Developmental editing is known by other terms in the industry, such as structural editing or substantive editing. Developmental editing in any other name is an approach where an editor focuses on the structure and development of your ideas. As you write, you are essentially putting down a series of thoughts. How those thoughts are put down to determine how well your story will be. Those ideas need to be put together well, for your message to have the intended impact. You, therefore, need to consult a developmental editor when you need your story done right.
Developmental editing will produce notes along with the story where you get to see areas that need improvement, areas where you are on point, and areas where you seemed to veer off your intended path. Those notes are made as the editor reads through your manuscript, and later complied to produce a developmental plan. A developmental plan will have a content summary, which outlines what message the editor thought you were aiming at passing across.it also has a problem summary, where all areas that need improvement are included. A vision statement will also be there, which shows the theme, purpose, and effect of the written work on the audience. There is also a readership profile, which outlines more about the intended audience. You also get a working title, a collection of ideas for the final title. You also find in it a contents section, which is a summary of each section of the written work, as well as a summary at the end.
After receiving the developmental plan from the editor and going through it, the editor will get in touch to discuss further the plan. The changes suggested can then be implemented to come up with an updated version of your work.
Developmental editing may seem costly, but its effects on your work are priceless. If you feel even the slightest that you need this service, it is best to include the expense in your budget. You can manage the costs by contacting an editor who has flexible payment options, a wide variety of rates for different occasions, and the provision of extending their editing time, which tends to lower the costs involved since they are not short of time. If however, you have a short deadline to beat, expect the price to go up.
When searching for the right developmental editor, you need to compare several of them in the market. They should be ready with sample edits and estimates for their work, for a better comparison. You need to settle on one who is ready to work within your budget, and whose quality is your expected final copy. They especially need to be specialists in your particular format and genre. An example is one who works well with fiction work. You can check out this site for more info.
To ensure you get the best price, focus on getting quality work done for the price you are about to pay. It is how you land on the right balance in terms of value. Do not go for the cheapest out there who make big promises, as they are likely not to deliver on those promises. Your work deserves better than that.