When it comes to developmental and line editing, some editors offer a ton of detailed feedback while others tend to summarize their findings. With so much variance, how do you know what your editor’s feedback should include?
My experiences as an editor and a writer suggest your editor’s feedback must include three things—constructive criticism, educated explanations, and actionable advice.
Let’s examine them one by one.
Constructive Criticism
You’ve mustered the courage to share your work with an editor. Of course you want to hear positive things about your writing, and your editor should offer that kind of encouragement. But to help you create the best version of your work—which is my aim whenever I break out my proverbial red pen—your editor’s feedback should include constructive criticism.
Constructive criticism is honest and respectful, acknowledging what works while suggesting how to make it better. It conveys “this aspect of your manuscript could be improved” not “this aspect of your manuscript is terrible, wrong, uninteresting, etc.”
I have had to tell writers that this character arc is unfinished or that conversation underserves the core conflict, but I always do so with tremendous respect for the author’s work on their project thus far and a stated belief in their ability to make the right changes.
Constructive vs. Destructive Criticism
What’s the opposite of constructive? That’s right—destructive. These two words normally invoke contradictory feelings, but when either word is paired with criticism, we focus so much on the criticism that the difference between constructive and destructive disappears.
But that difference is crucial because it encapsulates the heart of your editor’s job—to help build up your manuscript, not tear it down. Yes, this passage may need improvement or that chapter may need stronger supporting data, but your editor should tell you that in a way that is empowering, not embarrassing.
To gauge what kind of feedback an editor might give, read reviews from their other clients. Do they mention feeling supported and encouraged? Do they say the editor is personable or kind? Also, note the tone in the editor’s blogs, social media posts, or correspondence with you. Editors are a diverse breed with various communication styles, but no matter our diction, the feedback we give should be constructive, not destructive.
Educated Explanations
In copy editing and proofreading, editing decisions are mainly based on established rules of English grammar—e.g., “cities and states are capitalized” or “you can’t use a semicolon and a colon together.”
In developmental editing and line editing, however, most suggestions are based on writing conventions, expectations for your book’s genre or type, and your editor’s discretion—none of which have finite rules or guidelines. Moreover, this feedback will likely differ from what your writing group, best friend, or beta readers shared, making it additionally surprising and possibly difficult to hear.
For this reason, it’s easy to dismiss your editor’s suggestions as mere opinions rather than sound advice based on their education, experience, and expertise. Because opinions carry far less weight than facts, your editor should anchor their suggestions with educated explanations.
It’s one thing for your editor to suggest changing a character’s name because they think it’s too common in modern fiction. It’s another thing if they note that “Leah” is too similar to “Lee” and “Leanne,” two other characters in the same cozy mystery, and this similarity might confuse your readers. You may disagree with that assessment, but you can see that it’s rooted in what’s best for your target audience.
An Alternative to Education Explanations
Instead of offering an educated explanation, your editor could ask a question to understand your writing choices. Returning to Leah, Lee, and Leanne, your editor could ask if you chose those names randomly, for personal reasons, or because they’re important to the plot—e.g., main character Leah uncovers an important clue because someone misdelivers a package intended for her next-door neighbor Leanne. This questioning approach shows respect for your thought process, elevating your ideas above your editor’s preferences where they belong.
Actionable Advice
Let’s assume your editor’s feedback has included constructive criticism and educated explanations so far. Knowing about a potential issue in your manuscript is nice, but knowing what to do about it is necessary.
This is why actionable advice is critical in developmental and line editing. Your editor should not only be able to tell you what needs improvement—they should also tell you how to improve it. This is your project, so you can use or refuse their suggestions. But without actionable advice, your editor’s feedback is doing only half its job.
If the names “Leah,” “Lee,” and “Leanne” had no bearing on the plot, I would suggest keeping “Leah” because she’s the main character and changing the other two to something else. “Bree” and “Joanne” sound like “Lee” and “Leanne” whereas “Luz” and “Lorraine” are different enough from each other and from “Leah” to prevent reader confusion. One could also choose two names randomly, of course, unconnected to the original names or similar to other names in the story.
Changing character names isn’t difficult, so these suggestions might not seem important. But if you’re concerned about a bigger or more complex issue in your manuscript, knowing your editor gives actionable advice will make the prospect of revising that aspect of your project less daunting. Offering advice in the first place also underscores your editor’s commitment to your work—after all, we only give advice when we care.
Depending on your writing strengths and struggles, you may prioritize one of these three components over another. In any case, your developmental and line editor should consistently provide constructive criticism, educated explanations, and actionable advice on your work.
Hi! I’m Denise Leora Madre, writer, editor, and persnickety bibliophile. I help writers present the best version of their work and would love to do the same for you. If you’d like to get started, send me a message!