Developmental editing or copyediting: Which do you need?

If you could only afford one round of editing, should you choose developmental editing or copyediting? Developmental (story) editing ensures that your story is strong and vital. Copyediting crosses all the t’s and dots all the i’s. A purchase-worthy book needs both—but whether you’re hoping to be picked up by a publishing house or planning to publish independently, you may find yourself with the budget for only one or the other.

Even the dullest story can be copy edited into a beautifully polished volume—but will readers keep turning the pages? A compelling plot sells more books than correct commas every time. On the other hand, a look at the Amazon reviews of any title reveals readers who simply can’t get past glaring errors and quality issues. A hot, unedited mess turns readers off before they’ve had a chance to be captivated by your fantastic story line.

Yet here you sit with only enough money for one edit. What to do, what to do?

What does each type of editing do?

Different editors use different terms for the types of editing involved in producing a novel. I’m going to use the terms I use in my own practice. If you’re curious to see how it all fits together, check out Types of Editing: A practical guide.

As its name implies, developmental editing (sometimes called content, structural, or story editing) focuses on the heart of your book—the story. You can expect to make significant revisions or even completely overhaul your manuscript during the course of a developmental edit.

Line editing and copyediting focus on the language you use to tell the story. You get extensive edits and comments designed to polish your writing, strengthen your individual voice and style, and raise the quality of your prose.

Choose the right level of editing

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to which type of edit will prove to be pivotal for your manuscript. That’s why I always begin the process with an initial consultation at no obligation to you. This assessment helps me understand the amount and type of work your manuscript needs.

During a consultation, I’ll look over your manuscript and edit or offer feedback on a small sample. We’ll talk about your editing and publishing goals for the book, your writing and revision process, and the story itself. If the story and writing don’t seem ready for editing, I’ll recommend alternatives to help you get the manuscript where it needs to be.

Why you shouldn’t try to have it all

If your budget won’t budge and you’re forced to choose between editorial services, it’s time to prioritize. Achieving a truly comprehensive edit requires multiple edits at different levels of focus: developmental (story), line (language and style), copy (mechanics and accuracy).

In general (and this varies editor by editor, depending on their services and levels of collaboration), you should expect anything beyond a copyedit to spark revision and even a rewrite. In my developmental and line edits, revision is the entire point. My goal is giving you criteria-based suggestions and individualized recommendations so that you can more tightly tune the story and storytelling and elevate the writing.

It wouldn’t make sense, then, to spend time (and your money) tweaking copyediting-level issues in a manuscript destined for more work.

A copyedit is a final polishing edit. Once an editor has copyedited your work, you shouldn’t touch it further for fear of introducing new errors. Please don’t be That Author and do it anyway. Your proofreader may charge you for another copyedit, if you introduce too many new issues, and they may be hesitant to work with you again.

Trying to accomplish story-level work alongside the polishing of a copyedit in a single round of editing is like tossing a cat and a dog into a bag and expecting no commotion to ensue. Why try to impose copyedit-level structure on a story that’s still under construction? That makes no sense.

Substantive or so-called comprehensive editing may be a smart choice for a manuscript that’s already been confirmed to have a solid story foundation. Even so, not many editors offer this scope of editing because it’s such an incredibly slow, expensive proposition. The editor must watch for storytelling issues at the same time that they’re examining the language at the line level.

If your editor claims to edit at all levels at once, buyer beware. Editing is not a multitasking process. It demands immersion, focus, and precision. An editor isn’t thinking about big-picture elements if they’re also thinking about word choice, styling, and grammar.

Properly done, an editor performing a comprehensive edit must make multiple passes through a manuscript to tackle these different angles. That adds more time and reduces or eliminates your opportunity for revision in between rounds—and yes, it costs more money.

If this is your first book

If you’re a first-time author, I recommend doing your best to budget for both developmental editing and line editing. Plan ahead. Save up.

First books are learning experiences. Authors call them “practice novels” and set them aside in a drawer, just as artists stash away experimental pieces that don’t go quite as planned. Without a developmental edit , you might not be able to figure out what parts of your story work and what parts don’t. Without a line edit, you might not be able to spot where your writing is still weak or flabby.

Investing in developmental and line editing for your manuscript is an intense, one-on-one coaching experience in both storytelling and language. Limiting yourself to only one angle will limit the growth you can expect from the editing and publishing experience.

When you must choose between services

So back to the bottom line: you can’t afford a full edit. Which way do you go?

If you’ll be submitting your manuscript to an agent, it’s vital that the story be compellingly conceived and told. Don’t worry about copyediting the manuscript to perfection. Build a story that grabs readers and doesn’t let go.

If you’ll be self-publishing, you’re running a business, and you need to provide your buyers with a quality product. That means full-spectrum editing until you’re a seasoned author working at the expert level. Publishing is a business. If you release a substandard product, expect substandard reviews and sales.

Consult a professional editor. Before you attempt to do it all on your own, talk with your editor. Unpaid feedback has its place, but a smart editor can help you attain more professional results with alternative services. I build custom plans for each and every client that pulls from all my available services—including coaching, consultations, and partial edits—to get you across the finish line with as polished a product as your budget allows.

An experienced editor will help you balance your priorities with your budget to help you get the most bang from your editing buck. I do complimentary initial assessments for every client, so you’re assured of getting exactly the level of services your manuscript needs.

Revised 7/5/24