Jobs for English Majors

Working with an author on creating a riveting story is one of the best aspects of developmental editing.

Developmental editing is defined by Scott Norton, University of California Press director of Editing, Design, and Production, as “significant structuring or restructuring of a manuscript’s discourse,” (Ginna 85). The developmental editor helps to flesh out an author’s idea and effectively bring the best version of their writing to print.

It is up to the developmental editor to work with authors as their coach to guide their writing. They should provide positive feedback and suggestions for improvement, but they should also effectively explain to the author what they are looking for in terms of rewrites and revisions. Whether it be as simple as adding a table of context, or a complete restructuring of a character. The developmental editor must know exactly what the consumer market is looking for and find the best ways to get their author’s writing to that standard.

The most important advice for a developmental editor is to keep their author’s voice strong. Editing can lead to a huge overhaul of story, but it is up to the editor to make the author feel as though their core ideas and writing are still shining through.

According to Glassdoor, a developmental editor may on average make around $48,000. This average can vary based upon where you are located.