editing

Does the story work?

Are my characters well-developed?

Is my writing engaging enough?

What’s missing here?

Developmental editing takes a holistic look at your manuscript to answer all of these questions and more. A developmental edit gives direction to ensure your story is well-structured, engaging, and perfectly paced before you move on to sentence-level edits.

I’ll examine elements like plot and structure, character, pacing, point of view, narrative voice, and writing style. Not only will you get feedback on what is and isn’t working—you’ll get detailed explanations and thoughtful suggestions on how to improve.

  • • In-line comments throughout the manuscript pointing to specific areas of improvement

    • Editorial letter (5 – 10 pages) outlining high-level feedback and suggestions

    • Optional 30 minute call to talk through feedback, address any questions, and strategize your next steps

  • • Authors with a completed draft who seek to ensure their story is tight and well-paced, fix plot issues, further develop their characters, or get general writing and story feedback.

    • Authors with a partial manuscript that seek help in further developing their story

    *I highly recommend seeking developmental editing before moving on to line or copy editing.

  • • Plot & Structure

    • Character development

    • Pacing

    • Point of View

    • Narrative Voice

    • General writing quality

    • Specific author concerns

  • $0.02/word (or $1,000 for a 50,000 word manuscript)

Manuscript Evaluation

Is my manuscript ready for publication?

What’s my next step?

Are my plot, characters, and writing quality up to par?

Like developmental editing, a manuscript evaluation answers all of these questions in addition to offering guidance on big-picture storytelling elements, like plot, character development, narrative voice, and point of view.

A manuscript evaluation is a great first step in the editing process, especially if you’re not yet ready to commit to a developmental edit. I’ll take a holistic look at your manuscript to address plot and structure, character development, pacing, point of view, and voice.

  • • Editorial letter (5 – 10 pages) outlining high-level feedback and suggestions for next steps

    • Optional 30 minute phone call to talk through feedback and address any questions

  • • Authors who have a complete or partial draft and are seeking general guidance on story structure, plot, character development, and general writing quality

    • Authors who are not yet ready to commit to developmental editing and are confident making high-level revisions on their own

    • Authors who are unsure of their next revision step or if their manuscript is ready for publication

  • • Plot & Structure

    • Character development

    • Pacing

    • Point of View

    • Narrative Voice

    • General writing quality

    • Specific author concerns

  • $600 flat rate (up to 80,000 words)

Line Editing

Great writing is about more than telling an engaging story. It’s about using the most effective language to tell that story. A line edit ensures your writing is the best it can be, with attention to word choice, sentence structure, and flow.  

During a line edit, I’ll comb through your manuscript line by line, using Word tracked changes to tighten sentence structure, improve flow, and make your writing as clear and impactful as it can possibly be—without ever compromising your voice.

  • • Edited manuscript with changes, notes, and suggestions in Word tracked changes

    • Clean manuscript incorporating all suggested changes

  • • Authors with a completed draft who have made all structural and story revisions and are ready to improve their writing at the sentence level

    *I highly recommend completing a manuscript or developmental editing before seeking line editing

  • • Sentence structure and clarity

    • Tonal consistency

    • Repetition and redundancies

    • Character voice and dialogue


  • $0.02/word (or $1,000 for a 50,000 word manuscript)

Sample Edit

Editing is an investment, and choosing the right editor is a vital step in the process. To give you a feel for how I work, and to ensure you’re selecting the right kind of editing for your manuscript, I offer free zero-commitment sample edits to all first-time developmental and line editing clients.

When you book a sample edit, I’ll ask some questions about your manuscript and what kind of editing you’re interested in. Then, I’ll edit your first 1,000 words to give you a feel for my editing style and what kind of feedback you can expect.

  • • Line editing: Tracked changes in Word with sentence-level revisions and suggestions (1,000 words)

    • Developmental editing: In-line comments and feedback on story hook, narrative voice, and general writing quality ( 1,000 words)

    • Suggestions for next steps + a custom quote

  • • Authors who are interested in working with me and want to ensure we’ll be a good fit

    • Authors who aren’t sure about what kind of editing they need

  • Line editing:

    • Sentence structure

    • Clarity and word choice

    • Tonal consistency

    • Repetition and redundancies

    • Character voice and dialogue

    Developmental editing:

    • Story hook

    • Point of View

    • Narrative Voice

    • General writing quality


  • Free of charge and zero-commitment

Ready to get started?

Book your free sample edit.