“I need an editor!”
If you’ve got an awesome story you want to share with the world, but know it needs a bit of work, I’m here to help!
Maybe you wrote a novel. Maybe it’s a short story. Or perhaps it’s a really great idea that you’re certain has loads of potential if you could only put the dang thing together. In all of these circumstances you need a developmental editor.
That’s me. Hi. I’m Jill and I’m a developmental editor. I offer editorial services for writers of all types. I’m not here to correct your spelling or fix your formatting (though I’m happy to help correct anything I catch), I’m here to help you develop your very good story into something even better.
I’ve taken an alternative path into editing with an unconventional but priceless foundation. I have a BS in Chemistry with seven years of professional writing and editing in industry. I also have a master’s degree in education with another 5 years of experience. I’ve been writing and publishing since 2020 doing developmental edits since 2021 for a diverse client base. I work one on one with authors on a flexible schedule.
If you’ve got a story inside of you that needs to come out (or perhaps it’s come out, but it’s not ready to publish yet and you’ve done all you can) you’ve come to the right place. I work with new and aspiring writers of all levels to help create a finished product they can be proud of. My job is to meet you where you’re at and help you over the finish line. When we’re done your story will be ready for copy edits, proof reads and publication.
PROJECT TYPES: novels, novellas, & short stories
GENRE SPECIALIZATIONS: Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy (including all subgenres), Mystery/Thriller and Romance
Reviews:
“Jill Davies is a highly skilled developmental editor with a remarkable ability to enhance and polish writing while preserving the author’s unique, or in our case, very unique, voice. Her keen eye for detail, educational and scientific background, deep understanding of narrative flow, and expert guidance made her an invaluable asset for our book’s development. Jill’s thoughtful feedback consistently elevated the quality of our manuscript and made our work shine. But beyond that, Jill was incredibly kind, thoughtful, funny, and innovative. She often texted us with additional insights and ideas and went way above and beyond the scope of her contracted job. We would highly recommend her to anyone looking to take their manuscript to the next level.”
“Jill Davies did a thorough developmental edit-type review of my mystery novel and uncovered several structural issues, as well as scenes where my characters weren’t consistent in their actions. She met my deadline- not a given with some of the editors I’ve worked with- and her comments were concise and thoughtful. Her write-up started with how the book fit the conventions of the genre to make sure I wouldn’t disappoint readers. The book was much better after fixing the issues Davies identified, and I strongly recommend her work.” — Paul Ardoin, author of the Fenway Stevenson Mysteries and More.
“Jill Davies understands the tropes and beats of the genre I’ve chosen to write in better than I do. She pointed out expectations that were not met and through the development edit helped me talk through ideas to put the bows on my horror story. She dared to ask tough questions that any reader might wonder when not enough information was provided to the audience and challenged me to fill in those gaps. Through the entire process she was encouraging and handled the constructive criticism with grace and humility. I look forward to working with Jill again when a future need arises.” Zachary O’Shea, Horror author and Tabletop RPG designer
My Services
Developmental and Line Editing:
Developmental & line editing includes world building and character development with a focus on genre-specific plot structure and flow. (And we can’t forget narrative style!) A developmental review will include an honest markup of your manuscript (anything that stands out as inconsistent, problematic, plot holes etc) as well as a developmental letter addressing what is mentioned above (world building insight, character development and plot). The letter will also include my overall thoughts and insights as well as a breakdown of your novel compared to the genre expectations and conventions. Your story will also be broken down by parts for reference. During the line edit phase of the project I will ensure that your ideas are expressed clearly, all muddy text is removed and there’s nothing to distract readers from your message.
Developmental Editing prices start at $0.008/word with custom pricing options available for bigger projects.
Line Editing prices start at $0.01/word with custom pricing options available for bigger projects
Developmental and Line Editing prices start at $0.016/word.
Lump sum packages available as well as payment plan options.