Editorial Projects · Sample Work
Structural Edit: 120k Literary Manuscript
A developmental edit that resolved a collapsing middle act.
Genre
Literary fiction, 120,000 words
Year
2025
Timeline
5 weeks · 2 passes · 1 revision call
Challenge
Strong opening and ending, with thirty chapters of drift between them.
Approach
A scene-level audit mapped tension chapter by chapter, then chapters were resequenced and consolidated where two scenes did the same narrative job.
Creative Process
An editorial letter plus chapter-by-chapter notes gave the author a clear revision path, ordered by impact so the biggest fix came first.
Final Result
Manuscript reduced by 14% with a restored narrative spine.
Lessons / Impact
Illustrates why structure is edited before sentences.
Deliverables
- 12-page editorial letter
- Chapter-by-chapter notes for 42 chapters
- Scene-level tension and POV map
- Suggested revision order with priorities
Specification
- Length in
- 120,400 words
- Length out
- 103,500 words (−14%)
- Chapters
- 42 reduced to 34
- Focus
- Structure, pacing, POV consistency
Services Provided
- Manuscript evaluation
- Developmental editing
- Line editing
Tools & Standards
- Word track changes
- Scrivener outline
- Custom scene matrix
Project Outcome
Outcome field reserved for verified client results.
Sample Work. Created to demonstrate craft and process, not presented as delivered client work.
Start a Project Like This
Next Chapter
Your Book Is Ready for Its Next Chapter.
Tell us where you are in your author journey and we'll help you identify the next step.