Service IV
Developmental Editing
From story architecture to sentence-level prose — the most thorough editorial service we offer, delivered as one cohesive process.
What It Is
Your story, strengthened from the inside out.
Developmental Editing combines the full Editorial Review with complete Stylistic Line Editing in a single, integrated process. First, we assess your manuscript at the story level — structure, character, pacing, worldbuilding, and theme — and produce a revision roadmap. Then, we work line by line through your prose, refining rhythm, tone, and clarity while preserving your voice. You receive a manuscript that works both as a story and as a reading experience. This is the service for authors who want the most thorough editorial attention before publication.
What's Included
Every level of the manuscript, covered.
- ✦Full Editorial Review (all story-level assessment)
- ✦Executive summary and revision roadmap
- ✦Plot construction, character arcs, and worldbuilding
- ✦Pacing, tension, and thematic development analysis
- ✦Complete Stylistic Line Editing across the full manuscript
- ✦Sentence rhythm, tone, and clarity refinement
- ✦Dialogue, transitions, and paragraph flow
- ✦Word choice, voice consistency, and POV
- ✦Elimination of repetition and overwriting
- ✦Integrated feedback delivered as a cohesive report
Transparent Pricing
Comprehensive editing, transparent pricing.
Shorter Works
25,000 – 60,000 words
$645
reg. $1,000
Standard Length
60,000 – 95,000 words
$1,595
reg. $2,400
Extended Length
95,000 – 120,000 words
$2,495
reg. $3,800
Developmental Editing is priced as a single flat-rate service — not as two services billed separately. Because the stages are integrated, the total cost is lower than buying them individually.
The Process
Two stages. One integrated process.
Story-level assessment
We begin with a full read of your manuscript, evaluating the story at the structural level — plot architecture, character development, worldbuilding, pacing, theme, and genre alignment.
Line-level prose refinement
With the story assessment complete, we work through the manuscript line by line — refining rhythm, tone, clarity, voice consistency, and sentence-level craft across the full text.
Integrated editorial report
You receive a single comprehensive report combining both stages: the story-level findings and revision roadmap, followed by the line-level feedback — all integrated and ready to guide your revision.
Common Questions
Answers before you start.
Is this the same as buying an Editorial Review and Stylistic Edit separately?
The scope is the same but the process is integrated and the price is lower. Because we're reading your manuscript with both lenses simultaneously, the feedback is more cohesive — and the flat rate is less than purchasing the two services individually.
My manuscript is a mess — is it ready for developmental editing?
Developmental editing is designed for manuscripts that are drafted and roughly complete. If you're still in early stages, consider starting with the First-Act Story Audit to validate your direction first.
What does 'report rather than tracked changes' mean in practice?
Rather than a manuscript file with inline edits, you receive a written document: your editorial assessment, revision roadmap, and line-level notes. You then revise your own manuscript using that guidance. You maintain authorship and control over every change.
Get Started
Let's see if
we're a fit.
Show us what you have and we'll show you what we can do. Start with a First-Act Story Audit for $59 — a professional review of your opening chapters with no commitment required.