Developmental Editing

Developmental Editing icon (puzzle piece)Once the province of editors at publishing houses, which have cut staff and curtailed services, the function of a developmental editor is now often relegated to freelance editors who deal with the manuscript from concept to completion. A developmental editor looks first at the big picture — concept, thesis, structure, narrative arc, character development, style, voice, language, point of view, and organization — and then carries out a line-by-line analysis (or substantive editing), suggesting revisions and posing specific queries on sections, paragraphs, and sentences.

 

  • Nomi Isak

    Writing coach, developmental editor, and ghostwriter on over 45 published books. With her compassionate approach, Nomi has helped numerous authors complete publishable manuscripts. She also coaches clients experiencing writer's block and helps authors create and meet deadlines. She specializes in memoir and fiction, as well as creative nonfiction.

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  • Amy Friedman

    Amy has written, ghostwritten, and served as a developmental editor for dozens of memoirs and other works of nonfiction. Amy's syndicated column, Tell Me A Story from Universal Press Syndicate, ran for 25 years in newspapers across the country. She teaches memoir writing at UCLA Extension and is the founder and publisher of Out of the Woods Press.

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  • Monica Faulkner

    Editorial, project management, online marketing, and speaker support services for fiction and nonfiction authors; proposals; screenplays; business marketing materials (written and online).

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  • Laura Golden Bellotti

    Editor and writer of nonfiction books and book proposals in the areas of psychology, spirituality, relationships, women's issues, parenting, health, and creativity.

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  • Jenna Rose Robbins

    Ghostwriter, editor, and web consultant with experience producing in-house editorial for such companies as AOL and Disney. Specialties include: memoir, music, travel/cultures, social consciousness.

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  • Deborah A. Lott, MFA

    Writing, editing: psychology, psychiatry, public health, social science, medicine, particularly gastroenterology, internal medicine, and cardiology, memoir, autobiography and nonfiction narratives; research.

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  • Barbara DeSantis

    Editor, writer, coach. Literary and commercial fiction, including young adult. Memoir and narrative nonfiction, self-help, spirituality. Developmental and line editing, ghostwriting. Manuscript critiques, book proposals, marketing materials. More than 25 years book-publishing experience.

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  • Suzanne Mantell

    Editing and writing, books and articles. Narrative nonfiction. Memoir. Pop culture. High culture. Arts journalism. Profiles. Animals and people. Psychology. Literary fiction.

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  • Merrill Feitell

    Award-winning author of literary fiction with extensive branding and advertising background and a decade of teaching creative writing at graduate and undergraduate levels, Merrill has helped hundreds of writers develop material and prime manuscripts for publication.

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  • Lori Kozlowski

    Writer, journalist, editor, and digital media leader, Lori Kozlowski has edited dozens of writers and worked with several companies on content and digital strategy. Services: Novel and nonfiction manuscript editing, content strategy and development, web editing, and ghostwriting.

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  • Karin Gutman

    Memoir and story coach who has been guiding writers for over 20 years towards discovering and writing their personal, life-based stories.

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