Editing Otherwise: Fresh Approaches to Stories and Settings

There are two points in the book drafting and revising process when academic authors usually hire me as an academic developmental editor. These are: When you have a complete, revised draft, but before peer review Alongside peer review Developmental editing is holistic. Because of the focus on structure, cohesion, argument, and reader experience, the suggestions an editor can make are vastly improved if they can read and work with a draft of the whole book. Why hire a develo

In spring 2026 I completed the University of Chicago’s Introduction to Developmental Editing course as part of their Editing Certificate (Developmental Editing Pathway). I wholeheartedly recommend it to practicing academic developmental editors, as well as to editors starting out. Here are some thoughts directed at other editors who might take the course—especially established editors with lots of experience who may be wondering about the value of taking extra training. This

When writing a journal article or book, scholars are often very (too?) close to their writing. In cultural anthropology, this is compounded by the fieldwork experience. You probably heard the advice about leaving your field notes alone for a few weeks after completing fieldwork, and taking a break or even a holiday if possible. The same applies when you’ve been working intensively on an article or book chapter. Leaving a text in a metaphorical drawer for a few weeks is someti

Academic developmental editors provide big-picture feedback on a manuscript to ensure it’s presented in an optimal way for readers. They bridge the gap between what the writer thinks the book is doing, and how that appears to readers. Academic writers are usually very close to their material and may not notice relationships between arguments, that one argument or idea is out of place, etc. Academic developmental editors are therefore usually editors who know the conventions o

This blog post is about how to organize your arguments and develop an argument throughline (sometimes called a narrative arc) in your cultural anthropology monograph. In academic writing, scholars make arguments and work with concepts and themes. Arguments and unique concepts form the "currency" of intellectual exchange, and so it's worth taking the time to reflect on and uncover what arguments lie in your ethnography and anthropological theorizing. It's common for arguments

A review of Scott Norton's book on developmental editing. Looking for an academic developmental editor? Check out my services here. Buy Scott Norton's book here. Scott Norton's book is now a classic tome on many editors' bookcases. I first learned about developmental editing in 2019 when setting up my editorial business, and this book spoke to me. During the pandemic lockdowns, I would read chapters early each morning in bed. My background in fieldwork and anthropology made t