For a struggling novelist, one of the most depressing and difficult parts of the publishing process is submitting a finished work to editor and discovering it’s riddled with problems. For the professional book editor who receives these finished works, the process of going over the work and sending it back to the writer further lengthens the time spent on novel editing instead of selling the finished book. One way that the publishing industry could help streamline this process is by taking a tool from academia’s toolbox: developmental editing. Developmental editing is a process where a writer sends his or her work to an editor throughout the writing process and receives feedback on it. This process creates a conversation between the writer and editor that helps the first draft of the manuscript be more polished than it might otherwise end up being. It also allows writers to have a second set of professional eyes on their piece while they are still writing it. This lets the editor spot potential problems early in the work’s lifespan so the writer can correct it before he or she completes the draft. This process, while time-consuming, pushes a manuscript forward in ways that the traditional process does not. Developmental editing is primarily used by academics, whether for article writing or textbook publication, but it could be a useful tool for the professional book editor as well. Novel editing is an extended process, and it’s quite easy for an author to lose steam as their book goes through multiple revisions. By using developmental editing, a publishing house can help take some of this weight off the shoulders of its’ authors. Instead of laboring in the dark, an author receives support from their editor throughout the writing process. The constant feedback helps the writer remain on-task while also spreading out an editor’s workload. Instead of having an entire manuscript to go through every few months, they receive the works in bits and pieces. While developmental editing is certainly not for everyone, it could be a useful addition to the novel editing process. Despite all this, there are still risks involved in developmental editing. A book editor must take care that he or she remains entirely in the role of an editor and does not slip into ghostwriting (a process in which multiple writers work on a book but only the author is credited). Using developmental editing for every prospective novelist could lead to wasted time as unmarketable manuscripts are continually worked on. Furthermore, if professional book editors only offer developmental editing to established authors, then they leave behind the aid it potentially provides to struggling, upcoming novelists. However, the potential upsides to this process are numerous. By offering developmental editing to skilled amateur novelists, a publishing house could potentially find a valuable diamond in the rough and bring it to market. Edword Bella started writing as a hobby. Writing is her passion & she is completely dedicated for that. She has written various informative articles and blogs related to technology, health, safety, business and editing services. To get more information about professional book editor and novel editing service visit @ thewordprocess.com
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