IndieCat Editorial
Developmental Fiction Editing
fix your plot, characterisation, and more
Developmental editing for speculative, historical, literary, thriller, & romance fiction
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Looking for detailed feedback?
I'm Karen McKellar and I'm a developmental editor of fiction and memoir.
Indie authors work hard on their manuscripts and want their books to do well, just like any other writer. But you don’t have the support of a publishing house or agent.
That’s where I can help. Manuscript critiques and developmental edits can give you fresh insight into your story and characters. Armed with editorial feedback and an actionable rewrite plan, you can move on towards your final drafts with confidence.
I’m a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and a vetted Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.
Banner image by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
On the blog:
selection of blog posts
What is the difference between a manuscript critique and a developmental edit? What do you get in one versus the other?
Do you have a novel or memoir that showed a lot of promise but ended up rejected? Is it time to dust it off and rework it?
Dialogue can make your scenes sparky and vibrant. Great dialogue can also boost tension But dialogue can also be problematic.
selection of blog posts
Some writers pay for a copyedit before they send their manuscript to a developmental edit. This post addresses why this is a mistake.
Does your novel have different locations? What happens when your write about places you know AND places you’ve never visited?
Period language can really bring a historical era to life, but how much is too much? And what are the drawbacks of using it?
Main editing services:
ignite your plot, characters, and more!
Opening Chapters
Grab a detailed developmental edit of your first 15,000 words, with a report and track commenting. This feedback is based on several reading passes of your manuscript.
Manuscript Critique
Get a detailed 20-30 page report on your manuscript’s plot, structure, characters, and more! This feedback is based on several reads and not just one or two passes.
Developmental Edit
Get the most detailed feedback of all – margin comments throughout your manuscript and a report. Generally there are four complete passes of the manuscript.
More information:
Genres
I’ve worked with manuscripts in the following genres:
- Science fiction, fantasy, and horror - adult and YA.
- Thriller and crime - adult and YA.
- Historical fiction - adult and YA.
- Romance - adult and YA.
- Literary fiction - adult and YA.
- Memoir - adult and YA.
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want to check out the services page?
Click below to see what's available.
Or email me at karen@indiecateditorial.com to discuss your project.