Creating a cohesive developmental edit
The goal of every editor should be that of providing a cohesive developmental edit for a manuscript.
A lot of the skill in developmental editing is just keeping your mouth shut. Not every single thing you notice needs to be commented upon. It doesn’t make the author’s revision go more effectively when you’re nitpicking about a hundred unrelated problems.
Pick a few problems that, if addressed, would make a significant difference to the ms and focus on those. Even better if you can shape those into a coherent, cohesive overall edit.
For example, maybe the plotting feels implausible, maybe the protagonist’s character arc is flat, maybe you have trouble feeling immersed in the story world, maybe you don’t really get a sense of who the protagonist is at all.
Cohesive developmental edit example
These are different problems that could be addressed in the DE, but imagine if you could link them together: these are all problems that ultimately relate to how the protagonist is drawn.
*If the protagonist is not driving story events and acting and reacting to what happens, then the plotting will feel implausible because the author is just shoving the protagonist around the plot like a chess piece.
*If the character arc is flat, we’re not as invested in the protagonist.
*If the protagonist is the viewpoint character and we’re not experiencing the story world through their perspective, we’re going to have trouble feeling immersed in the story world.
*And, finally, if the author hasn’t drawn the protagonist clearly, we’re not going to get a sense of who they are at all.
The positive spin on a cohesive developmental edit
Imagine the author receiving a cohesive edit that says, “the main thing to address is the protagonist.” And then supplies recommendations.
Versus an edit that says, “There are problems with the plotting, there are problems with the character development, there are problems with the setting.”
One feels a lot more overwhelming than the other, but both address the same issues.
Other Helpful Content
Your Year-End Review
This time of year, things slow down at Club Ed and I have time to reflect on the past year. I always learn a new lesson or two. This year, the lesson was “simplify.” It may not look like it when you see all of the classes available on Club Ed, but we’ve streamlined a…
Simplifying Your Editorial Business
In June, a plugin conflict caused the Club Ed website to crash. This was after a server problem took it offline for a weekend and we had to switch hosts. I thought I was going to lose my mind. Having Club Ed offline not only costs money but greatly inconveniences students. The website developer said,…
Doubting Your Work vs Doubting Yourself
Newer editors often struggle with imposter syndrome, which is the feeling that they’re not really good at their work and pretty soon everyone will see right through them and point their fingers and laugh. I’ve struggled with this (imposter syndrome, not pointing fingers and laughing) off-and-on throughout my career, as do most people who want…
