Complete expert guide to developmental editing

I have written this article as a comprehensive guide to developmental editing. It aimed at authors looking to understand the writing and editing process in more detail, but will be helpful to anyone with an interest in writing, editing or publishing.

It sets out to help you understand developmental editing in more depth and will leave you able to make an informed choice about when your book needs an editor, the type of editor you need and what to look for when hiring a developmental editor.

The article is split into sections and each section sets out to give you detailed knowledge of that topic. However, in each section I will also added links to much more detailed articles are specific subjects. If you see a linked word or phrase, its will take you to a more detailed article that explains the topic in more depth. Feel free to click about.

Please note, I do keep this article updated on a regular basis as new information becomes relevant.

I hope you enjoy what I’ve written.

Understanding the editorial process

The best place to start is with the editorial process. Only by understanding the publishing path, will you begin to see why each step of the editorial process is required and when it is correctly applied to a manuscript.

The first thing to know that is the traditional publishing process and the self-publishing process are fundamentally different and, therefore, will have different editorial pathways.

You are going to find that the editorial approach a publisher takes will be different from a self-publishing author.

Often, when a new author says a manuscript needs “an edit”, that can mean several very different things. Editing is not one task. It is a series of decisions that move from the whole book towards the smallest details.

In fact, even ‘professionals’ can get mixed up. Take a look at this post on Reddit. Here the ‘editor’ is offering…

Copy editing (grammar, dialogue mechanics, consistency in names, spelling, and so on). Proofreading (typos, punctuation, formatting slips).

Proofreading, as you will learn, is not fixing typos etc., it working with typeset manuscripts, normally on paper, to ensure there’s been no errors introduced.

It easy to get this stuff mixed up.

The four common levels of editing are:

Developmental editing - this examines the content and structure of the book..
Line editing - this works on clarity, voice and flow at paragraph and sentence level.
Copy editing - this deals with correctness and consistency.
Proofreading - this checks the near-final, formatted pages for errors that remain or were introduced during production.

You could argue that beta reading should be included in this process, but that’s more of a step in the self-publishing process to help overcome some of the problems a self-publishing author faces. We’ll come back to that later.

Please note that a lot of authors will get copy editing and proofreading mixed up, they are not the same thing. If you get these mixed up, here’s a detailed examination of how they are different

Now you have a basic understanding of the editorial types, the next thing to understand is that not all books will go through every step of the process but, as an author, it is important that you know the role of each type of feedback.

Let’s start by looking at the traditional publishing editorial workflow.

Editing for traditional publishing

The traditional publishing process can be complex and time consuming. Publishers often work in a time frame of months, not weeks and years. Literary agent Steve Laube suggest it take about two years from idea to print. My own experience supports this with it easily taking a year from agreeing a publication contract to the book getting to the bookshop shelf.

The first problem you face when looking to follow the traditional publishing route is that big publishers will not accept unsolicited manuscripts, so you are going to need to [find a literary agent]. This will involve [creating a book proposal] for submission to the agent. This is normally the first fifty pages of your book, a synopsis and a cover letter.

A quick note here, you will find small and micro-publishers that will accept manuscripts directly from an author. There is nothing wrong with this but you will need to temper your expectations. These publishers are often very small teams with little, if any, marketing budget.

If an agent agrees to represent you, you will sign a contract agreeing to give them 15-20% of your future earnings from any book they place with a publisher. The agent will typically read through your manuscript and provide developmental edit notes. This feedback is designed to make your book better and correct any obvious issues. Your book may go through a few rounds of feedback until the agent is happy.

Once happy with the manuscript, the agent will submit your book to several publishers and, if you are lucky, you will come away with an offer. The agent will then negotiate the contract and create an offer that everyone is happy to follow. This will be a nerve wracking and slow process, you have no option but to just sit tight.

The publisher will then carry out the first developmental edit on your manuscript. You will receive feedback and guideline on what needs to be altered. This is normally pretty much non-negotiable and you are best advised to follow the advice given. The suggestions are often things you would expect from any developmental edit (plot, character and pacing etc.), but, you may find that the publisher is asking you to change story elements to match the publishers style. For example, I worked with the publisher Double Day several years ago and they wanted the story they were publishing to have a happy ending. They felt it fit the house style more closely.

You may find that your book goes through several rounds of editorial feedback at this point. Its typical for the commissioning editor to provide the initial feedback but you may find the manuscript is read by another internal editor or even an external professional. One thing to note here, most publishers will be carrying out a line edit alongside the developmental edit, this is not uncommon and you will normally get feedback as tracked changes within the manuscript.

Once the publisher is happy with the rewrites, the manuscript will be sent to the copy editor. This is where all the major typos and errors are fixed and sentence level consistency is added. Again, it is very common for the manuscript to go through several rounds of copy editing. This may be internally but it may also be through an external copy editor.

Finally, the manuscript is signed off and it is laid out for publication, both digital and print. Here, the digital file is created, as well as the print-ready PDF. This process can add in new errors so the final step of the process if proofreading. This is where the manuscript is checked for no new errors. This is normally a single edit. It can be done in house or with an external editor. It is not unusual for the author to NOT be involved in this stage of the process since there is no material changes to the prose.

As I said before, you will often see people use copy editing and proofreading interchangeably, this is a mistake, they are not the same thing.

The thing to understand here is that your book will probably go through several rounds of editing at each stage of the editorial process. This can be with several different editors, both internally and externally. You, as an author, will be expected to make changes to match the suggestions. It can be a long process and its not unusual for it to take about a year from start to finish.

It is essential to stress that as an author in the traditional publishing process you will NOT be expected to pay for any part of the publication process. If the publisher is asking for money, then you are probably with a vanity press and you need to reconsider if its the best option for you and your book.

Editing for self-publishing

If you are self-publishing your book the process will be different from traditional publishing.

One fundamental difference between tradition and self-publishing is that you, as the author, will be paying all the costs of publication, including editing, cover design, layout and marketing. You will, however, get all the profits of the book sales.

Just a quick note here. A mid-list author at a traditional publisher will probably be selling at least 5000 copies a year. They will be getting, say, 10% of the cover price. To keep the math simple that’s $1 per book. So, they will make $5000 per year.

A self-publishing author, selling the same number of book at the same price will be getting 75% of the book cost, which will be $7.50 per book. This means 5000 sales rakes in $37,500.

This is VERY simplistic calculation but, in my view, if you are able to market your book well you will make more money as a self-published author than a mid-list author.

Returning to the self-publishing process, the fact you will be using your own money means that you publication budget is going to determine the types of editing. The harsh reality is that it will probably not make financial sense to follow the traditional publishing model. Its typical for a self-published manuscript to not have every editorial step we see in traditional publishing. It is also common for a book to only go through each step once, with limited post-edit revisions.

When you self-publish, you also take on the role of publisher. You decide which editors to hire, coordinate the handovers and pay for each service. In an ideal process, the book moves from developmental editing, to line editing, to copy editing and finally to proofreading. In practice, the plan is often shaped by the manuscript’s needs and the money available.

A common pared-back approach is to pay for a developmental edit, revise the book yourself and then commission a copy edit. Line editing may be included within one of those services, if that is clearly agreed. If possible, the formatted book should still be proofread, because layout and eBook conversion can introduce fresh errors, though it is very common for authors to skip this step, or do it themselves.

If your budget allows only one type of professional edit, choose the service that addresses the manuscript’s biggest unresolved problem. A book with a weak structure may gain most from developmental editing; a structurally sound book approaching publication may benefit more from copy editing. The right choice depends on the manuscript, not simply on which service sounds most comprehensive. Here’s more details about [editing your book on a budget].

I would also suggest that take some time to learn how to [self-edit your book].

What is developmental editing?

So far, we have considered the editorial process as a whole, but now you have a clear idea of what is involved at each stage, let’s turn our attention to developmental editing.

The best way to think about developmental editing is the big picturing editing that happens before a book is published. Its goal is to find the big story and structural problems. The developmental editor will read the manuscript (normally twice) and then provide a clear outline of what needs to be fixed in order for the book to be lifted to the next level.

It is worth noting that developmental editing is NOT fixing sentence flow, this is line editing. However, some developmental editors (myself included) will provide line editing via tracked changes as part of the developmental edit.

The developmental editing process is complex but it should follow this pattern…

Determine the book’s intent - The first step is to interact with the author to discover the author’s intent for the book, its genre and other pertinent questions.
The first read. This is where the editor will read the manuscript as a ‘first reader’ and start to record the places where they feel there may be a potential problem.
The second read. This is the second time the editor will have read the book. This time they will be looking to diagnose the problems found in the first pass, look for evidence of the issues and then formulate a solution.
The editorial report. This is a detailed document that acts as an editorial road map for the author. This is where the editor will outline the global problems and suggest at least one solution. They will also pin point the local problems and, again, offer a solution.

The time is takes to edit a full novel varies but for a 60,000 words book you are probably looking at about a month.

What is the developmental editor looking for?

I have edited more than 800 novels over the years and I can safely say that each novel has its own issues. That’s not to say there’s no common threads or issues but what each novel needs to lift it to the next level is unique.

Therefore, in a world where there is a plethora of potential issues, it is important for the editor to approach each book with a defined framework or ‘best practice’ and then to use this to diagnose the underlying problems that need to be resolved.

Developmental editing is not about an editors opinion, its about applying a set of rules that define how good books are written. I can safely say that for all the authors I have worked with not one knew my own person opinion of the book. Instead, they gain an insight into what was wrong, how it could be fixed and what new skills they needed to apply. On occasion, I would comment about the ‘commercial-ability’ of a book, but even that’s rare. If over twenty years of editing has taught me anything its that its impossible to judge a book’s success from an edit.

A developmental editor is looking at your book as a whole. They are not simply asking whether each sentence works. They are asking whether the manuscript delivers the experience you want to create for the reader.

An editor will work on a chapter by chapter basis, but they will knit these feedback together to creating a wider, book level assessment. The overall goal is to present the author with a clear, cohesive plan as to what they need to fix to achieve the effect.

This means the edit will focus on the changes that are likely to have the biggest impact. As I said, every manuscript has different needs, but a developmental editor will normally consider the following areas:

Purpose, audience and genre - What is the book trying to achieve, who is it for and what will those readers expect? The editor will compare the manuscript on the page with the book you set out to write.
Overall structure - Are the chapters, sections or scenes in the best order? The editor may suggest moving, combining, dividing or removing material so that each part builds naturally on what came before.
Pacing and progression - Does the book move at the right speed? The editor will identify places where it drags, rushes, repeats itself or makes a jump the reader is not ready to follow.
Clarity and coherence - Can the reader follow the story, argument or sequence of ideas? The editor will look for gaps in logic, unclear transitions, contradictions and places where more context is needed.
Chapter and section purpose - Every part of the book should have a job. A developmental editor will ask what each chapter contributes and whether it advances the story, develops an idea or moves the reader towards the book’s intended outcome.
The opening and ending - The opening needs to give the reader a reason to continue, while the ending needs to deliver on the promise of the book. The editor will consider whether both are doing enough work.
Consistency and continuity - The editor will look for changes in chronology, character behaviour, argument, tone or focus that may confuse the reader or weaken their trust in the book.
Reader engagement - Where might the reader lose interest, become confused or feel emotionally disconnected? The editor will pay close attention to the moments when the manuscript stops giving the reader a reason to turn the page.
Missing or unnecessary material - Some ideas, characters or storylines may need more development. Other material may be repetitive, distracting or no longer serving the book. The editor will identify what should be expanded, cut, combined or moved.
Revision priorities - Not every problem is equally important. A useful developmental edit will identify the changes that will make the greatest difference and put them into a sensible order, so you are not trying to fix everything at once.

The weight given to each area will depend on whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, as well as the genre and purpose of the book.

The process is also dependent on whether the book is fiction or non-fiction.

What is the editor looking for in fiction?

[The process of editing fiction books] has several important elements.

When editing fiction, the editor is looking at the way the story works and the experience it creates for the reader.

This will normally include:

Plot and story structure - Do events unfold in a convincing order, and does one event cause or influence the next?
Character development - Are the characters’ goals, motivations and choices believable? Do the main characters change in a way that feels earned?
Conflict, tension and stakes - Is there enough pressure to keep the story moving, and does the reader understand what might be gained or lost?
Point of view - Is the chosen viewpoint clear and consistent, and does it give the reader the right level of access to the characters and events?
Scene construction - Does each scene have a purpose, create movement and leave the story in a different place from where it began?
Setting and worldbuilding - Is the world clear and convincing without slowing the story with information the reader does not yet need?
Emotional impact - Are the important moments given enough space, and has the story done the work needed to make the reader care?
Setup and payoff - Are important developments prepared for, and do promises, questions and storylines receive a satisfying payoff?

The balance will change with the genre. [The importance of tropes when editing novels] can’t be overstated. Tropes are the backbone of genre fiction and knowing how to use tropes to write a novel is essential.

I would argue that the the importance of tropes is one of the most underrated elements of the editorial process. In fact, I’d suggest that this is something that is overlooked by most inexperienced editors.

You will find that in some genres tropes are more important than others. For example, in romance readers are often as interested in the trope as the sub-genre. It common to see a reader looking for both a ‘mafia romance’ sub-genre and a ‘enemy to lovers’ trope.

What is the editor looking for in non-fiction?

[The process of editing non-fiction books] is also a different kettle of fish.

In non-fiction, the focus is not on the story and plot but, instead, on the logical progression of the book and the clarity of the ideas. Much of the editorial feedback will be focused on ensuring that the ideas discussed in the book are easy to follow and digest.

This process will normally include focus on:

The central promise or thesis - Is it clear what the book will help the reader understand, achieve or change?
The development of the argument or ideas - Does each chapter build logically on what came before, or are there gaps, detours and repeated points?
Evidence and credibility - Are important claims supported, and is it clear where facts, examples or expert views come from?
The reader’s journey - Does the book begin at the reader’s likely starting point and guide them towards a useful conclusion or transformation?
Examples and case studies - Do they make difficult ideas easier to understand, and are they placed where the reader needs them?
Frameworks and terminology - Are key terms explained and used consistently? Are any systems or methods simple enough for the reader to understand and remember?
Practical usefulness - Can the reader apply what they have learned? The editor will look at whether advice, exercises or action steps are clear and realistic.
Conclusions and takeaways - Does each chapter leave the reader with a clear point, and does the book’s ending bring the main ideas together?

A good developmental edit does more than hand you a list of things that are wrong. It explains what is happening in the manuscript, why it matters to the reader and how you might solve it. It should also separate global problems that affect the whole book from local problems that appear in a particular chapter or scene.

The editor is not there to rewrite the book in their own voice. Their job is to give you a clear, practical revision road map so you can make informed decisions and produce a stronger version of the book you set out to write.

Now you understand how the different types of developmental editing differ, let’s consider costs.

Developmental editing rates

[The cost of developmental editing] will vary greatly and is dependent on several factors.

The first thing to consider is the size of the book. Editing is a slow process and its made more so by the fact that a good developmental editor will be reading your book twice. In fact, its pretty much impossible to edit a book in a single read through.

If you take a typical book to be 60,000 words. A two pass edit will take about a month. This not only includes the reads but also the note taking, the report writing and the pre/post edit meetings.

The next think to consider is experience of the editor. A lot of the editorial process is about using your experience to spot potential problems, diagnosing them, finding the evidence and then presenting the solution. The reality is that though the editor will be applying a series of best practices to their work, there is a level of ‘gut instinct’ when it comes to first spotting a potential. As will all crafts, the more experienced the editor, the better they will be at spotting issues. In other words, the more you edit, the easier it becomes to see patterns.

So., lets take a look at some typical pricing for developmental editing.

Reedsy is a marketplace for editors. They take about 20% of each transaction on their website. Therefore, it is in their best interest to push the price of editing as high as possible. In this recent article Reedsy suggested the cost of a developmental edit varied from $26 per 1000 words to $53 per 1000 words.

This gives a median cost of $39.5 per 1000 words.

I recently carried out my own experiment to look at cost for a Reedsy editor. I submitted a 68,000 words novel and received quotes from five experienced editors.

$2410
$2150
$2597
$2100

This created an average cost of $1851, which is $27 per 1000 words.

One thing to note is that the way the site is laid out it makes it very difficult to see what the editors are really offering. It was not easy to see if the pricing included line editing, the number of revisions that were allowed and the post-edit support.

The Editorial Freelance Association is an organisation that represents freelance editors. They have a cost calculator on their site that shows the price you can expect to pay for editing.

They quote a median cost of $33 per 1000 words.

Fiverr, a freelance site, also have it in their best interest to push up the price on editing. The have a costs page where they quote the price of developmental editing to be $40 to $80 per 1000 words.

That’s a median cost of $60 per 1000 words (which seems very high).

Clearly, getting an accurate cost for developmental editing is not straight forward.

COST CALC

What does developmental editing include?

When you find a developmental editor to work on your manuscript the results will vary to some degree but there is one thing that you will always receive and that is the editor’s report sometimes called an editor’s letter.

This is a multi-page document that will outline and explain everything that is wrong with the manuscript, why its a problem, and what you need to do to correct the issues.

The editor’s report is the heart beat of the editor’s feedback and should act as a road map for the author to rewrite their book. I would argue that a good editor’s report is non-negotiable and that is an intrinsic part of the feedback.

This said, editors will offer additional support. Here are some of the things you can expect.

Embedded comments

Some developmental editors, myself included, will leave comments embedded within the manuscript. These tend to be an outline of my thought process as I edited, indicators of examples of potential issues, and general comments I feel are helpful.

Please note, that if your editor is also carrying out a line edit, there’s a good chance you will ind both embedded comments and tracked changes.

Post-edit meeting

Most legit editors are offering some form of post-edit meeting. For me, I like to do a face-to-face video meeting. These normally take about an hour but can go on longer. The real value of these meetings is that the editor gets to discuss the subtly of the feedback with the author. Not all feedback is weighted the same and I will often find that an author will push back on certain issues. When this happens the meeting is a good chance to decide if the editor whats to die on that editorial hill or if they are willing to step back after hearing the author’s thought process. If can be a humbling experience.

Little note here… prior to an edit the editor should have had some kind of meeting with the author to determine the intentions the author had for the book. This is a chance for the editor to fully understand what the author is trying to do with the manuscript. It also allows the editor to assess the book against these expectations. Once huge red flag for crappy editors is that they don’t carry out this initial fact finding assessment.

Revisions

One thing you should consider when hiring a developmental editor is their revision policy.

Once you get the feedback, you will carry out some level of rewriting. After this, you might need more help from the editor. You may want them to look at a section to check you are meeting the guidance or you might simply need more support in developing the manuscript.

I would suggest that it is acceptable to expect an editor to, at least, look at any revisions you have made once. More than that is part of the editor’s service.

I would urge you to ask an editor about their revision policy before any money changes hand.

I offer unlimited revisions, but, honestly, I think I am the only editor doing this in the industry. I find that since I pick and choose my clients, and have many returning writers, the unlimited revision policy has never been something that is taken advantage of by authors.

The next thing to consider is what developmental feedback actually looks like, below are some examples.

Examples of developmental editing

It is useful to see what developmental editing looks like in practice. Unlike copy editing, the editor is not simply correcting a mistake. They are identifying a problem, explaining how it affects the reader and suggesting a practical way to resolve it.

The following examples are simplified, but they reflect the type of feedback you might receive from a developmental editor.

Please note, these are based on real books but I have changed names etc.

Fiction example: an unconvincing character decision

Imagine that the main character has spent the first third of a novel avoiding danger because they need to protect their young daughter. However, halfway through the book, they suddenly volunteer for a dangerous mission.

A developmental editor might write:

At present, Mara’s decision to join the mission feels inconsistent with the motivation established earlier in the novel. You have repeatedly shown that protecting her daughter is her highest priority, but she now accepts a task that may leave her daughter alone. Since this decision drives the second half of the plot, the reader needs to understand why Mara believes taking the risk is necessary.

Consider creating a more direct connection between the mission and her daughter’s safety. For example, Mara might discover that remaining in the city places her daughter in even greater danger. Alternatively, she could initially refuse the mission and only change her mind after another event removes the safer option.

The editor is not saying that Mara cannot join the mission. Nor are they rewriting the story on the author’s behalf. They are showing that the character’s decision has not yet been sufficiently supported.

This might also lead to a book-level observation:

Mara’s desire to protect her daughter is one of the novel’s strongest emotional elements, but it disappears for long sections of the second act. I suggest using this motivation as a thread throughout the book. Her important decisions should either support this goal or place it under increasing pressure.

The first comment addresses a local problem in a particular scene. The second identifies a global issue affecting the character’s development across the manuscript.

Fiction example: a slow opening

Imagine a fantasy novel that begins with three chapters explaining the history, politics and magic of the world before the main conflict starts.

The developmental feedback might be:

The worldbuilding is detailed and convincing, but the opening asks the reader to absorb a great deal of information before they have a reason to care about it. The central problem does not emerge until Chapter Four, when the prince disappears.

I suggest bringing the disappearance closer to the beginning of the novel. The history of the kingdom, the rules of magic and the political divisions can then be revealed as the characters investigate. This would allow the reader to learn about the world while the story is already moving forward.

Once again, the editor is not arguing that the worldbuilding should be removed. The problem is its position and the effect this has on pacing and reader engagement.

The solution might involve moving some material, cutting repeated explanations and weaving essential information into later scenes. The editor would also suggest that the information about the world is presented via the words and actions of the characters and not the narrator. This is developmental editing because it alters the structure and delivery of the story rather than simply changing individual sentences.

Non-fiction example: an unclear reader journey

Now imagine a book designed to help first-time authors plan and write a novel. The manuscript contains useful information, but it begins with advanced discussions of theme and narrative voice before explaining how to develop a central character or plot.

The developmental editor might say:

The book contains a great deal of valuable advice, but the order assumes that the reader already understands several important storytelling concepts. A first-time author may struggle with the early chapters because they are being asked to make decisions about theme and narrative voice before they have developed the foundations of their story.

Consider reorganising the book around the order in which the reader will carry out the work. You might begin with the story idea, central character, goal, opposition and stakes. Theme, point of view and narrative voice could then be introduced once the reader has a basic story to which these ideas can be applied.

The editor has identified a mismatch between the organisation of the manuscript and the needs of its intended reader. The individual chapters may be well written, but the book will be more useful if they are presented in a different order.

Non-fiction example: unsupported claims

Imagine a business book that argues that remote workers are more productive than office-based workers, but provides no research, examples or explanation to support the claim.

The developmental feedback might be:

This is an important claim because several of the recommendations that follow depend upon the reader accepting it. However, the manuscript currently presents it as fact without providing evidence.

I suggest supporting the claim with relevant research or a detailed case study. If the available evidence is mixed, acknowledge this and explain the circumstances in which remote working is most likely to improve productivity. This will make the argument more credible and help the reader understand when your advice applies.

This is not simply fact-checking. The editor is examining the logic of the argument and identifying a weakness that affects the credibility of the wider book.

What these examples have in common

In each example, the developmental editor:

identifies the underlying problem;
provides evidence from the manuscript;
explains the effect on the reader;
connects the local issue to the book’s wider purpose;
suggests one or more practical solutions; and
leaves the final decision with the author.

A developmental edit should not simply tell you that a chapter is boring, a character is unlikable or an argument is weak. Those are opinions, not useful editorial feedback.

Good developmental feedback explains why something is not working and gives you a clear route towards fixing it. You may not accept every suggestion the editor makes, but you should understand the reasoning behind it and be able to use that reasoning when revising your manuscript.

Spotting red flags when hiring a developmental editor

Let me start this section by saying a I have long, comprehensive post, that delves into the painful details of how to spot scammy book editors. If this is a topic that interested you, its well worth a read. I keep this post updated on a regular basis.

To start, the rise of AI-generated editorial feedback has made it increasingly easy for scummy editors to provide something that, on the fact of it, seems to be of value. It has become increasingly easy for someone with very little editorial experience to produce a professional-looking report and sell it as the work of a human editor.

This does not mean that every editor using AI is dishonest. The real issue is one of transparency and consent. AI has become part of most people’s workflow. For me, the real issue is when its being used fro produce feedback.

So, how can you tell if an editor is legitimate?

Here are the main things I would consider.

Has the editor explained how they use AI?

Over the coming years, we are going to see more AI tools designed for copy editing, line editing and even developmental editing.

I don’t necessarily think that the use of these tools is always a problem. A writer might knowingly choose a cheap, fast, AI-assisted editing service. If the limitations are explained and the writer gives permission, that is their decision.

The problem comes when an editor promises a human service but secretly uploads the manuscript to an AI system.

There are two situations you want to avoid.

Non-human feedback

This is when you believe an experienced editor will personally assess your manuscript, but you receive an AI-generated report containing generic or unreliable advice.

Lack of permission

This is when an editor uploads part or all of your manuscript to an AI system without asking for your explicit consent.

Your manuscript is your intellectual property. You have a right to know where it is being uploaded, how it will be processed and whether the material might be retained by a third party.

Ask the editor directly about their AI policy before sending the complete manuscript. A legitimate editor should be able to give you a clear and unambiguous answer.

I have found that there is an increasing number of legit editors that have an active AI policy on their website. This is the approach I take at BubbleCow, my editorial company.

Did the editor contact you unexpectedly?

A growing warning sign is editors sending unsolicited emails or direct messages to writers. This is something that is increasingly common on social media sites such as Reddit.

Good editors are normally busy. They find clients through recommendations, repeat business, search traffic and established relationships with publishers, agents and other writers. They rarely need to search social media for random authors and aggressively offer their services.

This doesn’t mean every editor who approaches you is dishonest. They may be new to the industry and trying to build a client base, or they may have seen something about your book that genuinely interested them.

However, you should ask why they contacted you.

If the message is generic, excessively flattering or immediately pushes you towards payment, proceed with caution. The editor may simply be cold-calling as many writers as possible.

Will they provide a sample edit?

A free sample edit is one of the best ways to assess a potential editor.

Most legitimate editors will provide some form of sample before asking you to commit to a full edit. This will normally involve a couple of thousand words, although the exact length will vary according to the editor and the type of service.

Ideally, the sample edit will be free. I know that some editors charge for samples. I don’t consider this an immediate red flag, especially if the sample requires a substantial amount of work. However, you should ask why the sample is paid and whether the cost will be deducted from the final fee.

The sample is also an opportunity for the editor to assess your manuscript. A responsible editor will sometimes reject a project because it is outside their area of expertise or because they don’t feel they are the correct editor for the book.

An editor who accepts every manuscript without asking questions may be more interested in your payment than your book.

Does the price make sense?

Editing prices vary enormously.

Experience, expertise, manuscript length, genre and the depth of the service will all affect the final quote. An editor with twenty years of experience will normally charge more than someone who is just starting their career.

The problem comes when the price is unusually high or unusually low.

If an editor gives you a quote that is well above the normal market rate, ask what justifies it. They may be providing additional services, specialist knowledge or extensive revision support. If so, they should be able to explain this clearly.

As a ball park, anything about $50 per 1000 words should be ringing alarm bells.

Very low prices should also make you cautious.

It can take around a month to properly edit a full-length novel. This includes reading the manuscript, making notes, adding comments, writing the editor’s report, answering questions, attending meetings and dealing with administration.

If someone offers to developmentally edit an entire novel for $500, you need to ask how they can complete the work properly and still make a living.

Perhaps they are inexperienced and building a portfolio. Perhaps they live somewhere with a lower cost of living. However, it may also mean the work will be rushed, outsourced or generated using AI.

The important question is simple: what exactly are you receiving for the price?

I understand that sometimes an author will just not have the budget for an experienced editor. I have a detailed article that outline how to hire a cheap developmental editor without getting scammed.

Are they pressuring you to pay?

A legitimate editor should give you enough time to consider the sample, read the terms and decide whether they are the right fit.

Be cautious if an editor is pushing you to submit the manuscript immediately, sending repeated payment reminders or claiming that you will lose your place unless you pay within a few hours.

This type of pressure is designed to make you act before carrying out proper checks.

Also, consider how they are asking for payment. I feel that splitting the payment is generally the fairest option. For example, you might pay half when the manuscript is submitted and the remaining half when the edit is completed. I feel this is now the best practice in the industry.

This shares the risk between the writer and the editor.

Will they provide a contract or NDA?

Not every editor automatically provides a formal contract, and I don’t think the absence of one is necessarily a red flag.

However, a legitimate editor should be willing to provide written terms.

These should explain:

What service is being provided.
How much the edit will cost.
When payments are due.
The expected turnaround time.
What happens if either party cancels.
Whether revisions or follow-up support are included.
How the manuscript will be stored and protected.
Whether AI or third-party services will be used.

The same applies to a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

Most writers will not need an NDA, and many editors will not offer one as standard. However, if confidentiality is important to you, the editor should be willing to discuss it and provide suitable protection.

An editor who refuses to put anything in writing should be treated with caution.

Can you contact the editor directly?

Book editing is a personal professional service. You are paying someone a substantial amount of money to read, assess and help improve your book. At an absolute minimum, you should know the editor’s full name and have direct access to their email address.

I would go further and say that writers should normally have the opportunity to speak to their editor before and after the edit. I offer face-to-face video meetings and also give clients my WhatsApp details because direct communication makes the entire process easier.

A pre-edit meeting allows the editor to understand what you are trying to achieve with the manuscript. A post-edit meeting gives you the chance to discuss the feedback and ask questions.

If a company refuses to identify the person carrying out the edit, you should ask why.

Are they outsourcing the work? Are several people working on the manuscript? Is the report being generated automatically?

You have a right to know who is editing your book.

Can they start immediately?

Experienced editors tend to be busy.

Word of mouth is powerful, and editors with strong reputations often have work booked several weeks or even months in advance.

For example, I normally have a waiting period of around three or four weeks before I can begin a new project. I explain this time frame as soon as I start discussing the edit with a writer. There are times when I can start sooner but if this is the case I will tell the author when they submit for editing.

If an editor can start immediately, ask why.

There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation. They may have had a cancellation, or they may be a newer editor building a client base.

Immediate availability is not proof that someone is a scammy editor. It is simply something worth investigating, especially if they also promise an extremely fast turnaround.

Can they provide testimonials and examples?

An experienced editor should usually be able to show you testimonials from previous clients and examples of books they have worked on. Some writers require privacy, but most satisfied authors are happy to provide a short testimonial or allow the editor to mention their book.

Look for detailed testimonials that describe what the editor actually did. Generic statements such as “Amazing service!” or “Highly recommended!” tell you very little.

You can also check whether the books and authors are real. If you remain uncertain, ask whether the editor has any previous clients who would be willing to answer a brief question about their experience.

Is the turnaround time realistic?

The time needed to edit a book varies, but a developmental edit of an average 60,000-word novel will often take around one calendar month.

The editor may not be able to give you an exact delivery date immediately, but they should be able to provide a sensible estimate.

Be cautious if the turnaround seems extremely short. A detailed developmental edit cannot normally be completed in a day or two. If someone is producing results almost immediately, there is a risk that the manuscript is being processed through an AI system or given only a superficial read.

As a rule of thumb assume the editor can complete about 5000 words a day maximum. Remember, good editors will be doing a two read edit.

An excessively long turnaround can also create problems. The editor may be overloaded, poorly organised or completing the work part-time. None of these things automatically means the edit will be bad, but you need to know whether the schedule fits your publishing plans.

Once the edit has started, don’t be afraid to ask for an update.

One useful approaI hope you enjoy what I’ve written. ## Understanding the editorial processch is to ask a specific question about the manuscript, such as:

“Do you think the opening chapter contains enough world-building?”

A genuine editor may not be ready to give you a final conclusion, but they should normally be able to share some initial thoughts.

Do they claim to offer every type of editing?

Developmental editing, line editing, copy editing and proofreading are different skills.

An experienced editor can certainly offer more than one of these services. I provide both developmental and line editing, for example. However, you should be cautious when someone claims to be an expert in every possible form of editing but uses the same vague description and identical process for each one.