Developmental Editing

$0.09 per Word

When a detailed edit in grammar, spelling, and punctuation is not enough, our Advanced Editorial services give your manuscript the utmost attention. Our experienced editors take a deep dive into your book's content in order to make high-level stylistic considerations, including content, plot and pace. Whether your book is fiction or non-fiction, this service ensures that the storyline and message of your book will be understood by the reader with a renewed sense of clarity and impact.

Developmental Editing service is a powerful combination of services in three distinct steps:

1. Developmental Evaluation
2. Content Editing
3. Quality Review

Phase One: Developmental Evaluation

A developmental editor gives your manuscript a high-level review at the paragraph, chapter, and book levels. The editor provides comments throughout the manuscript, to identify areas of your work that may need overall revisions.

• Nonfiction Books: The editor determines if the content is complete and appropriate for the readership and purpose of the work. The editor also analyzes the work to ensure that lists and tables are used effectively throughout, (2) concepts are developed adequately, (3) and material is well organized.
• Fiction Books: The editor will determine whether the content relates appropriately to the readership and genre. Plot, pace, characterization and dialogue are also considered.

Phase Two: Content Edit

After you've completed any large scale changes at the suggestion of the developmental editor, the content editor takes over. This phase include a complete Content Edit. The Content Edit is included in the Developmental Editing package. Errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure will be caught and corrected by the editor.

Phase Three: Quality Review

After you have reviewed your Content Edit and submitted the updated version of your manuscript, we will perform a Quality Review service to check your work. This will not review the entire manuscript. Instead, an editor will check over all the revisions you made to the manuscript after the Content Edit in order to eliminate any errors or problems added in during your revision.

This entire editing process typically is completed within three to four months (not including any time that you spend with the manuscript). When complete, your work will be clear, concise and ready to wow your audience. 

*There is a 5,000-word minimum charge for all editing services.

WestBow Press accepts a very low margin of error in each completed edit – no more than three percent of the total errors found. Our professional in-house editorial staff reviews each editorial service for quality assurance. Upon reviewing your edited manuscript, if you believe that an unsatisfactory number of errors remain, please create a list of the errors and the page numbers on which they appear and email it to editorial@westbowpress.com. We will review the list with you and address your concern.

Quick Facts | Developmental Editing

Editing is essential to the overall success and professionalism of your book. This service is typically complete in three to four months, not including any time you spend with the manuscript for review and revision.