Developmental Editing
Are you a writer looking to feel confident your plot has no holes or damaging pacing issues? Is your exposition heavy-handed? Are you looking for specific suggestions to flesh out your characters? Have you considered cadence, vocabulary, and idiosyncratic speech patterns in dialogue? Has a cliché slipped in? Are your characters internally consistent or inconsistent by design?
Are you an agent with a project that could benefit from another set of creative eyes?
Are you a producer with a project close to a green light that needs a dialogue punch-up?
Services
Deborah takes on a few select projects after an initial 10-page free review. (She does not have the tech expertise for sci-fi.)
Developmental editing and script consultations usually run between $600 - $2,000, depending on the medium and length. She can be reached through her contact page.
A Few Comments
Lawrence Kasanoff: Producer
The first time I met Deborah I was the president of James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment. I have hired Deborah Serra numerous times as a writer on my feature film and television projects. She is talented, thoughtful, and a master at character and dialogue. She listens to comments and turns around edits faster than any other writer I know.
The Lady of the Tower (historical fiction) by Elizabeth St. John
Deborah Serra has provided developmental services on my trilogy of historical fiction novels, The Lydiard Chronicles. Her insights were extremely helpful and actionable, particularly in the areas of characterization, dialogue, and pacing. Deborah helped identify potential reader roadblocks, and her honest and collaborative approach gained my trust and built confidence. My work improved and I would unhesitatingly recommend her to both new and seasoned writers.
Jerry Mayer Playwright, Producer, Screenwriter
I know Deborah has performed script-doctoring on an anonymous basis to several successful projects in town She worked for me on an Emmy nominated television show and was the most admired and sought-after writer on my staff. She’s thoughtful, creative, and understands audience dynamics.
Blurred Fates (literary fiction) by Anastasia Zadeik
Without exception, Deborah’s notes are more than simply helpful; they make my work smarter, cleaner, and stronger. Moreover, she understands what a story needs in order to be powerful and compelling—a story people cannot put down or turn away from. I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Conscience: The Origins of Moral Intuition (non-fiction) by Patricia Churchland
Especially to be thanked is the novelist and screenwriter Deborah Serra. We regularly discussed the role of the brain in moral decision-making and how individual differences in temperament, experience, and life situation make it inappropriate to have a one-rule-fits-all moral system. I am forever grateful for her sharp, critical mind, her piquant sense of humor, and her great kindness in reading rather clumsy early versions of the book and forthrightly recommending changes.
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Deborah was a monumental influence on me and, just kidding. Wondering who read this far?