Editorial Services for Fiction Writers

Developmental Editing

Big-Picture Feedback

You’ve built the foundation of your story. Now it’s time to shape it into its strongest form.

Developmental editing provides detailed, big-picture feedback on your manuscript’s structure, plot, pacing, character arcs, worldbuilding, and more, with in-manuscript guidance to help you revise with clarity and confidence.

Request a Sample Edit

What’s Included in a Developmental Edit

Full Manuscript Read-throughs

Two or more complete, focused read-throughs examining structure, plot progression, pacing, character arcs, conflict, resolution, and more.

In-Manuscript Comments

Margin comments throughout the manuscript highlighting pacing issues, clarity gaps, character development opportunities, and consistency concerns, along with targeted revision suggestions and reader reactions.

In-Depth Editorial Letter

A comprehensive letter breaking down your story’s strengths and opportunities for growth, with clear, actionable guidance for revision.

All feedback is grounded in professional training and genre-aware craft analysis, tailored to your story and goals.

A developmental edit includes in-manuscript comments but does not include line-by-line edits.

Is a developmental edit right for you?

This service is a good fit if you:
✔ want deep, hands-on feedback to strengthen your entire story
✔ are revising a second (or later) draft and need guidance on what to fix and why
✔ want clarity before moving on to line or copyediting

Developmental editing focuses on shaping the story—not judging the writer.

How the Process Works

Here’s what you can expect from start to finish.

Reaching Out

We start with a short conversation about your story, goals, and audience. I’ll review a sample to make sure we’re a good fit and share a quote and turnaround time.

Getting Started

If we decide to move forward, we’ll confirm next steps, sign a contract, and gather your manuscript and any relevant background materials.

The Edit

I complete multiple focused read-throughs, leave margin comments throughout your manuscript, and compile a detailed Editorial Letter.

Review

You take time to read through the feedback at your own pace, reflect on the suggestions, and note any questions that come up.

Follow-Up

We connect to talk through questions, clarify feedback, and discuss your next steps for revision or further editing support.

FAQ

Still have questions? Here are some of the most common things authors ask before booking a developmental edit.

A manuscript assessment focuses on big-picture feedback and provides suggestions for improvement, but it doesn’t include in-manuscript edits or rewrites. Developmental editing is a deeper, more hands-on service.

You’ll receive big-picture feedback focused on your story’s overall structure, pacing, plot, and character development. You’ll walk away with clear, actionable suggestions to help you move forward with confidence.

Turnaround times vary depending on the length of your manuscript and my schedule, but you can expect a full developmental edit to take 4 to 8 weeks. We’ll discuss deadlines during our initial conversation.

Developmental edits start at $0.025 per word. Final quotes are based on length, complexity, and turnaround time. Payment plans are available.

I love editing fantasy, romance, soft sci-fi, historical fiction, and women’s fiction. If your story falls outside these genres, feel free to reach out—I’m happy to discuss it!

Absolutely! After you review your report and manuscript comments, you’re welcome to reach out with questions or schedule a follow-up call. I want to make sure you feel fully supported as you move forward.

Ready to dig into your story’s heart?

Let’s strengthen what’s working and untangle what isn’t.

Request a developmental edit
  • My manuscript assessment not only confirmed areas I thought needed additional work but also areas I hadn’t thought. This process is a great opportunity for other writers to have an expert eye across their manuscript. Not only that Sara is super caring with her critiques. Areas to consider had her analysis but also suggested actions to address these areas. Not only that – you can discuss these in a follow up call for further clarification. I appreciated how I mentioned that this book was part of a series and so Sara highlighted feedback in the context of a series.

    When talking about strengths, Sara has given me some great ideas/wording for how I plan to go out to literary agents/publishers.

    I would 100% recommend writers, particularly first time authors like myself, to get a manuscript assessment from Sara. [She] is super clear with feedback and great to brainstorm with.
    L.K. Goodwin, The Weight of a Prophecy