Developmental Editing
Writing a book is hard work. Fun sometimes, grueling other times. Pretty much all the things.
You pour your entire self into it. It's not something you do, as my dad would say, "half-assed." You use your whole ass to make it happen.
Then, as you near the end of a draft, you have a Dr. Frankenstein kind of moment. You put the finishing touches on that last paragraph in that last sentence. You open the ceiling, raise it up into the rainy night and just as you toss up the very last word, lightning crackles.
Jen Violi is by far the best developmental editor ever. She works magic in helping you create a piece that is so clearly you, your voice and your words. She is professional and on track. She is gifted, talented, dedicated and more—she is concerned with the writer’s work as though it is her own. What more can you ask for? If you are able to work with Jen, make it so. You will be forever grateful, and your success is imminent if you do the work.
Jo Dibblee
Author of Frock Off, Sooke, BC Canada
Post-flash, you lower your book down to eye level. You prowl around the table, waiting and watching for some kind of life.
For a moment, nothing.
Maybe you didn't write a book at all! Maybe you just produced 200 pages of repeating "the's." Maybe it was all a dream.
But then, pages flutter, chapters rustle, and it stirs and stands up all by itself. The words are all there. You did it.
You can't help but shout, "It's alive!" Which comes out first with glee and relief.
Until you realize it's big and maybe a little awkward and unwieldy and although it looks like a book, it's not quite walking and talking like a book. Dr. Frankenstein tried to handle this situation himself, and we all know how well that turned out. Pitchforks, torches, angry villagers.
This is where you have a choice.
Thank you so much, Jen! The biggest benefit from our work together was the actual written developmental edit report. I just love all your insights, and I can’t wait to read it ten more times. The next biggest benefits were the fact that you were flexible with payment plans, open about communication, and willing to negotiate timelines to ensure that the final product met both our creative needs.
Ann Charles Watts
Dayton, Ohio
If you want a smoother-than-Frankenstein path, then you know it's time to call in the support personnel. That's me! If you're ready to get going, immediately below are the basics of how this process works. If you want a more in-depth, nitty-gritty idea of how developmental editing works, scroll down.
The Basics
You send me a note, tell me you’re ready for some editorial support, and share a bit about what you need. We'll exchange a few messages, and decide if we're ready to explore working together.
When we decide to take the next step, I'll send you an invoice for the proposal fee of $350 USD (if you accept the proposal, this fee will be automatically applied toward the editorial fee).
Next, I'll send you a Developmental Edit Prep Sheet for you to fill out. On it, you’ll answer questions to give me a full sense of who you are, what you’ve written, and the kind of support and feedback you need from me.
You send me the completed Prep Sheet as well as the first twenty pages or so, double-spaced, of your book, and I'll carefully consider all of it.
Usually, within a week, I respond with a thorough proposal for you about how we might work together. The proposal will address any particular questions you have and affirm what's already thriving in your work. It will also include how I expect I'll be able to support your story in coming into its most vibrant expression and encourage you in the process. If we decide to move forward, we'll confirm particulars and get dates on the calendar.
On the scheduled date, you take a deep breath, acknowledge your bravery in sharing your work with someone else, and send me your manuscript.
You keep breathing, and I get to work.
I send you feedback, full of constructive observations, ideas, questions, and guidance for you to revise, and we schedule a follow up conversation.
Ready to go? I'd love to hear about your book.
The great thing about Jen is that she never tries to hijack your work and make it sound like her—instead she strives to help the writer develop the story into her own vision. She is one of my go-to people with questions about short stories and novel work, and I count on her opinion quite heavily. Jen Violi is a fantastic writer and a fantastic person to boot. We should all be so lucky to have someone like Jen in our creative arsenals.
Lish McBride
Author of Hold Me Closer, Necromancer – Seattle, WA
The Nitty-Gritty:
I love to settle in with a draft of a book, enter the world the author has created, and put my mind and heart to work.
What I do is look at the big picture and patterns in your story and your writing. For instance, what's your central theme and does your book stay true to that throughout? I consider things like structure and character development, pacing and tension, plot and voice. We all have writing habits; if I notice one of yours that's distracting from your book, I'll tell you (and offer alternatives). I identify where you're rockin' and rollin' as well as where the book might be stuck and how to let it loose, which sometimes means narrowing down and sometimes means expansion.
What I do is developmental editing. This is different than copyediting. While you absolutely need someone to copy edit your book before it goes out into the world, I am not that someone. I am also not a publishing expert. But I know other someones, and I’ll be happy to make a connection whenever I can.
Throughout my life, I've immersed myself in stories—studying them, writing them, and figuring out what makes them work. All of this culminated in the publication of my own novel, Putting Makeup on Dead People.
In 2009, I decided to focus my passion, my education, and my experience into starting my own business. It's been my joy to dive deep into the writing craft and to support other writers in unleashing the stories they're longing to tell.
Below is some of the amazing work of writers whose books and stories I've supported through developmental editing.
Also, I've been (and still visit) right where you are. I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of feedback—which can be extraordinarily helpful and nourishing OR, in careless hands, soul-crushing. I am not in the business of soul-crushing.
I want your soul, and your manuscript, to feel full of life and breath, invigorated as we work together.
The feedback I always find most helpful comes from someone who honors the story I want to tell more than the story they want to tell,
who recognizes and encourages my skills and strengths,
and who uses those to direct me in making my draft stronger.
The feedback I find most helpful notices what's present as much as what's missing and gives equal billing to what needs mending and what's already vibrant and glowing.
And that's just what I'll do for you.
Drop me a line, and let's get cooking!
The writers I get to work with are nothing short of amazing. And I mean it. When a writer allows me the privilege and honor of getting close enough to their work to offer editorial feedback, I get to see the labor, the love, the grief, the joy - all that goes into the process of sharing a book with the world. Below you’ll find a selection of the books I’m thrilled and proud to have worked on. Many of these writers went through hell and back to bring you their stories. All of them went through multiple revisions, deep soul-searching, and big heart work. I'm so delighted to share their work with you.
“Jen honored my voice and sent me back to keep diving deeper and get clearer over and over again. Big Topics at Midnight is a stronger, brighter and more beautiful book because Jen’s beautiful hands touched the book and my life. I am forever grateful.”
Nancy M. Thurston
Big Topics Visionary & Conversation Catalyst - Portland, OR
