EDITORIAL SERVICES
Your manuscript, brought to the standard your story deserves.
Good editing doesn't change your voice — it frees it. Whether your manuscript needs structural work from the ground up or a final precision check before typesetting, DPC's editorial services are delivered by experienced editors who treat your book with the care it deserves.
WHERE EDITORIAL FITS IN THE JOURNEY
STEP-BY-STEP DETAIL
What happens at each stage
Every stage is explained below — what Dave's team does, what's expected of you, and how long each typically takes. Nothing should come as a surprise.
STAGE 1 — DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING
The big picture: does your book work as a whole?
WHAT IT COVERS
Overall structure and chapter architecture
Narrative pacing — where the book moves too fast or too slow
Plot logic, consistency and plausibility (fiction)
Character arc, motivation and development (fiction)
Argument structure and logical flow (non-fiction)
Theme, tone and overall reader experience
Chapter and scene balance, openings and endings
What's missing, excessive or out of order
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
A detailed editorial report (typically 2,000–5,000 words) with specific page references
Inline manuscript comments highlighting key structural observations
Prioritised recommendations — what to address first
A follow-up call to discuss the report and answer questions
Guidance on the next editorial stage needed after revisions
WHO NEEDS THIS
Recommended for first drafts or early manuscripts where the author isn't yet confident the structure is working — or where beta readers have flagged pacing,
character or logic issues without being able to pinpoint why.
Not recommended as the last stage before publication. If your manuscript is structurally sound and you've already revised it, copy or line editing is the more
appropriate next step.
2–4 weeks for a full-length novel
STAGE 2 — COPY EDITING
Consistency, clarity and coherence across the whole manuscript.
WHAT IT COVERS
Internal consistency — names, dates, facts, timelines
Tense consistency and point of view stability
Clarity of expression — ambiguous or muddled phrasing
Tone and register — is the voice consistent throughout?
Repetition — word, phrase and idea level
Style sheet creation — record of all agreed usages
Factual accuracy flags (non-fiction)
Chapter and section heading consistency
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
Full manuscript returned with tracked changes in Word
Editorial comments explaining key changes or flagging decisions for your review
A style sheet documenting all agreed spellings, hyphenations, capitalisation and usage choices
A short editorial summary noting main issues found and addressed
WHO NEEDS THIS
Appropriate for manuscripts that are structurally complete and have been through at least one round of revision. The most commonly used DPC editorial service —the majority of well-structured manuscripts come to us for copy editing as their primary editorial stage.
The style sheet produced during copy editing is essential input for the typesetter and proofreader.
The style sheet produced here is passed to the proofreader and typesetter — a critical document for your whole publishing project.
STAGE 3 — LINE EDITING
Sentence by sentence: sharper, stronger, still unmistakably yours.
WHAT IT COVERS
Sentence structure — variety, rhythm and flow
Word choice — precision, freshness, avoiding cliché
Redundancy and padding — cutting without losing meaning
Paragraph construction and transition
Dialogue naturalness and attribution (fiction)
Passive voice, weak verbs and overused constructions
Show vs tell balance (fiction)
Clarity of technical explanation (non-fiction)
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
Full manuscript returned with tracked changes in Word — every suggestion visible and individually approvable
Margin comments explaining the reasoning behind significant or stylistic changes
Optional: a short editorial note on recurring stylistic patterns to watch for in future writing
WHO NEEDS THIS
Most valuable for authors whose manuscript is structurally strong and copy-consistent but whose prose needs refinement — often first-time authors or experienced
authors writing in a new form or genre.
Line editing is often combined with copy editing into a single pass for efficiency. Worth discussing during the consultation.
Line editing and copy editing can be combined into a single pass for the right manuscript — ask about this during your consultation.
STAGE 4 — PROOFREADING
The final check: nothing goes to print with errors in it.
WHAT IT COVERS
Spelling — including correctly spelled but wrong-context words
Punctuation — commas, apostrophes, quotation marks, dashes
Grammar — subject-verb agreement, tense slips, fragments
Consistency with the copy editing style sheet
Page numbers, headers, footers and chapter headings (typeset proof)
Widows, orphans and bad line breaks (typeset proof)
Any errors introduced during the typesetting process
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
Manuscript or typeset proof returned with all errors marked
Word: tracked changes · PDF proof: annotation marks
A short error summary noting any patterns or recurring issues
Confirmation that the manuscript meets DPC's publication-readiness standard
WHO NEEDS THIS
Most valuable for authors whose manuscript is structurally strong and copy-consistent but whose prose needs refinement — often first-time authors or experienced
authors writing in a new form or genre.
Line editing is often combined with copy editing into a single pass for efficiency. Worth discussing during the consultation.
Line editing and copy editing can be combined into a single pass for the right manuscript — ask about this during your consultation.
WHICH EDITORIAL SERVICES DO I NEED?
Not sure which services you need?
I've just finished my first draft
Your manuscript almost certainly needs structural work before anything else. A first draft, however promising, benefits enormously from developmental editing — the edit that separates a promising manuscript from a publishable one.
I've revised my manuscript several times already
A well-revised manuscript with a solid structure may not need developmental editing — copy and line editing followed by proofreading is the more likely starting
point. We'll assess the manuscript to confirm.
I've already had it professionally edited elsewhere
If your manuscript has been through a full editorial process, a professional proofread of the final version before typesetting is the appropriate next step
Readers say the pacing is off or they lose interest
Pacing issues are structural — this is developmental editing territory. Feedback that a book "dragged" or readers "put it down" is a strong signal that structural
work is needed before copy or line editing begins.
My manuscript is non-fiction / business / self-help
Non-fiction benefits most from copy editing (for argument clarity and consistency) and often line editing (for accessible prose). Developmental editing is
recommended if the chapter structure or argument isn't fully resolved.
I'm working to a tight deadline
Tell us your deadline in the consultation — we'll be honest about what's achievable and at what standard. If time is short, we'll recommend the most impactful
editorial pass for your manuscript rather than trying to fit everything in.
A free consultation costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Ready to give your manuscript the editorial attention it deserves?
Book a free consultation and we'll assess your manuscript,
recommend the editorial stages that will make the most difference,
and give you a written quote — before you commit to anything.
