DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS

Get IN-DEPTH and ACTIONABLE EDITING FEEDBACK to make your book THE BEST IT CAN BE.

For writers who have a revised manuscript, developmental editing can help you strengthen your story and draw out its full potential so you’re publishing your best work.

Here’s the deal: every book needs an editor.

Even I, as an editor, need an editor for my stories. Why? Because it’s so hard to be objective about our own work. It’s hard to see what we’re missing, it’s hard to know what a new reader would struggle to understand, it’s hard to fix what we don’t know needs fixing.

That’s why a fresh perspective helps. And not just a fresh perspective, but a professional, trained perspective. As a fiction editor with over 7 years of both in-house and freelance experience, I’m well equipped to dig deep into your manuscript and draw out your story’s potential.

You’ve done the hard work of writing the book, now let me help you shape it for success.

Why might I be the best editor for you?

☑ Broad genre knowledge — including fantasy, crime, thriller, mystery, romance, historical fiction, YA and MG.

☑ Accredited, editing-specific training and in-house experience.

☑ An empathetic and solution-oriented approach that empowers my writers and nurtures creativity.

My focus is nurturing long-term editor-writer relationships so I can support you in your writing career and help you create your best work.

FOR MANUSCRIPTS READY TO PUBLISH

Developmental Editing

This is an in-depth analysis of the big picture elements of your novel, such as character development, plot, structure, worldbuilding, pacing, themes and more. With in-line comments, Track Changes suggestions, and an in-depth editorial report, my feedback will help you ensure everything in your story is working together as it should.

Let's shape your story for success

Using Track Changes and in-line comments in Word, I will edit your entire novel with a specific focus on big picture elements like pacing, plot, characterisation, and more. Your edited manuscript will also be accompanied by an editorial report, which will break down my in-line feedback in more detail. Both the report and edited manuscript will be delivered together.
☑ Fiction writers who have a completed and revised manuscript nearing the stage of publication or querying.
☑ Writers wanting in-depth feedback on how the creative story elements in their novel can be developed for maximum impact.
☑ Writers who work well with written feedback they can peruse in their own time.
- In-line comments and suggestions.
- Track Changes to show suggested rewrites.
- A detailed editorial report upwards of 10k words which includes character profiles, creative element analysis, a Three Act Structure breakdown, and “next step” advice.
- An optional 60-minute coaching call post edit.
Investment: £0.022 per word. Payment plans are available. (Prices in Great British Pounds.)
Turnaround: 6-9 weeks.

FOR MANUSCRIPTS NEEDING A POLISH

Chapter-by-Chapter Critique

A Chapter-by-Chapter Critique is an assessment of both your individual chapters and big picture elements such as pacing, plot, characterisation, worldbuilding, and more. While this critique has the same focus as a developmental edit, the editorial report you receive will be broken into chapters rather than creative element analysis, so you can use the chapter breakdowns as a roadmap for rewrites.

Get in touch to know more

In-line edits will use Track Changes and Comments in Word to highlight necessary areas for changes. The bulk of the feedback will be in the form of a chapter breakdown report, which will explore each chapter in detail and assess the overall structure of the story while also looking at characterisation, worldbuilding, plot development, and pacing.
☑ Fiction writers with a completed first draft who need a fresh perspective and clear direction for revisions.
☑ Writers seeking a detailed analysis of their chapters and overall story structure.
☑ Writers who work well with written feedback they can peruse in their own time.
- Light in-line comments and Track Changes.
- A detailed chapter breakdown assessing big picture elements of your story, such as plot progression, pacing, characterisation, and worldbuilding.
- An optional 60-minute coaching call post edit.
Investment: £0.019 per word. Payment plans are available. (Prices are in Great British Pounds.)
Turnaround: 4-6 weeks.

FOR STORIES JUST STARTED

First 6k Critique

A First 6k Critique is a detailed analysis of your first 6,000 words. This mini developmental edit will assess both the big picture elements of your opening chapters — like plot development, characterisation, pacing, and more — as well as copy edits to touch up your grammar and punctuation.

Let's get started

You will receive in-line comments and in-text suggestions using Track Changes. This edit will look at both the big picture creative elements and the nitty-gritty of sentence structure and wording. Plus, you’ll receive a detailed editorial report breaking down your book’s use of creative elements so you have a clear understanding of how your opening chapters are setting up your story.
☑ Fiction writers working on a new novel who want advice and direction before getting too far into the story.
☑ Writers wanting an assessment of their opening chapters before querying.
☑ Writers who work well with written feedback they can peruse in their own time.
- In-line comments and suggestions.
- Line and copy edits through Track Changes.
- An editorial report assessing big picture story elements, such as plot progression, pacing, characterisation, and worldbuilding.
- A post-edit email exchange to ask follow-up questions.
Investment: £250 flat rate. (Prices are in Great British Pounds.)
Turnaround: up to 2 weeks.

WHAT THEY’RE saying

“I highly recommend the chapter critique service offered by Isobelle as a wonderful midpoint check in for your manuscript. I think this service is phenomenal and would benefit writers of any experience level. I feel confident about how to focus my efforts during my editing process so that my end product is as strong as it can possibly be.”

— Alex, romantic fantasy writer

“I'd never worked with an editor before and felt nervous about showing my writing to a professional. So, I decided to go for Isobelle's First 6k Critique as a way of finding out about the process and to help me prepare for query letters. I'm so glad I did! Isobelle was fantastic to work with. She made suggestions and asked questions that have really helped to fine-tune my writing. Plus her report was detailed, insightful, and encouraging.”

— Elle, romance writer

What kind of feedback can you expect from me?

I pride myself on providing actionable and solutions-based editing and coaching feedback. But what does that mean?

My feedback falls into three categories — praise feedback to let you know when you’re doing something well (and why it works), advice feedback to explain how you can strengthen something (and give you examples and ideas where necessary), and reaction feedback to give my reader responses to plot twists and reveals so you know how the book is being received.

It is so important to me that my feedback provides direction and clarity so you know not only what you need to work on, but why and how. (Plus, feedback to point out what’s working is just as important so you know which things to continue doing!)

This is just what I need

WHAT THEY’RE saying

“Isobelle gave me such detailed and specific feedback that I feel confident now not only in editing what I have so far but also in moving forward with my story. I now understand why she is booked so far in advance! Working with Isobelle was a great experience. I had never worked with an editor before and didn't know exactly what to expect, but Isobelle’s feedback was beyond anything I ever expected to receive.”

— Victoria, fantasy writer

“Working with Isobelle was a pleasure and really helped me identify my strengths as a writer and home in on areas for improvement. Isobelle is so gracious in how she delivers feedback and had my story’s best interests in mind as she did. I can move forward with my developmental edits confident that my story will improve thanks to Isobelle’s recommendations!”

— Catherine, historical fiction writer

The process

STEP ONE

Get in touch for a quote and to check my availability. Make sure you let me know in your enquiry your word count, genre, and when you’re looking to work together.

STEP TWO

I’ll respond with a proposed timeline and quote. If my availability or genre specialties don’t align with your book, I may refer you to my associate editor. To book your place, you’ll need to sign a contract.

STEP THREE

Before our start date, I’ll send over the first invoices. Most of my payments are split into three — a non-refundable 25% deposit with the contract, 25% before the edit, and the remaining 50% before returning the edit.

STEP FOUR

Send me your manuscript and additional documents before the edit and I’ll get to work! I’ll email everything back to you once I’m done, send out the final invoice, and be available for a follow-up coaching call.

Let’s work together

WHAT THEY’RE saying

“I loved working with Isobelle on the First 6k Critique. I had been revising the beginning of my book for a while and it had gotten to a point where I was just too close to the text to work out what was working and what wasn't. Having Isobelle's trained eye on my chapters was exactly what I needed to see the woods from the trees. Her feedback has been incredibly instructive and has also shown me where I can build on my writing craft for the future.”

— Megan, historical fantasy writer

“The first thing that made me want to work with Isobelle is the fact that when she asked about my book she sounded genuinely interested. She's enthusiastic and attentive about her work, and it's really easy and comfortable working with her. She's not only a really down to earth person, but also brings a genuine passion into her work which will no doubt bring the best out of your stories.”

— Joanna, fantasy writer

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s be honest, you don’t need anything. However, an objective, professional set of eyes on your work could make a big difference and better your chances of producing a book that will hook agents and publishers.
Beta readers are invaluable for gaining a reader’s perspective of your work. However, they are not a trained professional. An editor will have knowledge and insights your beta readers won’t, so it is certainly advantageous to work with an editor.
Editors can book out months in advance. (I’m usually booked out around 8 months in advance. My associate editor is usually booked 1 month in advance.) So, to avoid disappointment, I suggest you reach out to an editor once you’ve finished your first draft. That will give you time to do your own revisions, get beta feedback and implement it. You don’t want to be cutting it fine to deliver your manuscript.

The editing process can vary depending on how many projects I have on the go, the word count of your book, and the level of work required. I usually complete developmental edits in 6-9 weeks. My associate editor usually gives about 7-10 weeks.
Firstly, you send me an email enquiry and tell me about your book. I’ll be in touch with a quote and proposed timeline. If they suit you, I’ll send over a contract for you to sign. I’ll also invoice for a 25% holding deposit. 25% will be invoice again just before the edit begins and the remaining 50% will be due just before completion. I will explain the process when you enquire and I’m always happy to clarify anything you’re unsure about!
My first loves are crime — I am a big fan of thrillers, locked-room mysteries, cosy mystery, etc. — and fantasy — from urban to magical realism to epic.
I also work with historical fiction (big history buff here!) and romance.
I’m not the best fit for gory horror or erotica.
My associate editor works with fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and romance.