Developmental Editing
A Handbook for Freelancers, Authors, and Publishers
- Contents
- Review Quotes

Introduction
Whom This Book Is For
What This Book Covers
Some Ground Rules
1 Concept: Shaping the Proposal
Author Profile: The Veteran
Client Profile: The Agent
Assignment: The Proposal with Too Many Concepts
Locate the Concept
Profile the Audience
Evaluate Market Potential
Bring the Vision into Focus
2 Content: Assessing Potential
Author Profile: The First-timer
Client Profile: The Big Trade House
Assignment: The Tome with Too Many Subjects
Size Up the Author
Size Up the Publisher
Size Up the DE
Create a Content Summary
Find the Main Subject
3 Thesis: Finding the Hook
Author Profile: The Coauthors
Client Profile: The Small Trade House
Assignment: The Study with Too Many Theses
Cull Theses from Topics
Beware of the Rehash
Choose the Main Thesis
Create a Working Title
4 Narrative: Tailoring the Timeline
Author Profile: The Historian
Client Profile: The Copublisher
Assignment: The Sprawling Saga
Untangle Timelines from Arguments
Find the Main Timelines
Brainstorm Timeline Strategies
Compose the New Timeline
Finetune the Timeline
Restore Bits of Argument
5 Exposition: Deploying the Argument
Author Profile: The Theorist
Client Profile: The University Press
Assignment: The Theory with Too Many Tangents
Untangle Arguments from Timelines
Find the Main Arguments
Brainstorm Argument Strategies
Compose the New Argument
Finetune the Argument
Restore Bits of Timeline
6 Plan: Drafting a Blueprint
Write Up the Plan
Compose Chapter Theses
Intervene Strategically
7 Rhythm: Setting the Pace
Author Profile: The Sole Authority
Client Profile: The Regional House
Assignment: The Local History Turned Personal
Rearrange the Furniture
Draft New Passages
Balance Chapter Weights
Edit for Pace
8 Transitions: Filling in the Blanks
Author Profile: The Dead Author
Client Profile: The Self-Publisher
Assignment: The Memoir with Lapses
Create Opening Transitions
Create Closing Transitions
Draw Conclusions
Place Those Conclusions
9 Style: Training the Voice
Author Profile: The Journalist
Client Profile: The Book Packager
Assignment: The Story with Too Many Voices
Set the Tone
Parse the Rhetoric
Master Abstraction
Gauge the Ironies
Harmonize the Voices
10 Display: Dressing Up the Text
Author Profile: The Author-for-Hire
Client Profile: The Trade Reference House
Assignment: The Guidebook with Poor Signage
Consider Subheads
Consider Epigraphs
Draft an Art Plan
Illustrate Concepts
Visualize Data
Test-Drive Maps
Add Lagniappe
Afterword
Further Reading
Acknowledgments
Index
“Scott Norton is no seat-of-the-pants developmental editor. He’s a man with a method—practical, detailed, lucid, engaging. Even the most battle-tested editors and agents will rethink their tactics after reading this field guide to manuscript development.”
“Scott Norton’s book should be required reading for publishers who want to understand developmental editing and how it can improve their books.”
“I’ve done a fair amount of developmental editing, yet Norton has managed to fill his book with things I didn’t know—or had forgotten or stopped being very disciplined about. Editors of every stripe—DEs, line editors, copyeditors—can learn much from this fresh, readable, and practical book.”
Library Science and Publishing: Publishing
You may purchase this title at these fine bookstores. Outside the USA, see our international sales information.