Developmental Editing
for Fiction Writers
Stronger Stories
Start Right Here
You don’t have to figure this out alone
You draft, revise, ask a few trusted friends to read your pages—and still, something doesn’t quite click.
The story isn’t landing the way you’d hoped.
Feedback is vague or contradictory.
You’re revising…but you’re not confident you’re revising the right things.
This is usually the moment writers start to wonder: Is it me? Or do I just need a different kind of support? (Spoiler…it’s not you!)
Here’s where a professional developmental editor can help.
Friends and beta readers can be wonderful cheerleaders, but they’re rarely equipped to provide specific, actionable feedback to help you solve deeper character and structural challenges of a novel.
Most writers I work with are wrestling with one (or more) of these concerns:
“I’m getting feedback, but it’s confusing or superficial.”
Beta readers often react as readers, not as trained editors. You might hear “The character didn’t interest me.” or “This part felt slow.” How do you figure out how to fix the problem without breaking what’s already working?
“I’ve revised this so many times, I can’t see it clearly anymore.”
When you’re too close to your manuscript, every change feels risky. It’s easy to second-guess yourself or tinker endlessly without any real forward momentum. (Tinkerers out there, I see you!)
“I’m afraid of wasting time—or worse, querying/publishing something that isn’t ready.”
Without professional guidance, it’s hard to know whether you’re elevating your story or just rearranging sentences.
And, by the way, none of this means you’re not a wonderful writer or your story isn’t compelling. It means novels are complex, and crafting one is not a solo sport forever.
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing sets you up with a comprehensive review of your complete manuscript to provide you with professional insight into what’s working, what areas need your attention, and suggestions for revision.
When you work with me as your developmental editor, you’ll receive a comprehensive editorial report that breaks down key elements of your story—plot, pacing, character development, structure, and theme—along with practical revision suggestions and clear next steps. You’ll also get your manuscript back with thoughtful margin comments that explain why something works or where it may need attention.
Developmental editing is:
—> shaping your story into its strongest, most compelling form while honoring your voice and vision.
Developmental editing isn’t:
—> a line-by-line polish or grammar fix. We’re not focused on typos or sentence-level edits. Instead, I’ll help you understand what’s working in your story, what’s not yet landing, and exactly how to move forward—so your next draft feels purposeful, not overwhelming.
Here’s how it works
summary
I’ll ask you to share some details about your story, including the premise, genre, word count, and a brief summary. You can include any questions that you have about your story and areas you’d like me to pay close attention to.
1)
Review
I’ll read your manuscript twice—first as a reader, then as an editor. As I go, I’ll leave comments in the margins of your document, highlighting areas that may need your attention, and, yes, the sections I loved. Because understanding what’s working is just as important as knowing what to revise.
2)
Feedback
After I finish editing, you’ll receive two documents: your manuscript with my comments in the margins and a detailed editorial letter. The letter is typically 7–8 pages and offers a deeper look at the key elements of your story—character, structure, pacing, and tension—along with thoughtful suggestions for how you might approach revision.
3)
Follow-up
Once you’ve had a chance to review my feedback (and take your time because it’s a lot to absorb!), we’ll schedule a 60-minute video call. We can talk through your questions, brainstorm ideas, and map out possible next steps so you feel clear about where your revision can go from here.
4)
THE MOMENT EVERYTHING CLICKS…
When you receive your editorial report, you’ll feel a sense of clarity right away—like the path forward is finally visible.
Instead of wondering where to start, you’ll know exactly what matters most and where to focus your energy.
You’ll feel confident that you’re zeroing in on the right revisions, not second-guessing every choice. And I think most importantly, you’ll feel more connected to your work.
My feedback is designed to help you see your story more clearly, so you can move forward with purpose, momentum, and a renewed sense of excitement about what you’re creating.
Just a few of the authors
who make it all worthwhile…
Working with Jackie has proven to be a high value investment in the process of publishing my first book. The levels of expertise, detail, care, and attention that she provided has not only set me up for success, but she has taught me invaluable insights on how to craft a story that is engaging and satisfying. The quality of Jackie's work, notes, advice and feedback went beyond expectations. The personal interest and care she put into my manuscript, characters and overall themes were astounding. I'm not only anticipating rewriting with the useful edits she suggested, but also working with her again in the future.
-Heather O.
Jackie is a superb editor. Her notes were extensive, instructive and clear. She was brilliantly encouraging which made the whole experience positive and uplifting. I've worked with other editors, but Jackie is in another league, easily surpassing my expectations. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to other writers at whatever stage they are in their careers. She gets booked up quickly, but I promise she's worth the wait!
-Christina P.
Hey there, I’m Jackie…
the editor who can help you move from draft to done.
When we work together, my goal is to ask you the right questions so that you can revise with clarity and purpose.
I treat your manuscript as if it were my own because I’m a writer, too. I’m not here to change your vision or your voice. I want my feedback to spark those “aha” moments, one after another, so revision feels less overwhelming and more energizing.
You’ll come away with a clear, thoughtful roadmap, and the confidence to stay in the driver’s seat, without that knot-in-your-stomach feeling.
I’m honored to be entrusted with your words, and I don’t take that trust lightly. I’m looking forward to working with you!
I’m here for your questions!
No question is too
big or too small!
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If your novel is…
romance (all subgenres)
women’s fiction (all subgenres)
historical
YA / MG
upmarket/book club
speculative
contemporary
—or a hybrid of those genres, I’d love to hear from you!
If you’re outside of these genres, please send me a message. I’m happy to see if we’e be a good fit!
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If you have the feeling that you’ve taken your manuscript as far as you can on your own, but something’s still not coming together, I can help!
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Beta readers share general impressions as everyday readers—what worked, what didn’t, and where they felt engaged or confused.
As a professional developmental editor, I go deeper, offering structured, actionable feedback on big-picture elements, plus clear revision strategies and next steps,
I have twenty years of professional editing experience, and I’ve worked at two Big Five publishing houses. I’ve read a LOT of manuscripts, and I can bring that eye to your pages.
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A developmental edit is most impactful when you have a complete manuscript so that I can get the full story arc. If your story is still in progress, book coaching might be a better option. I’m happy to talk through your situation!
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A developmental edit will review your story for big picture items like characterization and plot.
A copy edit focuses on sentence-level details like clarity, punctuation, and grammar. A copy edit is generally the last step in the process before publication.
I take on only a few copyediting clients per year after completing a developmental edit.
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Absolutely! I typically structure payments as follows:
25% to hold the schedule
25% when I begin editing
50% when feedback is complete
I’m happy to break down the payments until smaller installments— without any extra fees!
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I do not use any AI platforms when editing or offering feedback. All of your work will be read by me and editorial reports will be written by me.
Your work will be treated with the highest ethical standards.
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I’m happy to answer any editing or book coaching question you have!
Reach out via the contact form and let me know what’s on your mind.
Let’s do this!
Start your project!
