How to tell if you’re ready to hire a developmental editor
Do you have a finished draft?
Developmental editors usually work on finished drafts because it’s important to see the whole manuscript in order to understand its structure. Developmental, or substantive editing, looks at big-picture elements of your book, such as character development, plot, voice, themes, and structure. It could be tricky to tell if those elements are working or not when editing a draft that is still unfinished.
However, there are some exceptions to this. If you’re working on a non-fiction book, especially in the self-help or business-related categories, then a developmental editor could help you with the initial structuring of your manuscript before you write it.
If you’re writing fiction or narrative non-fiction and are struggling with deciding on a structure, you could benefit from a developmental consultation where we would brainstorm your ideas together and would come up with the best structure for it before you begin or continue writing. You can book a session with me here.
2. Have you edited your manuscript?
Once you’ve written your first draft, you need to edit it. Even if you tend to edit as you write, it’s a good idea to leave your manuscript alone for a couple of weeks in order to get some distance from it, and then to come back and self-edit. At this stage, self-editing will help you pick up on any obvious issues with your manuscript. This will save you money in the long run, as you won’t need quite as many ‘passes’ of developmental editing.
You could also send your book out to beta readers for feedback and then use it to help you with self-editing. Watch my video on finding the right beta reader here.
3. Are you ready to pursue publication?
Most writers want to publish their books at some point. There are three main ways to get your book out into the world: traditional publishing, self-publishing, and indie publishing. Each of these routes can be a great way to get published, and more and more authors are combining some or all three at some point in their writing career. There are pros and cons to each, and I will write more on that soon.
Whichever route you choose for your current manuscript, there is a difference between considering publication at some point in the future and actively planning to publish your book. Hiring an editor can be costly so it makes sense to do it only once you’re ready to become a published author.
4. Are you prepared to receive editorial feedback?
If you’ve already had feedback from beta readers or have attended writing courses or groups, you may be used to receiving feedback on your writing. However, if this is your first time receiving feedback, or if all the feedback you have ever received has been 100% positive, you may find this part tricky. For many neurodivergent writers, feedback can be also a sore point due to previous unpleasant experiences when receiving or providing feedback. This could be due to rejection sensitivity dysphoria or differences in feedback delivery and reception between neurodivergent and neurotypical writers.
When you hire a professional editor, their job is to provide you with the feedback that they think will improve your book. It is entirely up to you if you act on that feedback or not. Editing, just like anything else in art, is subjective, and the final decision is ultimately with you, the author.
Whatever you decide, the whole point of hiring a professional editor is to make your book as good as it can possibly be, so it is important that you feel comfortable with receiving editorial feedback and that you understand that you have the power to decide whether to accept the editor’s suggestions or not.
As a neurodivergent editor, I discuss this with my clients before I start the edit, so that we can agree on ways to make this part of the process as easy and productive as possible. These could include a specific way to deliver feedback that you know has worked for you in the past, for example only written or only on Zoom, telling me if you have specific trigger words that make it harder to receive feedback, or agreeing on strategies that have worked for you or other neurodivergent writers.
Each editor is different, and the way they provide feedback is different too. I strive to provide honest and gentle feedback, and I always recommend having an initial chat to see if we are a good fit before we begin working together. You can book a free short consultation with me here.
