developmental edit
/dɪˌveləpˈmentəl ˈedɪt/
editing for structure, argument, and overall organization
developmental edit in a sentence
“Does the piece make sense as a whole? Are sections in the right order?”
Origin of developmental edit
From developing the overall structure
Related Words
kill your darlings
be willing to cut even your favorite passages if they don't serve the work
show, don't tell
convey through concrete detail rather than abstract statement
read aloud
testing prose by speaking it to catch awkward rhythms
tighten
remove unnecessary words while preserving meaning
expand
add detail, examples, or explanation where needed
cut
remove words, sentences, or sections that don't contribute