Developmental Editing
Finding the thread that holds your story together
About
Every story has a red thread — the essential connection that runs through its heart, binding character to plot, tension to resolution, promise to payoff. Sometimes that thread is clearly woven through every chapter. Sometimes it's tangled. Sometimes it's buried so deep you need someone to help you find it.
That's where I come in. I'm Cadhla, a developmental editor specializing in romance and speculative fiction. I work with authors at the structural level — not line edits and commas, but the deep architecture of your story. The pacing that makes readers hold their breath. The character work that makes them ache. The narrative economy that ensures every thread you introduce earns its place in the fabric of your book.
I believe stories are living systems where every element exists in relationship with every other element, and my job is to help you see those relationships clearly — so you can make them sing.
Services
A comprehensive editorial analysis of your manuscript's structure, character arcs, pacing, thematic resonance, and narrative logic. This is deep, substantive work — not surface polish, but the architectural blueprint for your next draft.
A high-level evaluation of your manuscript's strengths and opportunities, with clear guidance on where to focus your revision energy. Ideal if you know something isn't working but can't pinpoint what.
Already know what needs fixing but not sure how to approach it? We'll build a revision roadmap together — a structured plan that turns an overwhelming rewrite into manageable, purposeful steps.
Currently accepting select projects for 2026. Reach out to tell me about your manuscript.
cadhla@redthreadediting.com