A developmental editor is exactly what you’re looking for, since an experienced professional can help with the content, organization, and style required for a winning proposal. I frequently work on proposals with an author, sending iterations of the working manuscript back and forth as email attachments. Consequently, I do in fact edit the proposal, since the brain-storming, board sounding, and task mastering is done quite efficiently in this customary process.

I loved your article.
I’m in the proposal stage of writing a non-fiction self-help book and I’m coming up against some road blocks.
The good news: I have an amazing lit. agent, strong, well-developed content, a very specific tone/voice, writing experience, a bunch of solid research, and an insatiable passion for my topic, for which I would call myself, an expert (wow, my low self-esteem is shaking in it’s shoes right now).

The bad news: I am a book proposal writing virgin, and am weak in areas such as; organizing the work, setting and meeting goals/deadlines, keeping the momentum/move things forward, and staying on task and focused (I have so much to say about my topic that I often veer off in a direction that doesn’t serve the proposal.). In addition to these kinds of “managerial” issues, I am also in need of professional and constructive feedback, along with support and encouragement. I also need someone who has experience crafting self-help book proposals, that kind that have led to publishing deals. Ideally, this person would be a highly skilled writer, a psychologically savvy editor, and an inspiring, passionate cheerleader.
However, this person would not be doing any actual writing or any research and most likely would not be taking material home to edit and hand back to me. I need to work with closely with someone, have them check in with me often, be a sounding board, brainstormer and task master. But I cannot seem to nail down who this person is (their title, I mean) that I am looking for. Am I in need of a developmental editor? Or is there another kind of professional that would be better suited for my needs?
Thanks in advance for your input on this.

Very helpful article. Thank you.
You say several times that it’s best for a developmental editor to be involved in the process as early as possible. How would this work with a partner?

Britt

I’m sorry you had so much trouble with transforming your book into a YA trilogy. As you point out, that’s exactly the kind of problem you can avoid by working with a good developmental editor very early in the creative process.

Because there’s no doubt about it: the book is ultimately the author’s, but an editor can SAVE so much time!

Well, another time… and in any case, thank you for the excellent advice.

Sounds like you need some professional feedback for both your proposal and the novel itself. I don’t know a great deal about the book business in India, but I’m sure you could benefit from consulting an objective developmental editor to polish your proposal and possibly improve your manuscript with revisions of the core concept, structure, and literary style.

This kind of evaluation and revision is essential these days, when agents and publishers move so quickly to dismiss incomplete or otherwise imperfect work in a highly competitive marketplace.

Good luck!