The 3 Questions We Ask Writers To Recenter Them During Developmental Editing
How we help writers get back on track and feel motivated again.
Developmental editing is one of the most gratifying parts of what I do; I love seeing stories transform from rough ideas to structured stories. I see authors grow so much during the process of developmental editing, too, which is amazing.
That's great that you love developmental editing, Emily, but the idea of having my manuscript developmentally edited and changing so much scares me, you might be thinking.
And I totally get it. Making changes to your manuscript can sound daunting. Your book is your baby, and the thought of someone scratching things out in red pen and being hypercritical of your work is understandably terrifying.
The reality is, though, that a good developmental editor isn't trying to destroy your manuscript or derail your story; they're ensuring your story is structured, flows well, and has no obvious plot holes or inconsistencies. They're looking at the big-picture elements of your story, and while you may feel a little anxious sharing your work, you should know that it's a collaborative process, and a good editor will help you create the best possible book.
Even when you're working with a good editor, though, the developmental editing process often involves a lot of rethinking, rewriting, and revising. When you're working on a longer book, things can get complicated surprisingly quickly, and you might end up overthinking every tiny piece of your book. Wait, what are we doing with this character? Does the timeline match up here? Should I change the perspective?
When this happens, I've found it helpful to go back to the three questions we ask our authors at our very first meeting. These questions help authors take a step back, get out of their heads, and focus on the entirety of their books, not just one part. (Even if you're not at the developmental editing stage yet, as long as you've completed your first draft, you can still ask yourself these questions!)
1. What is your intention?
What does success look like to you? How can we make that happen and reach those goals through your writing? When we look at where we want to go, it's easier to work backwards and figure out how we can get from where we are now to where we want to be when the book is published.
Every author will have their own idea of success. One author might want to use their book to launch their business or promote an existing business, and another author may focus primarily on getting the message out to the world. Sometimes, an author is writing a book to fulfill a bucket list item or to share a legacy with their loved ones. There is no wrong reason to write a book, and a successful book will look different for everyone.
When we know what your specific idea of success looks like, though, we can ask what needs to be done to achieve that success. If you're a professional in your industry who wants to reach as many people as possible, you need a compelling story that is unique and catches people's attention and that touches on universal emotions that readers can relate to. Marketability of your book will be important to you, so your writing should pique people's interest. Your tone will be confident and authoritative. You need a strong hook, and the length and format of your book will both likely be conventional.
However, if your goal is to create a book that people in your family or friend group can look back on for years, you don't have to worry about writing for a larger audience. Yes, you still want to engage readers, but you might do that by adding more warmth and personal anecdotes. The tone of your writing can be more conversational, too. You also might not explain things that your readers already know, since the book isn't necessarily intended for those outside of your circle. If you want to format your book like a scrapbook, a journal, or something else, you have the freedom to do so. Essentially, you have more freedom since your book doesn't need to fit a standard of a book that will be on bookstore shelves.
Again, neither author would be wrong in wanting these things for their books; however, I'd approach the developmental editing process differently depending on the author's intent.