Developmental Content Editing is a type of content editing that focuses on ensuring the overall effectiveness of a text. It typically entails attending to the overall structure, development, organization, and flow of the text. Developmental editors also consider the appropriateness of the text for its intended audience as well as its potential marketability.
A developmental editor looks at the content from the reader's perspective, to identify and refine the structure of the content in order to improve its readability, comprehension, and enjoyment. This type of editing involves the editor providing feedback on the content’s structure, flow, language, and other elements that improve the final product.
To accomplish this, developmental editors read the content from start to finish and consider the following:
• Is the content well structured, organized, and easy to follow?
• Are there any places where the text might be difficult to understand or terms that need clarification?
• Does the content flow in a logical way, without redundant or unnecessary information?
• Is the audience and purpose of the content clear?
• Does the content meet the objectives of the writer, the publisher, and the reader?
• Does the content need more evidence or data to be convincing?
• Are there any changes that should be made to make the content more concise or informative?
Developmental Content Editing is an important step in the content editing process, as it ensures that the content is clear, understandable, and enjoyable for the readers. This type of editing is necessary for any content-based project or document, including books, articles, blog posts, reports, white papers, and presentations.