Short answer: YES.
Developmental editing is the stage where we zoom out and look at the whole story, not the commas. Think of it as the big-picture checkup your book needs before polishing.
As writers, we are emotionally attached to the stories we write, and this blinds us from seeing some of its flaws. A Developmental editor will check the story and help you shape it into something that someone who doesn’t live in your brain (aka the readers) can understand and relate to as well.
So, what is it?
Developmental editing gives you feedback on:
- Story structure (does it hold together? Are there subplots?)
- Characters and their arcs (do they grow and feel real? Can readers relate to them?)
- Pacing (are there slow or rushed spots? Do chapters transition smoothly?)
- Themes (what’s the deeper heartbeat of your story?)
- World Building and Setting (Is it believable? Does it immerse the reader?)
- Voice (Are the characters recognizable in dialogue? Does the narrator have a distinct voice?)
However, Developmental Editing is not:
- grammar fixing.
- line-by-line editing.
- proofreading.
Those steps come later.
When You Need It
- After you have a full draft.
- When you’ve revised but something still feels “off.”
- Before you invest in copyediting or proofreading.
However, a developmental editor can be also a great resource to hire before you are done with your draft. We are usually very knowledgeable on plot structure and are professionally trained to help writers brainstorm ideas and solutions for their story, which means that sometimes we can help during the writing process. Many Developmental Editors offer coaching or consultation.
A developmental edit can save you months (or years) of spinning your wheels. It helps you catch structural issues early, so you don’t waste energy polishing scenes that may not stay, and it helps you take your book to the next level and make sure that it can become something readers will enjoy and cherish, while keeping your voice intact and respecting the story you want to bring into the world.
Think of a developmental editor as a writing partner who helps you see the forest from afar, while you are inside of it and can only see the trunk of the trees.
And happy writing!
