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Ten years ago, I packed my bags and moved across the world to London for my first job in publishing. It was at a tiny press in someone’s literal basement—but it sparked my passion for working with books.

Since then, I’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including the world’s largest book publisher, and now I run my own developmental editing business.

After working with over a thousand authors, I’ve discovered the most valuable lessons about storytelling—and they might not be what you expect.

1. Understanding the Different Levels of Editing

This first lesson completely changed how I thought about editing a book, and it is essential knowledge for any author who seeks to publish their book one day: there are several completely distinct levels of editing, and each type of editing serves a totally different function in making the book the best it can possibly be.

In fact, I didn’t start off doing the type of editing that would go on to form the backbone of my career. Let me explain.

When I was working in the basement of the London townhouse for the tiny publisher, I was primarily copy editing manuscripts that were nearly ready to go to print. This is the type of editing most authors think of when they picture their book going through the editorial process. I had my red pen in hand, carefully reading through every sentence and making spelling, grammar, and formatting corrections.

As an American editing manuscripts written in British English, I had to second-guess some of my spelling corrections, which was especially interesting for me. It was certainly enjoyable and fun, but I quickly became frustrated. As I was editing, I flagged issues with character development, plot, or pacing that wouldn’t ultimately get addressed—those weren’t the types of edits on the table at that stage.

That’s when I realized that copy editing comes later in the publishing process, once most of the content of the book has already been solidified. Many new authors don’t understand how much work goes into a manuscript before it reaches that stage. Typically, a manuscript goes through developmental editing first, followed by a line edit and/or a copy edit, and finally a proofread.

I became intrigued by developmental editing and wanted to learn more. I got my chance when I moved back to New York and landed my first editorial roles in the publishing industry, working at Macmillan, a literary agency, and finally Penguin Random House.

In these roles, my job was to help the editor or agent evaluate manuscripts submitted to them and determine which had the most potential for the publishing market. For those we were interested in, we’d offer suggestions to make the story even better.

Since developmental editing happens at the earliest stage, it isn’t about polishing each word—it’s about ensuring the overarching story delivers a strong emotional experience for the reader.

For manuscripts we decided to move forward with, we delivered the author an edit letter—a roadmap for revision that points out elements of the story that could be strengthened, with specific suggestions.

I’ll never forget working with one author who had a twisty mystery plot but a difficult-to-connect-with main character. Through the developmental editing process, we discovered the story really needed a second POV. Once the author added that, the story became so much richer and more layered. That’s when I truly understood the transformative power of developmental editing.

But I quickly encountered a roadblock: I realized I couldn’t speak the same language my colleagues used to talk about stories. They’d mention exposition, character arcs, stakes, or weak voice, and while I’d nod along, I didn’t fully understand what they meant.

2. Speaking the Language of Storytelling

As a developmental editor, you’re not editing words—you’re editing the story. To do this effectively, you need to understand storytelling mechanics the way a doctor understands anatomy.

Terms like exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution help us evaluate whether a manuscript is structurally sound. Beyond plot, we analyze elements like pacing, character arcs, stakes, voice, and point of view. If any of these elements are flawed, the story suffers.

In this way, developmental editors act like book doctors. We translate our reactions to a manuscript into identifiable issues we can discuss with the author. For instance, I recently edited a mystery novel where I realized I didn’t care about the outcome of the case—a stakes issue. If there’s nothing significant on the line for the main character, the reader won’t feel invested.

3. Giving Feedback That Empowers Authors

Great feedback should empower the author, not overwhelm them. There are plenty of people who can point out problems in a manuscript, but far fewer who can help pinpoint specific, actionable solutions.

For example, I worked with an author who was discouraged after 10 drafts of her manuscript. Her beta readers said the book wasn’t holding their attention, and she was considering abandoning it entirely.

I posed a suggestion: What if the characters faced a natural disaster or a community scandal to amplify suspense and quicken the narrative momentum? The author immediately lit up—it reminded her of an earlier draft set during a hurricane, which had gotten lost in revisions. Bringing that element back fixed the pacing issue and kept her true to her original vision.

A collaborative editing approach sparks creativity. It’s not about the editor dictating changes but helping the author achieve their vision.

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing an author have that “aha” moment when they realize exactly what their story needs. That’s the feeling I’ll keep chasing in my second decade as an editor.

However, no matter how strong a developmental edit is, it can’t fix every fundamental issue. Authors should lay a solid foundation upfront to ensure the core elements of their story are working.

Thank you so much for reading, and happy writing!