Developmental Editing, Second Edition: A Handbook for Freelancers, Authors, and Publishers

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Scott Norton

Developmental Editing, Second Edition

A Handbook for Freelancers, Authors, and Publishers

Scott Norton

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English

University of Chicago Press
30 January 2024

Writing & editing guides

Series: Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing

The only guide dedicated solely to developmental editing, now revised and updated with new exercises and a chapter on fiction.

Developmental editing—transforming a manuscript into a book that edifies, inspires, and sells—is a special skill, and Scott Norton is one of the best at it. With more than three decades of experience in the field, Norton offers his expert advice on how to approach the task of diagnosing and fixing structural problems with book manuscripts in consultation with authors and publishers. He illustrates these principles through a series of detailed case studies featuring before-and-after tables of contents, samples of edited text, and other materials to make an otherwise invisible process tangible.

This revised edition for the first time includes exercises that allow readers to edit sample materials and compare their work with that of an experienced professional as well as a new chapter on the unique challenges of editing fiction. In addition, it features expanded coverage of freelance business arrangements, self-published authors, e-books, content marketing, and more.

Whether you are an aspiring or experienced developmental editor or an author who works alongside one, you will benefit from Norton’s accessible, collaborative, and realistic approach and guidance. This handbook offers the concrete and essential tools it takes to help books to find their voice and their audience.

By: Scott Norton
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Country of Publication: United States
Edition: Second Edition
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 426g
ISBN: 9780226793634
ISBN 10: 022679363X
Series: Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 30 January 2024
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Preface Introduction What Developmental Editing Is Whom This Book Is For What This Book Covers How to Use the Exercise Packet Some Ground Rules A Few Notes about Cultural Assumptions 1. Concept: Shaping the Proposal Author Profile: The Veteran Client Profile: The Agent Assignment: The Proposal with Too Many Concepts Locate the Concept Profile the Audience Evaluate Market Potential Bring the Vision into Focus 2. Content: Assessing Potential Author Profile: The First-Timer Client Profile: The Big Trade House Assignment: The Tome with Too Many Subjects Size Up the Author Size Up the Publisher Size Up the DE Create a Content Summary Find the Main Subject Exercises 3. Thesis: Finding the Hook Author Profile: The Coauthors Client Profile: The Small Trade House Assignment: The Study with Too Many Theses Cull Theses from Topics Beware of the Rehash Choose the Main Thesis Create a Working Title Exercises 4. Narrative: Tailoring the Timeline Author Profile: The Historian Client Profile: The Copublisher Assignment: The Sprawling Saga Untangle Timelines from Arguments Find the Main Timelines Brainstorm Timeline Strategies Compose the New Timeline Fine-Tune the Timeline Restore Bits of Argument Exercises 5. Exposition: Deploying the Argument Author Profile: The Theorist Client Profile: The University Press Assignment: The Theory with Too Many Tangents Untangle Arguments from Timelines Find the Main Arguments Brainstorm Argument Strategies Compose the New Argument Fine-Tune the Argument Restore Bits of Timeline Exercises 6. Plan: Drafting a Blueprint Write Up the Plan Compose Chapter Theses Intervene Strategically Exercises 7. Rhythm: Setting the Pace Author Profile: The Sole Authority Client Profile: The Regional House Assignment: The Local History Turned Personal Rearrange the Furniture Draft New Passages Balance Chapter Weights Edit for Pace Exercises 8. Transitions: Filling in the Blanks Author Profile: The Dead Author Client Profile: The Self-Publisher Assignment: The Memoir with Lapses Create Opening Transitions Create Closing Transitions Draw Conclusions Place Those Conclusions Exercises 9. Style: Training the Voice Author Profile: The Journalist Client Profile: The Book Packager Assignment: The Story with Too Many Voices Set the Tone Parse the Rhetoric Master Abstraction Gauge the Ironies Harmonize the Voices 10. Display: Dressing Up the Text Author Profile: The Author-for-Hire Client Profile: The Trade Reference House Assignment: The Guidebook with Poor Signage Consider Subheads Anticipate the E-Version Consider Epigraphs Draft an Art Plan Illustrate Concepts Visualize Data Test-Drive Maps Add Lagniappe 11. Fiction: Weaving the Dream Author Profile: The Friend Client Profile: The Genre Boutique Assignment: The Novel with Genre Dysphoria Vet the Premise Scope Out the Form Position the Narrator Scout the Setting Know the Genre Advance the Plot Render the Characters Sweat the Details Afterword to Publishers Further Reading Acknowledgments Index

Scott Norton was formerly a developmental editor at the University of California Press, where he eventually served as the director of editing, design, and production before retiring in 2020.