Developmental Editing

The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.

Mark Twain

What is Developmental Editing?

I help clients create crisp, clear, coherent writing, ready to be sent to agents and publishers. I focus on the big picture: point of view, character, voice, narrative arc, narrative tension, tone, dialogue, organization, strength of argument, setting, and attention to industry standards.

A GOOD FIT:

Fiction: adult literary and commercial, mysteries, young adult, middle grade, short stories, excerpts.
Non-fiction: Essays and articles.

MY PROCESS:

Describe your project to me via email. Include a 4-5-page excerpt.

EXPERIENCE:
            *Over fifteen years of developmental editing.
            *Over twenty years of facilitating critique groups and teaching.
   *Over twenty years of experience in publishing fiction and non-fiction in major outlets.

EDUCATION:
*University of Connecticut
*Dartmouth College, MALS
*Hedgebrook, Master Class with Jane Hamilton
*Duke University, Graduate Seminars in Prose Writing, Children’s Literature, and Technical Writing
*Anderson Street Workshop with Alice Mattison

ENDORSEMENTS

WENDY BAUCOM

Debby lives by her own advice: always give positive feedback. This is not to say she can’t point out a mistake or a bad piece of writing, but she always couches her advice in terms of what can be done to strengthen a piece of writing. Her help has been invaluable to me in thinking through ways to reshape or even restructure my fiction at the sentence, chapter, and even full manuscript level. My work is unquestionably stronger thanks to her eye.

LORA KELLEY
lorakelley.com

Working with Debby is a dream! She develops and edits the work beautifully, and she also offers opportunities to broaden one’s perspective by bringing new insights and ways to enter the writing. This has only benefited my writing as I now approach first drafts with freshness and expansiveness.

BETTY JOYCE NASH, author of Everybody Here is Kin
bettyjoycenash.com

Debby can help authors see more deeply into their writing, and offer suggestions that strengthen its structure, substance, and impact.

ERIKA RASKIN
Author, Close and Best Intentions
Fiction Editor, Streetlight Magazine
erikaraskin.com/

Debby Prum has a unique, clear-eyed ability to assess a piece of writing — and then provide thoughtful, concrete suggestions on how to improve it. I wholeheartedly recommend her services!

ANDY STRAKA
andystraka.com

Deborah Prum is a gifted developmental editor. As a successful writer herself, she understands firsthand the process of creating prose. She has provided valuable editorial insights during the writing of a number of my published novels. I highly recommend her services.

KATHY KERBER

If you ask five different editors to read your manuscript, you’re going to get five different opinions about what needs to be done. So, it’s a crapshoot! Hooking up with the wrong editor is money down the drain, confusing, deflating and a lot of time wasted.

Someone I respected had just hired Deborah Prum to edit her literary novel. Based on her own good experience with Deborah, my friend recommended I consider having her edit my book. I hesitated because my novel is commercial women’s fiction. I was skeptical that Deborah would be open minded enough to have an appreciation for my genre. But after talking to her, I decided to take the risk. I say all of this because I think it’s so important for prospective clients to know how open she is, and good at working with different genres.

Here’s why I recommend Deborah Prum as a developmental editor:

She treated me and my manuscript with complete respect.
Her rates are reasonable.
She seemed to “get” my humor and have an appreciation for the story I was trying to tell.
She has a nice manner and managed to critique and encourage me at the same time. She is lovely to work with and has a great attitude.
She was specific about what I needed to do. She knew the process of how to write a compelling story. I learned a lot from her. I just wish I’d talked to her before I started writing in the first place😉