If you’re wondering how to become a developmental editor, you’re in the right place. Developmental editing in book publishing is the crucial first phase in the editorial process that looks at a story from a bird’s-eye view to see if it’s ready to move forward for publishing. It’s a great skill to learn if you have a desire to help shape a story through its characters, plot, and other big-story elements.
Having edited fiction and nonfiction books in book publishing for over two decades, I can assure you that developmental editing is a sought-after skill by publishers, authors, and entrepreneurs. Becoming a developmental editor is a great way to earn an income, whether as a career or side hustle.
Key Takeaways
- What Is Developmental Editing?
- What Does A Developmental Editor Actually Do?
- Developmental Editing vs. Other Editorial Skills
- What Skills Do You Need To Become One?
- How Much Do Developmental Editors Make?
- Freelance vs. In-House Opportunities
- How To Become A Developmental Editor
- FAQs About Developmental Editing
What Is Developmental Editing?
Developmental editing is the first phase of the editorial process in book publishing. It involves looking at a story from a holistic view to see how all of the story elements work together to create a great reading experience.
It’s an important step that can’t be skipped because this is when a story is shaped and refined to the best the author and publisher believe it can be. During this edit, elements like characterization, structure, pacing, plot development, and genre conventions are looked at and improved.
What Does A Developmental Editor Actually Do?
When an author has finished writing their fiction or nonfiction book, and they’re happy with what they’ve created, the manuscript is then passed on to a developmental editor. The editor assesses how everything works together as a whole to move the story forward and to keep the reader engaged.
As they edit, they mark up the manuscript with their edits, queries, and editorial suggestions. They answer questions like:
Have the characters developed throughout the story?
Is the timeline realistic?
What is unnecessary and doesn’t move the story forward at all?
Here’s what else a developmental editor does:
- Assess and edit for logic, organization, and structure
- Identify elements that serve no purpose to the story
- Edit according to genre conventions
- Improve the structure and flow of the story
- Refine plot pacing so the flow keeps readers engaged and is suitable for the action
- Edit for point of view, narration, and dialogue
- Suggest improvements for what is missing or needs to be developed more
- Communicate with the author to resolve editorial issues
It’s a common misconception that developmental editors do direct edits on a manuscript, such as deleting paragraphs and rewriting or writing passages. This is not entirely true.
Almost everything a developmental editor does is as a recommendation. This is because it’s ultimately up to the author if they agree with the editor and want to implement the changes. Also, at this level of editing, it is the author’s job to write additional text, or to rewrite existing ones. Creative control is still in the author’s hands.
Developmental Editing vs. Other Editorial Skills
Often, people think of editing as one skill, but as a freelance editor, you need to know how each editorial skill differs so you can offer various services at their respective rates.
These skills refer to different stages and different kinds of changes:
Line editing looks at how writing flows at the sentence level, focusing on tone, word use, and style. Developmental editing is concerned with the shape of the whole book, while line editing zooms in on paragraphs. Learn more about line editing here.
Copyediting is a technical approach to writing and it looks at grammar, style consistency, and factual accuracy. Its goal is to achieve clarity without changing any content. While developmental editing looks at how the story works, copyediting assumes it already does and instead focuses on finer details. Learn more about copyediting books here.
Proofreading is the final stage of the book editing process that fixes errors in spelling, punctuation, and formatting. Unlike developmental editing that dives deep into a story’s structure, proofreading is a surface check for typos. Learn all about proofreading here.
What Skills Do You Need To Become One?
If you’ve ever read a book and thought a character didn’t grow enough, or more statistics were needed to prove a point, then you’d enjoy developmental editing.
To become a developmental editor, you need these qualities:
- You enjoy reading and analyzing what you’ve read
- You can think critically about what is best for the book, not for yourself
- You are open to working with different writing styles
- You are comfortable following genre conventions
- You’re willing to learn about audience’s expectations
- You are a clear and kind communicator
- You can work alone in deep concentration
- You are comfortable reshaping a manuscript
How Much Do Developmental Editors Make?
How much you can earn depends on what kind of content and books you edit. Developmental editing rates vary based on genre and industry. For example, editing a medical textbook will command a higher rate than working on a fiction novel.
When you become a developmental editor, you can earn between $60 – $85 an hour, with medical writing being the top earning category. Editing a book isn’t a quick job, and while it’s slower, more intensive work than other editorial skills, you can earn a good income from just one project.
If you want to do developmental editing on the side to earn extra income, working on just one manuscript can bring you an extra $2000 minimum a month.
The average annual salary for a developmental editor (US) is $65,728. The starting salary is $32,000 and the high range can go up to $122,000.
Freelance vs. In-House Opportunities
There are numerous freelance opportunities for developmental editors in the publishing industry. Usually, development editing is contracted out to freelancers who report to the managing editor or project manager. If you work with indie authors, you work directly with the author.
In-house opportunities are more common with larger publishers and with agencies or businesses.
Here’s where developmental editors can find work:
- Traditional publishers
- Self-published authors
- Academic or business publishers
- Entrepreneurs and businesses
- Agencies, magazines and online publications
How To Become A Developmental Editor
You do not need an English degree or prior experience in publishing to become a developmental editor. However, it’s essential that you receive proper training in this skill due its significant role in shaping stories and content. What happens at the developmental stage sets the foundation and affects what happens at other levels of editorial.
You must be able to meet client expectations and to meet publishing industry standards, so it’s worthwhile investing in professional training. It’s not necessary to enroll in a lengthy or broad program. You can receive excellent training and guidance from online courses that let you learn at your own pace, and for a more reasonable price.
Advanced Editing and Manuscript Evaluation is exactly this kind of program: self-paced, affordable, and focused on giving you the editorial skills to meet industry standards. It’s a comprehensive program because you’ll also learn business and marketing skills to find clients and start earning as a freelance book editor.
Part of learning how to become a developmental editor should also involve knowing how to market your services, how to manage clients and run a freelance business. Being able to edit is great, but you must know how to make money from your skills.
Once you’ve completed your training, the next step is to gain experience through paid or pro bono work. Volunteer work is a great way to land a project quickly, develop your workflow, and to get testimonials to use on your website and social profiles.
FAQs About Development Editing
Is developmental editing the same as substantive editing?
Yes, developmental editing and substantive editing refer to the same thing; sometimes the term structural editing is also used. It really depends on the publisher’s or editor’s preference.
Can you become a developmental editor with no experience?
You do not need to have any prior experience in publishing or editing to become a developmental editor. However, it is important you invest in proper training so you gain professional skills, know industry standards, and can meet client expectations.
Can AI replace developmental editors?
AI cannot replace human developmental editors. Language learning models can’t make editorial judgements, fully understand audience expectations, and make edits based on nuances.
How long does it take to become a developmental editor?
It depends on the program you’re enrolled in and how flexible access is. Training can range from 2-8 weeks, depending on the course structure and exercises. Add another few weeks to gain experience editing and managing a workflow, and then you’ll be ready to take on paid projects.
Is developmental editing a good career?
You can have a fulfilling, sustainable editorial career as a developmental editor that brings you income for many years. Whether you do it full time or as a side hustle, managing diverse projects also keeps it exciting.
Your Next Step
If you’re ready to take the next step to become a developmental editor, I would love to help you. I’ve helped people all over the world build professional freelance careers and businesses. My program, Advanced Editing and Manuscript Evaluation, gives you the skills, marketing and business know-how, and confidence to become a developmental editor. You can learn more about it here.
