Let’s get your story into bestseller shape
You’re ready.
All you need is a good editor.
Hi, I’m Devrie, and I love editing as much as I love writing original work. It’s storytelling, but with the cutthroat energy of chess—and that’s where I thrive.
I’ve been where you are, and recently. With two publishing deals since 2023 in both non-fiction and fiction and two other books out on sub, I’m very familiar with what it takes to get a book from an unedited manuscript (see right) to a bestseller.
The difference comes down to who you have on your team. You need someone invested in your success. You need someone who sees storytelling as an opportunity and responsibility.
You need an editor who understands story—the craft and the heart.
That’s me.
My Unique Strengths
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PACING, STAKES, AND PLOT: I have a near super-human instinct for a story's escalation, engine, and tension. In the competitive world of publishing, any lag in an agent's, an editor's, or the readers' attention means your book is dead on arrival. I'll find them and help you fix them.
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CHARACTER: The moment your characters fall out of synch with their voice, act in a way that would baffle a reader, seem flat, need polishing, miss an opportunity to win or break a heart, or stop driving the plot with their choices? I'm there. They make or break a book.
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WORLD-BUILDING, MAGIC SYSTEMS: In fantasy, romantasy, and sci-fi, world-building and magic systems have to make sense for the reader to enjoy. I'm an expert at finding loose bolts and squeaky hinges in the nuance from romance, to sci-fi, to horror, to fantasy.
Some of my favorite books
Let my happy clients convince you
“Devrie is wonderful! She read hrough my manuscript and provided the sharp, insightful feedback I needed to hear. She is clearly a master of her craft, able to pinpoint not only the moments where my story was losing momentum, but also explain why they weren’t working and, importantly, how to improve them.
Her feedback was incredibly thorough, thoughtful, and valuable. Beyond helping me strengthen this particular manuscript, she offered insights into storytelling and the writing process that I know will continue to benefit me in future projects.
I would highly recommend Devrie to any writer looking for knowledgeable, thoughtful, and actionable feedback to take their manuscript to the next level.”
Amy Collins
NYT Bestselling Agent, Author, Speaker, Teacher
“Devrie Donalson has delivered every project I have given her on time, and she has exceeded my expectations every time.
100% of the authors that I have sent to her have come back to me raving about her attention to detail.
Devrie is an expert on commercial fiction and what it takes to polish a manuscript so that it’s ready for the next steps.””
Full Developmental Edit with Manuscript Mark-up
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Developmental Edit with Editorial Letter
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Developmental Read
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First Chapter(s) Critique
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Pitch Plot Synopsis Review
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Office Half-Hour
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Full Developmental Edit with Manuscript Mark-up ✳︎ Developmental Edit with Editorial Letter ✳︎ Developmental Read ✳︎ First Chapter(s) Critique ✳︎ Pitch Plot Synopsis Review ✳︎ Office Half-Hour ✳︎
How can I help?
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FIRST FIVE CLIENTS GET 50% OFF!
$1500-$3500
A full developmental edit, including an editorial letter and in-manuscript edits. We’ll focus on strengths, areas for improvement, tone, pacing, character development and voice, reader retention, structure, and plot. Typically takes a few weeks. Can include a round of revisions! Dependent on word count and project.
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$950-$3000
A developmental edit with a 3-15 page single spaced editorial letter overviewing your manuscript. We’ll focus on strengths, areas for improvement, tone, pacing, character development and voice, reader retention, structure, and plot. Typically takes a few weeks. Can include a round of revisions! Dependent on word count and project.
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$500-$1000
A developmental read with 3-8 single spaced pages of feedback focusing on reader experience. We’ll talk about strengths, areas for improvement, tone, pacing, character development and voice, reader retention, structure, and plot. Typically takes a week or so. Dependent on word count and project.
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$200-$1000
I will provide feedback on your initial chapters, focusing on reader retention, pacing, voice, characters, and clarity—all the things agents and publishers look for in the first few pages of a new manuscript.
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$200-$1000
Perhaps the most important thing you’ll write beside the book itself, the plot synopsis you must provide with your manuscript to approach agents and publishers is more like scientific document than marketing copy. I have been paid for the option to use mine as an example in classes, so I’ll get you where you need to go. Leave with a plot synopsis that catches an agent’s or editor’s eye in a massive pile of hopeful manuscripts.
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$100
A half hour call to discuss your project and help you think through what you have, what’s missing, and what should be your next step.