Most writers don’t need someone to tell them where to place a comma. They need help understanding why a scene isn’t working, where the story loses momentum, or how a character arc quietly derails halfway through the book. That’s why I focus on developmental editing—and why it’s the most impactful stage a manuscript can go through. Developmental Editing Is Where Stories Are Made (or Broken)

For many writers, a developmental edit can feel mysterious—sometimes even intimidating. You hand over a manuscript you’ve invested months (or years) into, and weeks later, you get pages of feedback that seem to completely reshape the story. So, what exactly happens during a developmental edit? Let’s pull back the curtain. It Starts With the Big Picture A developmental edit doesn't start at the sentence level.

For many fantasy writers, editing feels like the final—and often most confusing—step before publication. You know you need an editor, but when you see price ranges that vary greatly, it can feel overwhelming or even discouraging. Unfortunately, much of the frustration around editing costs stems from common misconceptions about what editing really involves and why it is priced the way it is.

Hiring an editor is one of the most important investments a fantasy author can make—but when and how you hire one is just as crucial as who you choose. Submitting an unpolished manuscript to an editor not only costs more but also limits the value you can gain from the edit itself. Before bringing in professional eyes, there are several key steps you should take to ensure your manuscript—and your world—are prepared for meaningful feedback.

Fantasy doesn’t require constant misery, graphic violence, or nihilism to seem mature. While grimdark has established a strong niche, many readers seek stories that feel adult in a more meaningful and resonant way—through emotional depth, moral complexity, and immersive worlds rather than shock tactics. So, what truly makes fantasy feel mature without becoming bleak? Emotional Complexity Over Excessive Darkness Adult fantasy often focuses on…

Fantasy writers love crafting their magic systems. Hard rules, soft rules, costs, limits, elemental charts, glyphs, bloodlines—you’ve created something complex and brilliant. It can be frustrating when readers don’t notice or care right away. Here’s the truth most writers learn the hard way: readers don’t care about your magic system at first—and that’s normal. Readers Enter Stories Through Emotion, Not Rules…

In fantasy writing, setting is never just a background. It’s an active element—one that influences character choices, controls pacing, and enhances emotional resonance. The most memorable fantasy scenes succeed because the setting works alongside plot and character to carry narrative weight. When used effectively, setting turns a simple moment into a compelling, immersive experience. Setting as Emotional Architecture Strong fantasy settings are created to evoke emotions.

Fantasy is one of the most ambitious genres in fiction. It asks readers to believe in entirely new worlds, unfamiliar rules, invented histories, and often sprawling casts of characters—all while providing an emotionally satisfying story. Because of this complexity, fantasy manuscripts often benefit from developmental editing more than novels in many other genres. Developmental editing emphasizes the big picture: structure, pacing, character arcs, worldbuilding integration, and narrative clarity.

One of the most common questions writers ask editors is deceptively simple: “Do I need an edit, or do I need a rewrite?” The confusion is understandable—both involve improving a manuscript, both can dramatically change a story, and both are often used interchangeably in writing circles. However, rewriting and editing are two different processes, and choosing the wrong one can waste time, money, and creative energy.

Many fantasy writers sense something's off with their manuscript long before they can pinpoint it. The story feels sluggish, the tension diminishes, or the climax falls flat—but line edits and rewrites don’t solve the problem. From an editor’s point of view, these symptoms almost always indicate structural problems rather than stylistic ones. Structural problems lie beneath the prose. They influence how the story is constructed, how tension builds, and how…

Worldbuilding is one of the most exciting parts of writing fantasy. Creating magic systems, political structures, histories, cultures, and maps can be as immersive as writing the novel itself. But from an editor’s perspective, one of the most common issues I see in fantasy manuscripts is excessive worldbuilding—done too early, too often, or in the wrong places.

Many writers reach the revision stage convinced that their manuscript only needs “cleaning up.” The prose feels awkward, the dialogue could shine more, and maybe a few descriptions are too lengthy. So they hire a line editor—only to find out that the story still doesn’t work. Readers stay confused, pacing slows down, and the emotional impact falls flat. That’s because line edits can’t fix a broken plot.

The first ten pages of your manuscript do more heavy lifting than almost any other section of your book. From a developmental editor’s perspective, these pages reveal not just what kind of story you’re telling, but how well you understand the craft behind it. Long before an editor reaches the midpoint—or even chapter three—we can usually identify the manuscript’s core strengths and its most pressing problems.

Travel is a common element in fantasy novels. Characters traverse kingdoms, explore dangerous lands, and head toward world-changing locations. However, travel scenes can also cause pacing issues. Pages may be filled with walking, riding, and waiting, causing the story’s flow to slow down. Creating effective travel scenes in fantasy isn’t about rushing the journey—it’s about making each mile meaningful. Why Travel Scenes Feel Slow in Fantasy…

For many fantasy authors, the query letter is more challenging to write than the novel itself. You’ve crafted a vast world, developed intricate magic systems, and followed your characters through epic journeys—now you must condense all of that into a single page. A strong fantasy query letter doesn’t cover everything. Instead, it demonstrates your understanding of story, stakes, and the…

Social media can feel overwhelming for fantasy authors—especially when you’d rather focus on worldbuilding than posting. The good news? You don’t need to be everywhere, and you don’t have to dance on camera to grow an audience. Platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram excel at visual storytelling, making them especially powerful tools for fantasy writers. When used intentionally, these platforms can help you attract readers who already love immersive worlds, magical systems, and epic characters.

Religion and mythology are foundational elements of compelling fantasy and science fiction worlds. When executed effectively, they shape cultures, influence politics, guide character choices, and deepen emotional engagement. When poorly handled, they resemble decorative lore—interesting but ultimately hollow. To create religions and mythologies that truly resonate, writers must focus on their function, belief systems, and consequences rather than just superficial appearances.

One of the most common questions fantasy writers ask—especially when preparing to query agents or self-publish—is deceptively simple: How long should my fantasy novel be? The answer varies greatly depending on subgenre, audience, and publishing route. Fantasy offers more flexibility than many genres, but word count still matters. Industry standards influence agent interest, reader satisfaction, and even production costs. Knowing these benchmarks can help you better position your manuscript.

Creating a fully developed culture is one of the most rewarding parts of writing speculative fiction—but it can also be among the most challenging. Many writers accidentally imitate real-world cultures too closely, or worse, unintentionally reinforce stereotypes. The key to success is designing cultures that feel genuine without being direct copies of Earth’s history. Here’s how to craft imaginative, respectful, and immersive cultures that stand uniquely within your world.

Backstory is crucial—it's the emotional foundation that gives your characters depth, motivations, wounds, and desires. However, when mishandled, it can halt a story's progress. As a developmental editor, one of the most common issues I help writers address is finding the right balance between revealing and overexplaining. Backstory should support the scene, not derail it. When done effectively, it enriches character development, fosters emotional bonds, and heightens narrative tension without the reader ever noticing the craftsmanship behind it.

Dialogue is one of the most powerful tools in storytelling — it shapes pacing, reveals character, builds tension, and carries emotional weight. But when editing your manuscript, it’s easy to accidentally “smooth” dialogue so much that your characters all start sounding the same… or worse, lose the author’s natural voice entirely. Strengthening dialogue isn’t about rewriting a character from scratch. It’s about improving clarity, sharpening purpose, and reinforcing the emotional tone—while keeping the unique voice that makes your writing yours.

Writers often spend countless hours on their opening chapter, only to feel frustrated when it still doesn’t work. Maybe beta readers aren’t hooked, agents stop reading early, or you sense something isn’t clicking but can’t figure out why. The truth is simple: first chapters carry a huge weight. They introduce your world, tone, main character, and central conflict—all while convincing readers to trust and keep reading.

When creating a fantasy world, writers often focus on magic systems, maps, and mythical creatures—yet the political structure underneath everything is what gives the world its substance. A credible political system influences culture, conflict, character motivation, and the stakes that propel your story forward. Whether your story involves royal courts, shadow councils, democratic assemblies of sorcerers, or ancient guilds fighting for power, developing a realistic political framework adds depth that readers sense even when they aren’t consciously aware of it.

Pacing is one of the most overlooked elements of craft in speculative fiction, yet it directly influences how readers experience your story. In fantasy and sci-fi—genres known for detailed worldbuilding, large casts, and complex magic or technology—pacing issues can easily slip in. Chapters might drag from too much exposition, action scenes may become vague without emotional grounding, or key plot moments could rush past without giving readers enough time to feel their significance.

Line editing a magic system is one of the most delicate—and transformative—parts of polishing a fantasy manuscript. While developmental editing focuses on the big-picture logic and structure of your magic, line editing zooms in to refine how that magic reads on the page. Editors aren’t just looking for clarity; they’re looking for voice, rhythm, emotional resonance, and consistency at the sentence level.