Frequently Asked Questions

What is developmental editing?

Developmental editing strengthens the core foundations of your novel, namely plot, characters, and worldbuilding. In other words, it helps make your novel the best it can be by looking at the ‘big picture’. I won’t go in and make changes to your novel, but I will point out where things aren’t working, and recommend ways you can improve. An example would be highlighting where your protagonist acts out of character, identifying plot inconsistencies, or suggesting ways to ensure your characters have unique, individual voices. A developmental edit does not include copy editing, line editing, or proofreading.

What genres do you edit? 

I am happy to edit any genre for any target audience! As my logo explains, my areas of speciality are romance and fantasy but I work with both fiction and nonfiction.

Is there anything you won't edit?

I enjoy reading a wide variety of books. Novels that have graphic violence, sex, dark themes or profanity are all welcome, including genres like erotic literature, horror and dark romance.

What if my novel is really, really dark or explores taboo topics?

That’s completely fine!

Do you edit LGBTQIA+ novels?

Of course!

What about religious novels?

I am happy to edit novels centring on religious views and perspectives.

What will the editing process look like? 

The first step is to reach out through my booking form and I’ll share potential start dates to start your edit. If the proposed timeline works for you, I’ll prepare the paperwork.

As part of this process, we will both sign a contract (which clearly states the scope/price of your edit and protects your rights to your novel) and I’ll send you an invoice which states the deposit required to book your edit.

Once that’s all sorted, I’ll leave you to finish your writing and then be in touch two weeks before your edit is due to start.

From there you’ll fill out a questionnaire and send your novel to me ahead of your start date. I can send weekly updates during your edit, and then on the day your edit is due, I’ll return your edit via email.

What happens if I book an edit but my novel isn’t ready in time?

I understand that sometimes life gets in the way, so you can change the start date of your edit once without penalty, as long as I am given two weeks’ notice.

How much are your services?

I take pride in being transparent about pricing. Please click on the services page and select the edit you’re interested in to see the price and inclusions for the individual service. All prices are in US dollars, though I also accept payment in a number of currencies. If you would like to set up a payment plan, please reach out for details.

What payment methods do you accept?

My preferred payment methods are direct deposit/bank transfer and credit/debit card through Stripe. If you haven’t heard of Stripe, it’s a payment gateway which processes card payments. It’s the same technology used for buying from online retailers.

My novel is 200,000 words. Is that too long?

There’s no such thing as a novel too long to edit!

What about 1,000,000 words?

I haven’t edited a novel that long (yet!) but I’d be more than happy to tackle this challenge.

How long will it take to edit my novel?

I usually take 2-4 weeks for developmental edits and 1-3 weeks for other services, depending on the length of your novel. This may seem like a long time, but I want to ensure I am giving your novel the attention it deserves.

However, if you need a quicker turnaround time, please reach out and we can discuss your options. My current record is completing a novel scan in one day!

How do you communicate with clients?

I communicate with clients via email.

How long do you take to respond to messages?

I aim to respond to emails within three business days. If you haven’t received a response in that timeframe, please check your spam folder or reach out to me directly at jonesnovelediting@gmail.com as sometimes our emails get lost in cyberspace.

I don’t know what kind of edit I require. What should I do?

If you’re not sure where to start, feel free to contact me and we can discuss your individual circumstances. I usually recommend a developmental edit, depending on your budget and what stage your novel is at.

What’s the difference between a developmental edit, manuscript evaluation and a novel scan?

A developmental edit will look at the framework of your novel, and you will receive feedback in the form of an editorial report and in-text comments.

A manuscript evaluation is a developmental edit without in-text comments. You’ll receive feedback in the form of an editorial report.

A novel scan focuses on high-level issues. You’ll receive feedback as dot-point notes.

Which developmental edit should I choose?

This will depend on the current state of your manuscript and your budget. Most of my clients choose a basic or standard developmental edit to get the most value out of the editing experience.

The standard developmental edit includes a second pass (i.e., a second edit after you’ve made changes from your first edit) and a higher number of read-throughs.

When should I get a developmental edit?

The best time to get a developmental edit is either when you’re stuck or you feel you’ve done all you can. You may wish to go through a few rounds of self-editing or use beta readers before a developmental edit if you have identified areas to work on already. If you don’t know where to go from here, now’s the perfect time to get a developmental edit.

However, if this is your first time writing a novel, I recommend getting a developmental edit after your second draft so I can help you identify issues early on. I am also happy to take a look at unfinished manuscripts. If you’ve gotten ¾ of the way through and feel stuck or have managed to get your plot into a pickle, then maybe a developmental edit is required earlier on to help guide you.

A developmental edit should come before copy editing, line editing, or proofreading as you may change your plot after receiving feedback.

Do you edit short stories?

Yes. Please check out the short stories and Kindle Vella serials page as my pricing is different for short stories.

Do you do line editing, copy editing, or proofreading?

At this stage, I do not offer line editing, copy editing or proofreading with the exception of picture book editing.

I am happy to refer you to one of my colleagues who offer these services.

Do you offer a sample edit?

Yes. I offer complimentary sample edits for people who are seriously interested in booking a developmental edit with me for their novel.

For manuscript evaluations, novel scans and short stories, I can’t offer sample edits but I can send you a de-identified sample edit which shows the type of feedback I give for these services.

I can also provide a de-identified sample edit for a developmental edit if you’re still in the early stages of looking for an editor or are querying a large number of editors.

The de-identified sample edits have been created with full permission from the authors involved.

Please use the contact form to arrange your sample edit.