Developmental Edits

A developmental edit (also called a content, substantive, or macro edit) is appropriate for writers who’ve already had their manuscript professionally critiqued or who have honed their writing craft and knowledge of genre requirements. A developmental edit determines whether your manuscript is ready for submission to an agent or acquisitions editor and offers suggestions for revision as necessary. Or, if you’re independently publishing, it determins whether your manuscript is ready for the expertise of a copy editor.

I offer developmental edits for fiction, memoir, and select nonfiction manuscripts, providing a thorough evaluation of the various aspects of the manuscript, including:

Plot
Structure
Content
Pacing and flow
Story arc
Character development
Character arc
Craft techniques

I do not offer copy editing or proofreading services.

Ginny Yttrup is a writing pro who takes a manuscript from good to, oh my goodness, it’s great. With a deft eye for detail and a deep understanding of story, she improved my novel by 100 percent, and then doubled that. More than all, she guided me, as the writer, to craft places I didn’t know I could go. You’ll gain more than you can imagine by working with such an insightful, empowering, talented coach.

Patricia Raybon, Award Winning, Bestselling Author –My First White Friend, I Told the Mountain to Move, and All That is Secret, An Annalee Spain Mystery

Details

Using the track changes feature in Microsoft Word, I provide a developmental edit that gives you a fully annotated review of your manuscript, with comments, responses, and encouragement.

Each developmental edit is accompanied by a comprehensive summary highlighting the strengths of the manuscript and offering recommendations for refining the overall project.

My editing rate is $ .025 – .035 per word, depending on the level of work I deem necessary after a thorough review of your manuscript.

A 25 percent nonrefundable deposit is required to hold an editing time slot, with an additional 25 percent due upon my receipt of the manuscript. The remaining 50 percent is due upon the client’s receipt of the completed edit. Depending on the length of the manuscript, I allow 3 to 6 weeks for the edit.

Before I request a deposit for editing, I will provide an editing agreement that outlines the details of the edit.

If you’re interested in having your manuscript edited, please email me to discuss your project. I welcome questions!

I look forward to working with you!

Ginny Yttrup’s loving touch transformed my manuscript. Having her developmental feedback directly placed into my work was like attending a master class! I could not have found a better teacher. She drove home writing skills I still needed to master. What I learned will help me write a cleaner first draft in the future, as well as edit my own work. Most importantly, Ginny’s thoughtful, powerful insights have given me my best shot at acquiring an agent and getting published!

Rebecca Mogollon