What is book development?
Simply put, a book developer helps you write a quality book.
Download the checklist
Some of the benefits include:
Saving you enormous amounts of time. No more spinning in your head, writing a whole bunch of stuff that doesn’t match your vision, or spending two years of your life “writing your book.” A good developer helps you focus and therefore cuts your writing
time way down (my personal record is 2 months from raw idea to finished manuscript, but usually the time falls in the 4-to-8-month range)
Saving you a bunch of money. This is why I personally have a conversation with you before signing contracts or any money is exchanged. We have to fit well together so we get into a really nice flow and complete your book in a reasonable amount of time. (For example: I turned down an author who tried to sell me on helping him write a book that set himself up as a cult leader. That was a hard pass from me.)
Accountability. Along with saving time, a good developer keeps you on track, answers your questions, helps you work through rough spots, and acts as a cheerleader and coach.
Editing. Now, just to be clear, some developers do not edit. I am a developmental editor, meaning I do everything a book developer does plus editing the manuscript as we go along. That saves you time and money on the back end because, when you’re done with me, your book is ready to publish.
What working with Kristy looks like (in general terms - each client is unique):
Initial Zoom call to discuss your project and see if we’re a good fit.
Once the contract is signed, you send me your manuscript, if you have anything written. If not, no worries. I will guide you through the first steps to jumpstart the process.
The first draft is big picture stuff – your message, your vision, a chapter overview, etc. This is the fun part and usually a pretty quick process.
The second draft is when the slower, harder work begins. We do a deep edit – remove anything that doesn’t work, move things around for flow and to make sense, flesh out anything that needs more oomph, and so forth.
The final step is to send it to my proofreader/line editor for a final set of fresh and expert eyes to catch any remaining typos or errors.
Meet Kristy
Kristy Boyd Johnson is a former schoolteacher and an accomplished author, having ghostwritten
over 35 books for entrepreneurs to supplement her teaching income over the years.
She has expanded away from ghostwriting and into full-service book developmental editing because she loves to help new authors discover their own voices and guide them through the process of birthing their books into the world.
She holds an M.F.A. in Professional Screenwriting through National University and graduated with Honors. During her course studies, she had the distinction of being selected as a participant in the pilot program for Cinematic Storytelling Across Cultures, an international collaboration with Griffith Film School in Brisbane, Australia. Selection for this program was based on a combination of writing talent and demonstrating a collaborative spirit.
She has a passion for writing stories with a light touch that leave you wondering about possibilities. Her forthcoming middle grade novel, Doofus, is the story of a bug whisperer on the hunt for his mother’s killer. Kristy is also in the process of writing the second book in her new young reader’s chapter book series, Lily Star, Monster Hunter.
Traveling is a passion for Kristy. She lives on the Gulf Coast of Texas with her family.
