How Long Does Developmental Editing Take

You might wonder why a developmental edit takes up to 4 - 8 weeks (this can depend on the editor and the manuscript) to receive all your deliverables.

That might seem like too much time.

Here are some reasons why developmental editing can be a lengthy process for editors.

Active Reading and Brainstorming

A professional developmental editor might do two to three close-reads of your manuscript.

With each active reading, editors immerse themselves in your story to identify big-picture issues.

And some editors are solution-focused. They don’t want to leave you without possible solutions to implement into your revisions.

Eventually, your developmental editor will know your story nearly as much as you do.

This analytical process takes time, but you must also account for breaks. 

Close-readings and brainstorming sessions can take up a lot of brain power. Frequently stepping back from the manuscript is necessary to come back with a fresh perspective.

Deliverables Editors Offer

Each developmental editor will have different deliverables they offer their clients. 

This can include: 

• An editorial letter

• Manuscript markups

• Book map

It takes a considerable amount of time for an editor to write and edit the editorial letter and manuscript markups. 

But book maps can be extremely time-consuming, especially with an overly long manuscript. 

Therefore, expect a longer turnaround time if the book map is in the contract.

This is because another read-through is required to summarize what happens in each scene, character POV changes, approximate word counts, and more. 

The categories will vary by manuscript. A mystery novel might follow the murder storyline, while a romance follows the romantic arc. 

Help Authors Improve 

As a developmental editor reads the manuscript, they might compile other resources during and after a developmental edit. 

For example, if show, don’t tell is one of the author’s main weaknesses, the editor can search for reputable blogs to help the author improve. 

Generous editors recommend books on story craft, online writing courses, conferences, or anything special pertaining to your genre. 

Even when editors have a saved document full of these resources, it will still take time to personalize them, determine working links, and eliminate outdated ones. 

Manuscript’s Readability 

The manuscript’s readability can also extend how long it takes for developmental editing. 

Here are a few reasons why a manuscript’s readability could impact the timeline of a developmental edit:

• Overwritten 

• Purple prose

• Confusing moments

• Excessive grammar mistakes

• Other complexities

Level of Editing

If you choose an editor’s most comprehensive developmental edit, then it will take them longer to write and edit notes.

For example, a lightly annotated manuscript might have up to 200 comments on a 50,000-word manuscript. 

In comparison, a thoroughly annotated manuscript could have 2X more comments. 

Emergencies

Emergencies can crop up for the editor. For example, they could get sick, or a death in the family could hinder their progress. 

Some editors will factor in certain emergencies that could hinder their progress with your manuscript. 

This might mean they add a week or two to their expected deadline.

The good news is that you might receive your developmental edit earlier than the maximum deadline when there’s no emergency.

Editor’s Workload

Like how a writer weaves critical information through a story, an editor weaves in other assignments in their workload. 

Authors might wonder: Is my editor prioritizing my work? 

But this is a good thing. 

It’s when your editor gets a break from your manuscript.

Like any creative professional, taking a break can allow someone to soak in information and come back with fresh eyes. It enables your editor to hit those epiphany moments that can be critical in helping find pivotal solutions.

Switching back and forth between different levels of hard work can prevent your editor from becoming too exhausted and burning out.

Conclusion

Learning why developmental editing is a lengthy process can help authors put their trust in a professional developmental editor. It also gives insight into why it’s an expensive editing stage.