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No word count goals. No pressure. Just writing support, thoughtful encouragement, and space to reflect.
🌿 Progress doesn’t have to be loud to matter. Make it yours.
Not every season of writing needs to be loud.
Sometimes progress is quiet, steady, and entirely your own.
This October, Prose in Progress returns—a free seasonal series to support fiction writers from start to finish, no matter your pace or path.
A little reminder that stories are meant to be lived in, not kept tidy.
Here’s to the books (and WIPs) that keep us up past bedtime. 📚💙
Remember: feedback is meant to support you, not overwhelm you.
You’re in control of what changes you make and how you make them.
Tip 10: Ask questions.
Feedback should be a conversation, not a one-way report. A quick clarification can save hours of second-guessing.
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Tip 9: Try "what if" thinking.
Unsure about a suggestion? Test it in a low-stakes draft. Even if it doesn't stick, it might spark an even stronger solution.
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Tip 8: Compare your plan with your editor's.
Which steps move your story closer to your goals? Sometimes the best path is a blend of both approaches.
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Tip 7: Write out a game plan.
You don't need to fix everything at once. Start with one major area—like plot or character development—and work in manageable chunks.
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Tip 6: Separate craft from self.
Feedback critiques the story on the page, not your worth as a writer. Holding that perspective makes feedback easier to apply.
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Tip 5: Review comments.
Comments in your manuscript (if applicable) show you feedback in context. They connect the big-picture points in your letter to specific pages in your manuscript.
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Tip 4: Highlight helpful takeaways.
Mark the suggestions that resonate, questions you want to revisit, or themes that feel exciting. They’ll serve as "early wins."
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Tip 3: Focus on your strengths.
Recognize what's working well first. It boosts confidence and helps you approach feedback with clarity instead of defensiveness.
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Tip 2: Take breaks.
Feedback takes time to sink in. Stepping away shifts you from "react" mode to "reflect" mode. Your subconscious often keeps working in the background.
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Tip 1: Skim first, absorb later.
Read your Editorial Letter once without reacting or taking notes. Let it sit for a day or two. You'll absorb more clearly when you return.
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Opening an editorial letter can feel overwhelming 🤮
But feedback is meant to guide you, not overwhelm you.
Here are 10 tips for navigating developmental feedback with more confidence. 🧵
Still not sure which one you need? I’m happy to talk it through. ☕
writewayedits.com/contact/
Choose a developmental edit if:
🔸 you’re revising a complete draft
🔸 you want detailed comments and structural support
🔸 you’re ready to shape your story scene by scene and go deeper into the revision process
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Choose a manuscript assessment if:
🔸 you’re in an early draft stage
🔸 you want guidance before diving into deeper edits
🔸 you’re working with a tighter budget but still want big-picture support
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Both services help you strengthen the core of your story.
The right choice depends on where you are in your revision process, how much feedback you want or need, and how much time and budget you’re able to invest.
So which one might you need?
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Developmental editing:
Best for bold roast revisions—deep, rich, and ready for a thorough brew cycle.
Manuscript assessment:
Best for a light roast look—helpful feedback that still lets you steep at your own pace.
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A manuscript assessment (also called an evaluation or a mini dev edit) provides feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of your story without in-manuscript comments.
🔸 detailed Editorial Letter only
🔸 insights on what’s working and suggestions for revision
🔸 guidance on next steps
3/7 ☕
Developmental editing offers in-depth, scene-level feedback on the structure, plot, pacing, character arcs, and worldbuilding of your story.
🔸 detailed Editorial Letter
🔸 in-manuscript margin notes and queries
🔸 suggestions for revision and restructuring
🔸 guidance on what’s working well
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Interested in big-picture feedback but not sure which service to choose?
Both developmental edits and manuscript assessments focus on story-level elements—but the level of depth (and price tag) is very different.
Read on for the differences:
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Manuscript revisions meet your morning routine.
Here’s how the main stages of editing line up with a good cup of coffee. ☕
Which brew are you looking for?
#BookSky #WritingCommunity
🔹 Publishers often use house style on top of standard guides.
🔹 There’s no single “right” way to write something. Style choices are often about consistency, not correctness.
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DYK?
🔹 Style guides like CMOS are updated regularly.
🔹 Not all style guides agree with each other.
🔹 Authors can use style sheets to track details across drafts and series. They also make it easier for proofreaders, typesetters, or future editors trying to keep everything consistent.
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Used together, they help your editor make decisions that support clarity, consistency, and your story’s voice.
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Key differences:
Style guides provide a shared set of rules so your manuscript is edited consistently and professionally.
Style sheets capture the choices that are unique to your manuscript—from character names and made-up words to stylistic preferences and quirks.
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🔹 worldbuilding terms and invented words
🔹 character names and descriptions
🔹 location and setting details
🔹 timeline consistency
🔹 tone, voice, or style notes
Your copyeditor builds this to track your manuscript’s details and keep everything consistent across the edit (and between rounds).
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