You can have it fast, good, or cheap, but you can’t have all three. From tiling a bathroom to designing a website, this is the fundamental law of a free economy. Developmental editing is no different. A savvy customer may have two of these goals, but it’s always at the expense of the third.

You’ve spent months, years, or even a solid decade writing your book. When it’s time to sit down and pick an editor, you have to decide which of these qualities to prioritize.

Congratulations. You just paid someone sixty bucks to paste your book into Chat GPT. In a decade or two, artificial intelligence may be sophisticated enough to do a halfway decent job. Right now, the technology isn’t at that level. Your ‘developmental editor’ will pass off this response as their own, leaving you with a few thousand words of repetitive, overly simplistic, and just plain wrong advice.

If a developmental editor is charging less than the industry standard of three cents per word, they’re likely just getting their freelancing career started. These newcomers aren’t necessarily bad. On the contrary, many put their heart and soul into doing the best job possible. They don’t have reviews and testimonials to bolster their careers. They look at every customer as their chance to build a reputation in the industry.

To be clear, these developmental editors are seldom inexperienced with editing. They may have just graduated from college or they might be refugees from a large publishing house. They have the skills to edit, but they lack the freelancing experience to coordinate with authors on a strict time table. These developmental editors focus so hard on delivering quality edits, they often take three or four times as long bring that edit to the author.

This is the dream. Unfortunately, a fast and good edit comes at a premium price. Just like expedited shipping, if you put a rush order on a developmental edit, it’s going to come with additional costs. In most cases, you’re better off thinking in terms of weeks, not days.

Developmental edits are deep work, for both author and editor. Editors need time to read carefully, think critically, and articulate feedback. For authors, implementing revisions can be intense. Build in space to process and revise, especially if you’re on a publishing timeline.

A rushed edit is rarely a good edit.

It takes incredible talent, courage, and tenacity to write a book. After you’re finished wrangling words onto the page, it’s time to move onto the next critical stage of the publishing process: developmental editing. Miscommunication might be a common trope in the romance genre, but it causes headaches among authors and editors alike. The best editorial relationships are built on transparency. Let us know your goals. Share your concerns. Ask questions. If you’re unsure about a deadline, scope, or terminology, speak up.

Remember, you can have it fast, good, or cheap. This is the number one thing developmental  editors want authors to know. Here are seven more things to remember. These insights aren’t meant to criticize or gatekeep, but rather to demystify the editing process and foster a more productive, respectful collaboration between writer and editor.

Let’s start with the big one: editors are not out to tear down your work or dull your unique voice. Our goal is to help you realize your manuscript’s full potential. A good developmental editor isn’t trying to rewrite your book. They’re helping you refine it, strengthen it, and ensure it resonates with your intended audience.

When a developmental editor offers feedback, it isn’t done lightly. Every suggestion is guided by craft, clarity, reader experience, and market awareness. Your editor is in your corner. The best author-editor relationships are built on mutual respect and the shared goal of making your book the best it can be.

Many first-time authors are surprised to learn that “editing” isn’t a single task. It’s a layered process with distinct stages. Most times, preparing your book for publishing means repeating stages.

• Developmental Editing (or structural editing): Big-picture feedback on story, structure, pacing, character arcs, themes, and organization.
• Line Editing: Sentence-level polish focusing on style, flow, and clarity while preserving your voice.
• Copyediting: Grammar, syntax, punctuation, consistency, and factual accuracy.
• Proofreading: The final polish before publication focuses on catching typos, formatting issues, and lingering errors.

Some authors think they just need a proofread, but if the foundation is shaky, surface fixes won’t help. Likewise, not every author will need a copyeditor or proofreader. Make sure you understand which services your editor offers. Misunderstandings can torpedo a professional relationship before it’s begun.

Once you’ve received a completed developmental edit, your work isn’t done. A developmental editor doesn’t “fix” your book. They show you where it needs work. Authors are responsible for expanding, adjusting, or rewriting their manuscript. Sometimes that means killing darlings, restructuring your narrative, or making hard choices. It’s a hard road to walk, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You will emerge with a better manuscript, and often, a better understanding of your own writing process.

You don’t need a publish-ready draft to work with a developmental editor, but you should submit a complete manuscript. The editor needs the full context to understand how everything fits together. Sending half-finished or incomplete drafts makes it harder to give meaningful feedback and often results in wasted time.

Some developmental editors adore incomplete projects, but they’ll need you to be upfront about it. If you’re stuck in the middle of a draft, consider speaking with a book coach instead.

Editors offer professional insight, but your manuscript is still your book. You’re under no obligation to accept every suggested change. Developmental editing is collaborative. The editor points out problems and offers solutions, but you get the final say. If a suggestion doesn’t feel right, consider why it was made and find a solution that works better for your voice or vision. Collaboration is a dialogue, not a dictatorship.

Receiving a developmental letter or marked-up manuscript can feel like a gut punch, especially if the feedback is extensive or unexpected. This reaction is normal. Some clients cry, rage, or go quiet for days. What matters is how you respond once the initial sting wears off. Feedback should never be harsh or insulting, but a developmental editor isn’t doing their job if they tell you everything is perfect.

Give yourself space, then come back with an open mind. If an editor points out something that doesn’t work, it’s not an attack on your talent; it’s a sign of their investment in your book. The real magic happens when authors push past defensiveness and embrace revision as a creative opportunity.

Whether you’re writing a novel, memoir, or nonfiction manuscript, genre-appropriate word counts matter. Publishers, agents, and readers have expectations. Ignore them at your own risk.

I’ve worked with authors who insist their 180,000-word debut fantasy novel is “just the right length,” but trimming 30,000 words not only improves pacing, it increases the book’s marketability. Developmental editors want your book to succeed, which often means aligning it with professional standards.

There are always outliers. Few mid-grade books ever exceed 100,000 words, but Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is over 107,000 words. Going against the norm isn’t always a bad choice, but you need to understand why the norm exists before you make that decision.

We live in a post-Amazon Books world. Authors can publish through traditional, hybrid, or indie routes. This is empowering, but it also means authors shoulder more responsibility for quality control. A strong manuscript doesn’t guarantee publication or sales, but a poorly edited one can sink even the best ideas.

Hiring a developmental editor isn’t a guarantee of bestseller status, but it shows you’re serious about your craft. Be open to learning the business side of writing, from market trends to metadata, especially if you’re self-publishing. Developmental editors are here to help, but we cannot guarantee your book’s success.

Great books aren’t written; they’re rewritten. Developmental editing is where the raw material of your draft is transformed into something cohesive, compelling, and powerful. It’s where gaps are filled, prose is sharpened, and characters find their true voice. Good editors want their authors to feel informed and empowered, not confused or sidelined. If you’re not clicking with your developmental editor, that’s okay. Not every fit is the right one. Professionalism and communication on both sides go a long way.

As editors, we’re privileged to witness the evolution of a manuscript and the growth of its author. We want your book to succeed. We want your readers to be moved, thrilled, enlightened, or entertained. Most of all, we want you to feel proud of what you’ve created.

When you hire a developmental editor, don’t brace for battle. Open the door to collaboration. Come with questions, curiosity, and a willingness to dig deeper. Above all, remember we’re on your side.