Developmental Editing
The Runic Circle
Weaving character, plot & theme into perfect alignment
The Runic Circle looks beyond individual sentences to the architecture of your story as a whole. Through developmental editing, I examine your fiction manuscript’s plot structure, character development, pacing, worldbuilding, emotional arcs, and narrative threads, exploring how every element connects. Whether you’re writing fantasy, science fiction, or another genre, I identify where your story is strongest and where its foundations need strengthening, providing actionable editorial feedback and a clear path towards a richer, more cohesive novel without steering it away from the story you set out to tell.
Summon a Quote
The Developmental Editing Process
Beyond the Words.
Into the Heart of the Story.
A comprehensive exploration of your manuscript, revealing what already works, uncovering the deeper patterns that need attention, and illuminating a clear path towards the story you envision.
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Connect
We begin with your story, your goals, and your vision.
You send your manuscript and tell me about the story you are trying to create, your concerns, influences, intended audience, and anything you would particularly like me to examine.
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First Pass
I enter the story first as a reader.
My first pass follows the manuscript from beginning to end, mapping its structure, characters, narrative threads, pacing, emotional progression, and the questions and expectations created along the way.
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Deep Pass
The Circle closes around the deeper patterns.
I return to the manuscript for a more analytical pass, examining how its moving parts interact and annotating specific moments where structure, character, pacing, continuity, worldbuilding, or narrative logic could be strengthened.
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Your Bespoke Guides Take Shape
The patterns become a plan.
I draw my manuscript-wide findings together into your Developmental Editorial Report and Series Continuity & Narrative Threads Report, turning hundreds of individual observations into clear priorities and actionable revision guidance.
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Receive, Review & Revise
Everything returns to you, ready for the next draft.
You receive your annotated manuscript and bespoke editorial reports, giving you both the detailed evidence and the larger roadmap you need to approach revision with clarity and confidence.
What’s Included
The Runic Circle
Investment &Turnaround
Magic always comes with a cost
Your investment
Minimum charge €100
Typical turnaround
3–5 weeks
Final timescale depends on manuscript length and complexity.
Summon a quoteThe Familiar Manuscript DiscountReturning manuscripts receive 10% off subsequent editorial services.
Before you turn the page
FAQs
A little more clarity, before the magic begins.
What is developmental editing?
Developmental editing examines the story at manuscript level rather than focusing primarily on individual sentences. I look at elements such as structure, plot, character arcs, pacing, conflict, stakes, worldbuilding, point of view, emotional progression, and narrative continuity to determine how effectively the story works as a whole.
Will you tell me how to rewrite my story?
I will give you specific, practical recommendations and, where useful, suggest possible approaches to solving a problem, but the creative decisions remain yours. My role is to help you understand what is happening on the page, why something may not be working as intended, and what options you have for strengthening it without taking authorship away from you.
Do I need developmental editing before line editing?
Not every manuscript does. If your structure, character arcs, pacing, and other major story elements are already firmly established, you may be ready to move directly to line editing.
If substantial story-level changes are still likely, developmental editing should usually come first. There is little value in polishing sentences that may later be rewritten or removed entirely.
If you’re not sure, my Manuscript Evaluation Service - The Augur’s Lens - can help illuminate your path forward.
Is developmental editing suitable for a series?
Absolutely. Series manuscripts benefit particularly from developmental editing because decisions made in one book often create consequences far beyond it. Your Series Continuity & Narrative Threads Report tracks the threads established in the manuscript, including character developments, relationships, mysteries, foreshadowing, worldbuilding information, unresolved questions, and future-story implications.
What file formats do you accept?
Microsoft Word (.docx) is preferred because it allows me to provide revisions through Track Changes and detailed margin comments. If your manuscript is currently in another format, contact me and we can discuss the best option.
Ready to see the pattern beneath your story
Your manuscript already contains the pieces. Let’s discover how powerfully they can fit together.