And it all starts with a great website.

(That sounds like a lame catchphrase for a web design company, but it's true.)

Key Notes on Author Websites:

• Author websites build a direct and personal connection with your readers, fostering a relationship that goes well beyond the pages of your book while also showcasing your work as a professional in the writing world.
• A well-designed website helps to establish and reinforce your brand (which is more important than many people want to admit—including me) and it also enhances your discoverability online.
• As an author, your website can serve as a centralized hub for marketing, whether you’re promoting books, hosting giveaways, or sharing updates to engage with your audience.
• Although social media is important (don’t hate the player, but you can totally hate the game), those platforms and their audiences are owned by someone else. Your website, on the other hand, is owned and managed by you—ensuring a more stable and enduring online identity.
• Although they can be expensive if you hire a design service, there ARE plenty of free or low-cost options for building and maintaining your website yourself, with no coding experience necessary.

At the end of the day, your author website can be whatever you want it to be. I like to think of it as an extension of yourself, your creativity, and sometimes even your life. 

You’re a storyteller, after all—so why not use that platform to tell your own?

1. A Captivating Homepage

What's the first thing a person sees when they visit your website? 

Your homepage! 

This is where you can set the tone based on your body of work or personality. You might make it as inviting as a library with a comfy reading nook, as exciting as a high-speed car chase, or as low-key and minimalist as a sheet of paper. 

Think of it as your home: what is it that you want a person to feel when they step inside the front door?

Using Dark Star Lit as an example, I wanted to set a fantastical yet warm and inviting tone that would appeal to writers, particularly fiction. I also knew I wanted books and stars to be prominent visuals, given my branding. (I also love the night sky and of course, books.) 

So you can start there: what elements appeal to you, your genre(s), your brand, and the audience you’re growing?

Beyond the basic design, which you'll figure out later, your homepage should provide easy access to every other section of your website, which might include:

• Your projects and/or upcoming releases
• An “about me” page
• A blog, if you have one
• Contact information
• Anything else your site offers

On your homepage, you might splash a stunning author photo, sprinkle some engaging snippets about your latest work, or insightful comments about your work, but whatever you do, don't forget to add a touch of intrigue—you want readers to feel like they're unlocking a treasure chest!

Great author website examples include:

• Roxane Gay: takes a simple approach with an emphasis on her work (most recent, other recents, and then her “about”)
• Terry Pratchett: takes a much more graphic-heavy approach but you get a feel for his universe (literally) right away; as a side note, I appreciate that even in death, his web presence lives on
• Rick Riordan: a writer of well-known adventures (Percy Jackson), his homepage takes you ON one as you scroll down the page, mimicking his stories while promoting them in a badass way
• Alison Huff: yes, I’m including my own because I love it—I wanted an eclectic slice-of-life snapshot style because I don’t adhere to a single genre, so I made Polaroid-like graphics and used them throughout for a more eclectic presentation

My best advice? Scope out author sites, note what you love about them (or don’t love about them), and use those notes as a guide for building your own home on the web.

2. About Me (The Storyteller Behind the Stories)

In the 'About Me' section, let your personality shine like a character in one of your novels. Share your journey as a writer, some of your quirks, and maybe a funny anecdote or two.

Readers love to connect with the person behind the pen. After all, who wouldn't want to know the genius who concocted those plot twists that kept them up till 3 a.m.?

There are no real “rules” here—your ‘About’ page can include anything you want it to. It is about you, after all.  

3. The Bookshelf (Showcase Your Masterpieces)

Think of this as your own personal exhibit in the Hall of Fame—but with fewer marble statues and more gripping plot summaries. 

Include eye-catching book covers or conceptual art, brief descriptions, and links to where readers can get their hands on your books. You want to make it as easy as you can, so if your books are available through multiple platforms, be sure to include all of them.

4. Blog (Fresh Content, Always On Tap)

If you’ve got the time and energy, establish a blog section where you can unleash your thoughts, share writing tips, and maybe even sprinkle in a dash of your daily life here and there. Readers love a behind-the-scenes peek into the minds of their favorite wordsmiths. 

Plus, a blog is a fantastic way to keep your website fresh and climbing those search engine rankings. I’ll cover a lot more about SEO later on in another article, but a blog can help your site rank for keywords and content beyond your name and catalog. That means more traffic, more brand recognition, and more conversions (sales) over time.

5. Contact Info (Keeping Lines of Communication Open)

If you want to engage with your readers on a personal level, you should make it easy for your fans to reach out to you. Create a contact page with a simple form or provide an email address where they can shoot you a message. 

One word of caution if you do the latter: I highly recommend not using your personal email address because you will get spam from scammers who are “publishers” or “movie producers” who aren’t really those things.

If you don't want folks to be able to reach you directly, that's okay—and even understandable. In that case, a generic info(at)yourdomain(dot)com email can be helpful should any issues arise on your website. For instance, someone goes to buy a book and discovers a link is broken. Who are they going to tell if there is no contact information anywhere?

(And how many sales might you lose if it takes you days, weeks, or months to discover there's a problem?)

6. Social Media Integration (Spread the Word—Literally)

Like it or not, we live in a social media age. Integrate your social media handles seamlessly into your website so readers can follow your Twitter eXcapades, Instantgram adventures, or Bookface musings without missing a beat. 

And you don’t have to be on every single platform. It’s far better to choose one or two that YOU like using because you’ll be more likely to. Social media “looks” easy-breezy but it takes considerable time, too. Don’t commit to platforms you’re not going to follow through with—you’ll end up abandoning those audiences if you're not posting regularly.

(I know, because I suck at social media and am trying to become better at sticking with it.)

7. Events (Share the Latest Happenings)

If you're jet-setting across the country for book signings, speaking engagements, or literary festivals, shout it from the rooftops! 

Create an events page to keep your readers updated on where they can meet the genius behind the pen. Who knows, you might even attract a few groupies—the book-loving kind, of course!

8. Newsletter Signup (Your Owned Audience)

It's a good idea to incorporate a newsletter signup feature because that's an audience you own and manage yourself. Your fabulous Facebook page with 10 million followers could disappear in a tragic Facebook accident on a dark and stormy night but the email list you own . . . that's forever. (As long as you keep your data backed up.)

You might offer exclusive content, sneak peeks, special promotions, giveaways, or even just occasional updates through your newsletter. Incentivize your readers to join your newsletter so they feel like they're part of an exclusive literary club with a backstage pass to your writing world.

Two words of caution: Don’t annoy your newsletter list by sending too-frequent updates. Make sure people know what to expect from your newsletter (daily, weekly, or monthly updates) before they sign up.

Also, if using MailChimp, note that it requires a mailing address to be included in the footer of any automated emails/newsletters you send out; you can use a P.O. box for this but it’s just a thing to be aware of. 

9. Media Kit (Impress the Journalists)

Especially if you've got an upcoming release, prepare a media kit—a downloadable PDF or viewable-to-anyone Google folder kit that includes high-resolution author photos, book covers, a brief bio, and any press releases or accolades you've gathered along your writing journey. 

Journalists, bloggers, and potential collaborators will thank you for making their lives easier.

10. Mobile-Friendly Design (Last, and Not Least)

Above all things, ensure your website is mobile-friendly. You want your fans to have a seamless and enjoyable experience whether they're visiting your author website on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. 

The truth is that most website traffic comes from mobile devices and while your site might look absolutely gorgeous on desktop, mobile viewers are not going to return (or think very highly of you) if it looks like absolute crap on their phones.

(That’s why I love using Ucraft for building my websites—I can tweak the mobile view separately from desktop to make sure it looks nice on both. But that's a convo for another day.)

The Last Word on Author Websites

An author website not only showcases your literary prowess but also invites readers to step inside your world for a little while—and they love having that sense of connection with you. 

Make it as captivating as the climax of your bestseller, and may your online presence be as epic as your storytelling!

(But just as using the wrong spices can utterly ruin your favorite dish, it kinda helps to know what you’re doing before you throw them around all willy-nilly.)

Key Notes About Rhetorical Devices:

• Rhetorical devices are linguistic tools that can make your words more memorable, persuasive, and impactful.
• The most common rhetorical devices include metrical structure or rhythm, metaphor, word repetition, synecdoche, metonymy, alliteration, and assonance.
• There are dozens of rhetorical devices that writers may use in their work and even if you don’t know exactly what they’re called (or how to pronounce them), you’ve likely encountered or used them without realizing it.

Rhetorical devices enhance both the style and effectiveness of communication.

They contribute to the artistry of language, making your writing more distinctive and engaging—and I’ll share some of the most common ones below, along with examples that demonstrate their effective use.

(I'll also offer phonetic pronunciations because most of them are pretty funky-looking words you'll rarely hear aloud.)

Rhythmic or Metrical Structure:

If you imagine your words tapping their feet to a rhythmic beat, you can easily understand metrical structure. Whether you're writing poetry or prose, having an appreciation for rhythm will enhance the flow of your language. 

Meter essentially dictates the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables through every word, the beat of which establishes a heartbeat (of sorts) and harmonious cadence the reader can hear in their mind.

In short, it turns a simple series of words into a lyrical composition. 

Metaphor:

Metaphor draws parallels to paint captivating imagery or to evoke an emotional response in the reader.

When you describe a storm as an untamed beast or love as a delicate flower, you're using metaphors to bridge the literal with the symbolic. 

They’re effective tools that infuse your prose with the essence of poetry—but you want to be careful not to overuse them.

(Purple is pretty, but purple prose is generally less so.) 

Word Repetition:

Anaphora, diacope, epistrophe, epimone, and epizeuxis—these terms might sound like a Greek chorus (or a horrible disease) but they’re actually very common forms of creative word repetition.

Yes, I know . . . there are writers (and even editors) who feel that words should never be repeated within the same sentence or paragraph.

I call B.S.

While it’s true that word repetition can be troublesome at times—for instance, when using the same adjective twice in the same sentence—intentional word repetition can be an exceptionally powerful tool that enhances the rhythm or meaning behind your sentences.

(And sometimes it does a bit of both.)

Anaphora (un-AFF-er-uh) involves repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences, creating a rhythmic effect while adding emphasis on that particular word or phrase. 

• Example: I looked to the sky. I gazed into the vast ocean of stars stretching as far as my eyes could see. I gazed into the infinity. I gazed into that endless abyss. And without even blinking, it gazed right back into me.

Diacope (die-ACK-eh-pee), meaning “to cut in two,” is the art of sandwiching a repeated word or phrase between different words. 

• Example: Speak your truth and speak it boldly, but above all things, you must speak it without fear.

Epistrophe (ih-PISS-tro-fee) is closely related to anaphora, only it brings repetition to the end of a sentence or clause, echoing like a refrain.

• Example: Still, I danced. When the wind carried with it the razor edge of an oncoming storm, still, I danced. When the rain fell to the earth as liquid daggers, still, I danced. And when the tempest exhaled and stilled, I danced.

Epimone (EH-pim-oh-nee) describes the technique of dwelling on a point through word repetition and is often used in dialogue—people tend to repeat important points during real conversations. (And some of us simply forgot that we already told you a thing, so we tell you again. And again.)

• Example: I can’t let go of her house or her things because it feels like I’m letting go of her. And I can’t do that. I just can’t, not yet. I’m not ready.

Epizeuxis (epp-ih-ZOOKs-iss) is the immediate repetition of a word or phrase for emphasis.

• Example (and shout-out to my fellow T-Swizzle fans): “We-eee are never ever ever getting back together!” 

Synecdoche and Metonymy:

Synecdoche (sih-NEK-duh-kee) and metonymy (mit-ON-eh-mee) are siblings of figurative language. 

Synecdoche involves using a part of something to represent the whole or vice versa. It's the literary shorthand that turns "all hands on deck" into a collective call for assistance, where hands represent the entire crew/all the people on the boat.

In contrast, metonymy substitutes one word with another that’s closely associated with it. For example, when we say "The White House issued a statement," we're using metonymy, with the White House representing the President and their administration. 

After all, the house itself wouldn’t issue a statement—it’s an inanimate object.

Alliteration and Assonance:

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Picture Peter Piper picking a peck of pickled peppers—the playful sound of repeated 'p' adds a plucky, rhythmic quality to the sentence. 

Assonance (ASS-uh-nunss), on the other hand, is the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words. It's the hum in the background, subtly tying your words together. The soft repetition of vowel sounds creates a melody all its own, whispered in your reader's ear.

Other Rhetorical Devices You’ve Likely Encountered

(But Didn’t Know They Had Names)

Anacoluthon (anna-ka-LOO-thon): shifting syntax mid-sentence. 

• Example: If it isn’t broken—well, why would you try to fix it?

Anadiplosis (anna-de-PLO-thiss): repeating a prominent word, normally the last word in the previous clause immediately in the next one.

• Example: The road was long—long and winding. The night was dark—dark and impenetrable. I was hungry—hungry for a snack.

Analepsis (an-all-EPP-sis): a fancy word for a flashback.

Antanaclasis (ant-anna-KLASS-is): repeating the same word more than once, but using separate meanings with each. 

• Example: As fall leaves scatter on the winds, so too shall we fall if we don’t prepare for the impending winter.

Antimetabole (ant-ee-met-AB-olee): inverting a phrase (similar to chiasmus, below) so it becomes a mirror of itself. 

• Example: Fair is foul and foul is fair.

Antiphrasis (ann-TIFF-ruh-sis): using words oppositely and ironically (along the lines of a 7-foot-tall man having a nickname like “Tiny”)

Antonomasia (ant-uh-nuh-MAY-zha): using a title instead of a proper name (the Coach, instead of Vince Lombardi) or using a proper name to refer to a member of a class (such as “Vince Lombardi” for a kick-ass football coach)

Apophasis (uh-POFF-uh-sis): claiming to not mention an issue but bringing it up anyway.

• Example: I won’t talk about his long history of half-baked ideas but for the sake of the company’s success, I’ll be making the decisions from now on.

Aporia (uh-POR-ee-a): expressing doubt, indecision, and uncertainty that is real or pretend—and usually a mix of both—for emotional or philosophical effect.

• Example: To be, or not to be: that is the question.

Cacophony (kuh-KOFF-ah-nee): using words or phrases with harsh syllables to convey tone in tandem with their meanings.

• Example: The growl of engines rolled like thunder along the raceway.

Chiasmus (kie-AZ-muss): inverting a phrase (similar to antimetabole) but not mirroring the words exactly.

• Example: She danced into his heart, and he danced out of her life.

Dysphemism (DIS-muh-fizz-um): using a (generally) derogatory word or phrase to characterize something or someone.

• Example: That guy is a rat! And that other guy is a tool!

Euphemism (YOO-fuh-mizz-um): as the opposite of dysphemism, this involves using a positive (or more neutral) word or phrase to characterize something or someone.

• Example: My car has seen better days. I’m a little vertically-challenged but I can reach the top shelf if I use a step stool.

Hyperbole (hie-PURR-bowl-ee): using (obvious) exaggeration to describe something.

• Example: I’ve eaten so many slices of pizza I think I might explode. I’ve got a mountain of paperwork to read through. I laughed so hard I nearly shat my pants. (Okay that last one isn’t necessarily an exaggeration . . . I have IBS.)

Litotes (LIE-tuh-teez): a statement that expresses something positive through the use of a negative

• Example: That gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free cake wasn’t bad.

Meiosis (my-OH-sis): a fancy word for witty understatement in literature—not to be confused with cell division by the same name.

• Example: After spending 3 hours trying on 50 different outfits while getting ready for a date and later receiving a compliment from said date, you reply with something like: “Oh this old dress? It’s just the first thing I grabbed from my closet.”

Onomatopoeia (onna-matta-PEE-uh): words that imitate the sounds associated with them.

• Example: Zap! Buzz. Trill. The clinking of glasses.

Oxymoron (ox-eh-MOR-on): a combination of words that are normally contradictory.

• Example: Just act natural. 

Pleonasm (PLEE-uh-nazz-um): a fancy word for redundancy—or using more words than you really need.

• Example: I heard it with my own ears. I saw it with my own two eyes. I walked there on my own two feet.

Simile (SIM-uh-lee): a common figure of speech that compares two unrelated things to one another—easily recognizable by the use of “like” or “as” to bridge them together.

• Example: She had eyes like stars. Her lips were delicate as rose petals. His hair was like spaghetti that had been left on the counter for a week.

Syllepsis (sih-LEPP-sis): when the same verb is used in two different ways (or to mean two different things).

• Example: He blew me a kiss and then blew my mind.

Zeugma (ZOOG-mah): closely related to syllepsis, a verb is used once—but serves two different meanings.

• Example: She held her breath and the pizza box as she waited for him to open the door.

The Last Word On Rhetorical Devices

Rhetorical devices enable writers to wield language more strategically, infusing their work with depth, persuasion, and a much more distinctive voice.

Plus, they’re just fun to experiment with in your writing and if you learn to pronounce them all correctly, you can WOW (and confuse) people at parties!

I’m not educated enough, smart enough, or creative enough to be a writer.

My work isn’t good enough. I’m not talented enough. I haven’t published enough books. I haven’t won enough awards.

I’m just not enough of . . . something . . . to claim the illustrious title of “Writer” as my own.

That always makes me feel like an imposter—and a bit of a fraud.

Many (if not most) writers can relate to that feeling—to struggling with imposter syndrome—especially around other wordsmiths who are more accomplished, or at least seem to be. 

Imposter syndrome, originally coined as “imposter phenomenon” in 1978 by Dr. Pauline Rose Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes, refers to “an internal experience of intellectual phoniness”—the feeling of being secretly underqualified, incompetent, or undeserving of accomplishments or status—while “fooling” everyone else to believe otherwise.

But the thing you need to realize is this: almost everyone else has felt that way about themselves, too.

One systematic review and meta-analysis examined 62 studies on imposter syndrome and found that up to 82% of individuals experience it to some degree. 

It can affect people of any background or profession. Imposter syndrome can be especially debilitating for writers, who may feel like their work is simply not good enough—or that they don't belong in the writing world at all—and some of them will choose to walk away completely.

Leaving behind stories that will forever remain untold, they’ll never know what might have been had they stuck with it.

Writing is a creative endeavor but it’s also an intellectual and surprisingly competitive one. I get it.

Look, no matter how smart you are, there’s always someone out there who can kick your ass at Trivial Pursuit.

And no matter how brilliant of a writer you are . . . well, someone out there is wielding a sharper pen.

Knowing this, we shouldn’t necessarily focus on being the best—but on doing the best we can. 

If you struggle with imposter syndrome or don’t believe the adage that “if you write, then you’re a writer” regardless of your progress, here are a few tips to help you deal with it and keep writing, anyway:

• Understand that you’re not alone in your imposter syndrome.

Neil Gaiman famously talked about imposter syndrome some years ago and referenced it again when he made the Time100 List for 2023. 

Frankly, if he still deals with bouts of imposter syndrome at this stage of his career, there’s probably not much hope for any of the rest of us.

I’m kidding.

There’s always hope. 

(I hope.)

But my point—if you haven’t gotten it yet—is that you’re far from alone if you’re dealing with imposter syndrome right now.

• Don't compare yourself to others (or their writing).

It's easy to compare yourself to other writers, especially when you're feeling down about your work.

(Or lack of it.) 

Everyone is on their own journey. 

Just because someone else is further along in their writing career than you’ve been able to achieve doesn't mean that you're not a good writer. 

Sometimes I look at colleagues who are publishing multiple books per year and wonder to myself, “What are they doing that I’m not?”

(Well, writing for one, if I had to hazard a guess.)

While I was finishing my first novel, I was also working 50+ hour weeks at my day job to support my family and trying to balance that with some semblance of home life with my husband and two kids. On weekends, I was running errands, cleaning the house, or doing family-oriented activities I didn’t have time for during the work week.

Writing time and energy . . . well, that was practically nonexistent. So naturally, it took me a lot longer to finish that novel. 

Would it have been fair of me to compare my progress to someone else who’s able to spend uninterrupted hours and hours writing every day?

No. 

Life circumstances are what they are—and comparing our progress to that of others is a recipe for imposter syndrome.

If it takes you three months to finish a novel’s first draft, you’re a writer.

If it takes you ten years to finish that novel’s first draft, you’re still a writer.

(My first took 12, by the way. Between being a stay-at-home mom who was president of the PTO for some ungodly reason and later in the workforce full-time once my kids were older, navigating family tragedy and grief more times than I’d ever experienced before, and just life . . . entire years would sometimes pass between the days when I’d open that manuscript to add any words to it.)

Focus on your own path and don't compare yourself to the writer standing next to you.

If it helps, try looking at it this way:

Every successful writer was also an unpublished one at some point.

• Set realistic goals for your writing.

One habit that contributes to feelings of imposter syndrome involves setting unrealistic goals for yourself and then failing to meet them.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise because they were—(surprise!)—unrealistic in the first place. 

It’s why I kind of get annoyed at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) if I’m being honest. I can appreciate the sentiment behind it, certainly, but life always has a way of stepping in and mucking up your “required” per-day word count.

It’s so easy to fall behind—and never catch up.

If you miss a single day of writing during NaNoWriMo, it puts you 1,667 words behind so you’ve got to hit 3,334 on the next one. Miss that day and you’re suddenly racing to catch up on 5,001.

It snowballs quickly. In recent years, only ~12% of participants actually “win” by hitting the official goal of writing 50,000 words in a month.

Instead, it may be better to focus on setting small, achievable goals, as they can help you to feel a sense of accomplishment and progress, which can boost your confidence.

The bonus?

You can do it any time of year.

The goals you set for yourself should reflect what you can actually accomplish and rather than setting a word count each day, it might be more helpful to set an amount of time.

For instance, if the most you can spend on a given day is an hour or even a half-hour, set a goal of sitting down and writing for that length of time.

In this way, you aren’t trying to hit some magical number of words, and what you get done during that timeframe is still tangible progress for each day.

But if you have to miss a goal, be kind to yourself too—as I mentioned earlier, sometimes life gets in the way here and there.

So give yourself some grace, because it’s not a race.

(That was halfway to a poem.)

• Remind yourself of your accomplishments.

When you're feeling down about your writing, take some time to remind yourself of your accomplishments. 

What have you written that you're proud of—even if it’s just a single line of dialogue or a descriptive sentence that slaps?

What positive feedback have you received from your writing—even if it was just an “obligatory” compliment from your mom or best friend?

Focusing on your successes can help to boost your confidence and remind you that you are a talented writer.

• Get feedback about your writing from others.

One of the best ways to deal with imposter syndrome is to get feedback from others. 

This could be from friends, family, alpha readers, beta readers, a writer group on social media, or even a writing coach. 

Feedback can help you see your writing in a new light and identify areas where you can improve. 

It can also help to boost your confidence and remind you that your writing is valuable.

• Never stop studying your craft and reading.

You don’t necessarily have to go to college or even take a class, but it helps to be self-educated at the very least, studying the craft independently by reading books about writing—and just reading, period.

People generally feel a lot more confident in their abilities when they know what they’re doing, right?

The same holds true for writing.

Studying and understanding the craft is a way to not only make you a better writer, but a much more confident one, and that can help to keep imposter syndrome at bay.

• Keep writing despite imposter syndrome.

The most important thing you can do if you're struggling with imposter syndrome is to keep writing. 

The more you write, the better you'll become. And the better you become, the more confident you'll feel about your words and ability. 

There’s a saying that it takes 10,000 hours to develop mastery over something (and Macklemore wrote a good rap about that).

So don't give up on your writing and keep doing it, even when it's hard.

Dealing with imposter syndrome can be challenging, but you're not alone. Many writers struggle with it—myself included. 

There isn’t a “cure” for it and I often wonder if any of us ever truly gets over the sensation that we don’t belong in the writing world, no matter how accomplished we are.

But we all have stories to tell—and that’s reason enough to stay with it.

Key Notes About Developmental Editing:

• A developmental edit is the first major editing process a novel typically undergoes and should occur after the first draft of your manuscript is written, although it can be performed sooner if you're unsure about the story's progression—or if you're completely stuck.
• The developmental editing process examines every aspect of your book including the story, plot, conflicts, characters and their arcs, dialogue, pacing, setting, world-building, point of view (POV), narrative, and more.
• A developmental edit does not include stylistic or mechanical editing (word or sentence flow, grammar, punctuation, or misspellings, for example). Those occur later in the process during line editing, copy editing, and proofreading.  
• Not every manuscript (or author) needs a developmental edit.

Developmental editing closely examines the:

• Story—the events from beginning to end. The story is the entire series of events described between the first and last page of your manuscript.

• Plot—how the story is pieced together through cause and effect. Plots generally should be character-driven and interesting enough to hold a reader’s attention (and without being too predictable).

• Conflict(s)—what poses a problem for the main character(s). Conflicts should be compelling but believable within the scope of the world your characters live in, and are (ideally) resolved through means that make sense. (No deus ex machina, if you can help it.)

• Characters—the people driving your story. Characters should be developed (to avoid being one-dimensional), with demonstrated personality traits that drive their motivations and decisions in a sensical way.

• Character arcs—the changes your characters undergo throughout the story. Rarely does a main character remain the exact same person from beginning to end because they are ultimately transformed by the story they’re living through. That doesn’t mean their personalities must fundamentally change (although they can); they might simply grow stronger in the face of adversity, for example. Although not every single character needs an arc, they’re important to majors (and some minors) because they provide character depth and add to the story’s pacing.

• Dialogue—what your characters say to one another. Dialogue should always serve the story’s purpose in some way, which is easier said than done. It provides information (or hints) to the reader, conveys emotion, shares important details about a scene or a character’s history or mannerisms, and gives the reader a reason to care about the people who are talking to one another on the page.   

• Pacing—the heartbeat of your story. Pacing not only refers to the speed at which your story progresses but the way the scenes transition throughout the chapters. Think of it this way: if the story lags in spots (or for too long), the heartbeat slows and the reader might die of boredom (or give up on the story) if it stops completely.

• Setting—where your story takes place. The setting should be an effective tool that works with your story, enhancing it and at times, even helping to drive the plot and/or conflict and shaping your characters.

• World-building—the design of a fictional world, its inhabitants, and their way of life. This generally only applies to fiction that involves a setting not based on reality. If you’ve built a world, you essentially make all of the rules but they should be fleshed out enough to avoid unanswered questions (that aren’t intentionally left that way) or miles-deep plot holes, and the rules should be applied consistently throughout your story.

• Point of view (POV)—the voice that’s telling your story. Consistency is important, but so is making sure that the right narrator is chosen. A story may be “fine” written from first person POV, but it might sing if rewritten from third person omniscient—or vice versa.

• Narrative—how it all comes together. The narrative includes every element above and how they work together to tell your story.

• Genre and subgenre—the “groups” your story essentially belongs in. Genre refers to a classification based on form (prose, poetry, or drama) as well as content (fiction or nonfiction, or genre fiction such as thriller or romance). Subgenre is a more precise category classification based on content, tone, style, and sometimes intended audience (e.g., historical fiction, young adult fantasy, crime thriller, or paranormal romance). Although there is crossover in genre fiction, it’s important to consider the general guidelines of your book’s genre (word counts, themes, elements, for instance), particularly if you’re seeking agent representation and/or a traditional publisher later on. 

Aside from line editing, a developmental edit is one of the more expensive services offered by professional editors and although it's a vital part of the process, many authors are capable of performing it on their own through the use of an outline, self-revisions, and feedback from writing partners or alpha readers.

If you aren't sure whether your manuscript is ready for a developmental edit—or if you even need one at all— there are a few important questions to ask yourself:

• Did you work from a thorough outline that allowed you to flesh out the story, characters, conflicts, progression, and narrative?
• Have you completed your first draft and performed multiple revisions and self-edits?
• Have you discovered plot holes in your manuscript but already figured out how to close them?
• Do you feel confident that you can take your manuscript where it needs to go on your own?
• If your book is complete and you've been submitting it to agents or publishers, have you received a positive response?
• Are you planning to self-publish your work and feel it's ready to move straight to line or copy editing?

If you answered "Yes" to any of the questions above, your manuscript likely doesn't require a professional developmental edit at this point.

A developmental edit is expensive—typically costing thousands of dollars. To get the most out of your investment, the best time to work with a developmental editor is when you can't take your novel any further on your own or you aren't sure how to.

Learn more about developmental editing here.

A professional alpha read can be a great alternative to a developmental edit because it's more budget-friendly and (generally) can be done in a lot less time. An alpha read isn't as thorough, however, but it offers in-depth insight that can support your work—without breaking the bank or hindering your budget for line or copy edits later on.

Learn more about alpha reading here.

If you're not sure what your manuscript needs right now, Dark Star Lit created a short interactive quiz to help you figure it out!