This service is a rigorous line-by-line edit of the manuscript, ensuring the work is concise, clear, consistent, correct, and comprehensible. The developmental copyediting service, like proofreading, is to correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. It means enforcing tone and style throughout the text, changing passive voice to active voice (when necessary), and ensuring plot progression and characterization. This service is also known as substantive, big picture, and content editing, plus line editing. Basically, I’ll search for flaws that may weaken your manuscript like plot holes, telling, inconsistencies in the story, flat dialogue, unrealistic reactions or actions, underdeveloped characters, backstory dumps, author intrusion, POV slips, deep POV implementation, bad choreography, poor execution of GMCs (goals, motivations, and conflicts), and lack of emotions. I’ll offer suggestions on how you can rework the problem area. Unlike proofreading alone, developmental copyediting is to improve the flow of the text and add to the overall quality of the writing rather than simply correcting the mechanics.
This is a great service for a writer who feels he has brought his story as far as he can without outside help and understands there’s still work that needs to be done.
I specialize in developmental copyediting, substantive or big picture editing, and line editing for romance (romantic suspense, paranormal romance, romantic thriller, contemporary romance, and romantic comedy), mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, crime, paranormal/supernatural, fantasy, urban fantasy, and YA.
