Developmental Editing – A Handbook for Freelancers, Authors, and Publishers

Editing is a tricky business. It requires analytical flair and creative panache, the patience of a saint and the vision of a writer. Transforming a manuscript into a book that edifies, inspires, and sells? That's the job of the developmental editor, whose desk is the first stop for many manuscripts on the road to bookdom - a route ably mapped out in the pages of "Developmental Editing". Scott Norton has worked with a diverse range of authors, editors, and publishers, and his handbook provides an approach to developmental editing that is logical, collaborative, humorous, and realistic. He starts with the core tasks of shaping the proposal, finding the hook, and building the narrative or argument and then turns to the hard work of executing the plan and establishing a style. "Developmental Editing" includes detailed case studies and offers practical advice on becoming a developmental editor, adapting sophisticated fiction techniques to nonfiction writing, and earning higher fees as a freelance copyeditor. And perhaps most important, Norton's book equips authors with the tools they need to reach their audiences.

"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." (Wendalyn Nichols, Copyediting)"

Scott Norton is director of editing, design, and production at the University of California Press.