How to Find the Right Developmental Editor or Writer

Your finished writing will be more polished when you invest in a good developmental writing team. Whether you are preparing a business document or a work of fiction, developmental editing can ensure you have a polished draft prepared for final publishing. With the various types of editing available, you may be wondering — what is developmental editing? Let’s take a closer look at the details of developmental editing and how using this type of editing for your work will make it shine.

What Is Developmental Editing?

Developmental editing involves a thorough and comprehensive review of your content. Whether it is a book, short story, business email, marketing document, advertisement, resume, or academic paper, an editor will ensure it is free of all mistakes. You can count on this type of editing to review the structure and flow of your content.

Developmental editing will assist with the main development of your idea, theme, or story so that it is structurally sound. You may have an excellent idea, and you’ve jotted down your thoughts as they flowed. Your draft contains all the “meat and potatoes” of good content, but it needs tightening up and better organizational flow. That is where developmental editing comes in to help. If you're looking for developmental editing, try our rewriting services, which provide more thorough editing than our general copy editing services.

What Does Developmental Editing Cover?

The types of editing included in developmental editing are as follows:

• Provide feedback focused on the “big picture” of your content (versus the small details)
• Give insight about style and how to make the piece stronger
• Advise about any potential problems with a storyline or negative characterizations
• Point out plot issues, clichés, or overused phrases
• Show you places that may have too much fluff or filler

How to Choose a Developmental Editor

Use these tips to find the right developmental editor:

Do Your Research

It’s critical to interview your prospective editor. You can ask them questions about exactly what services they will provide, their timeframe for completion, and how you can communicate effectively with them. Use the options listed on the Editor World writers page or editors page to choose what’s best for you. We provide writing services, rewriting services, and editing and proofreading services, all by native English writers and editors. 

Check References

Make sure you check out the editor’s credentials and any online reviews they may have. Checking out references is important even for virtual work.

Get a Free Sample Edit

Nothing helps you know if you will love a developmental editor more than seeing a sample of their work. This allows you to get a feel for the editor and how they work.