Megan Manzano

Don't write for a trend. The market is constantly changing and those stories being sold likely have been in the works for years.

Write the story you need to tell and the story you can't get out of your head.

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Whether that's adding a chapter, removing a secondary character, creating a new subplot, rebuilding your world, etc - every story will vary in what's needed and how much is needed.

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Concerns pointed out by a developmental editor aren't fixed by changing a sentence or two. They require diving back in and finding how you can stitch your story together.

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It's important to complete any developmental editing BEFORE you move on to line editing or proofreading.

Why?

Because if you have major developmental edits, you could be rewriting chunks or the entirety of your manuscript.

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The point of a developmental edit is to make sure the pieces of your story move together like a well oiled machine. A story needs various types of structures and with even one off center, the machine begins to break.

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Once I've read/annotated a manuscript, I then address issues via an edit letter. These vary in length but I want to make sure authors understand the issues and know where to go from my feedback.

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For Pacing:

1. Is the story dragging or moving too quickly?
2. Is there enough time to adjust to changes/information given to us?
3. Are you focusing on something you shouldn't be?
4. How is this affected by sentence structure?

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For Worldbuilding:

1. How fast/slow are you introducing it to readers?
2. Are critical details missing?
3. Does the world make sense?
4. What tools do you use to make it feel authentic?

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For Character:

1. How do they change/why?
2. Are their actions well supported by their motivations?
3. Does the arc you planned make sense and have the necessary stepping stones?
4. Are all of your characters needed?

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For Plot:

1. Does it hold up from beginning to end?
2. Is it coherent?
3. Do you have the necessary foundation in place to execute the story?
4. Are there holes/details left unexplored?

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When I'm hired for a developmental edit, I'm keeping an eye on four major elements of a story:

1. Plot
2. Character
3. Worldbuilding
4. Pacing

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Let's start with what is a developmental editor? This type of editor - which differs highly from a line editor or proof reader - looks at big picture elements of your story.

Think structure and content.

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Please spend time on your query letter. Agents read and look for them.

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The next post in my Now What series is by @eddyautomatic ! Eddy talks about navigating rejection while querying and on submission as well as what it feels like to get that one yes.

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meganmanzano129.wordpress.com/2019/07/19/now…

If you're stuck on character description, or just honing in on what makes your character stand out, I absolutely love character maps/answering character quizzes!

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In the above example, you get:

Physical description
Voice/Emotions
Some kind of relationship your MC does not like.

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Internal thoughts are huge because you can accomplish so much. For example: "I hated how my eyes were blue like the ocean, blue like his eyes. I'd change them any day if it meant he'd no longer stare back at me."

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Tying into the point above, the actions of your character can impact description. For example: "The muscles in his arms bulged as he swung the axe. He didn't slow down as sweat beaded down his sharp nose onto his lips."

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How a character interacts in particular environments also helps. Do they slouch? Do they walk with their shoulders back to look taller? What do they do in relation to others in this same environment?

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Clothing is also super helpful! Does your character wear a certain item because it enhances a feature, hides it? Do they like a certain color? Consider how these small details can build appearance.

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