So, you’ve finished your draft (first off, congratulations!), and now you’re wondering: what’s next? If you’ve started looking into editing, you’ve probably seen the term developmental editing pop up. It’s the big-picture edit — the one that helps shape your story into its strongest, clearest, most engaging version.

But then comes the tricky question: how much does a developmental editor cost? Let’s break it down in plain English.

Agents and editors receive hundreds of submissions a month. Most make a decision within the first page, often the first paragraph. Because they’ve learned to recognize something crucial:

A strong opening proves the writer understands storytelling.