Developmental Editing

Developmental editing is well-suited for strengthening the overall structure of your text and how a reader might receive it. I provide feedback on argument/evidence, narrative, structure, and style/voice. Distinct from copyediting and proofreading, developmental editing stops short of correcting matters of usage, grammar, or syntax.

I offer two developmental editing services: manuscript assessments and hands-on editing.

Manuscript Assessments

A manuscript assessment offers an overview of the developmental aspects of your manuscript (argument/evidence, narrative, structure, style/voice) in the form of a detailed editorial letter. This feedback is accompanied by actionable suggestions to empower the author to work on further revisions mostly independently. If I’m recommending structural reorganization, specific passages might be called out and used as examples, but the Word document of the manuscript won’t be marked up. I charge $.03 USD per word.

Hands-on Editing

Hands-on editing offers a deeper dive into your manuscript. I’ll leave comments in the margins of your manuscript. You’ll still need to implement the suggested changes (if desired), but the comments will be attached to specific passages in the manuscript, guiding the revision process in a more concrete way. I charge $.06 USD per word.

  • “Matthew was easy to work with, responsive to my emails, and to my ideas and wishes. I would definitely be interested in working with him again on a future project.”

    — Adele Reinhartz, Professor at the University of Ottawa and author of Bible and Cinema: An Introduction (Routledge, 2022).

Let’s work together.

You can also reach me directly at matthew[at]matthewmaclellan.com