Academic writers are highly motivated to publish their research in books and articles, but many don’t get the support they need to bring their manuscripts up to a publishable standard. Freelance developmental editors with the ability to edit academic manuscripts are in high demand, and the work can be intellectually stimulating, personally rewarding, and financially lucrative.

This 90-minute webinar provides a comprehensive overview of what’s involved in offering developmental editing services to academic writers. Whether or not you have previous academic training or a PhD, you’ll come to understand the academic publishing process and how freelance developmental editors can play a major role. The session will cover the components of an effective developmental editing job from start to finish, giving you the tools to serve academic authors with confidence. You’ll learn the four pillars of scholarly writing and how to support academics in meeting their personal and professional goals.

This session is ideal for former academics who are brand new to professional editing or curious about getting started, as well as established freelance editors who want to add a new specialty in academic developmental editing. You’ll leave the session ready to decide what types of manuscripts you’ll work on and which editorial services you’ll offer, laying the groundwork for a successful academic developmental editing business.

Laura Portwood-Stacer (she/her) is a developmental editor and publishing consultant who offers online workshops for academic authors and editors around the world through her business, Manuscript Works. She is the author of The Book Proposal Book: A Guide for Scholarly Authors (2021) and Make Your Manuscript Work: A Guide to Developmental Editing for Scholarly Writers (2025) both published by Princeton University Press. Before founding her editorial business in 2015, Laura earned a PhD in communication from the University of Southern California and taught media and cultural studies at New York University. Laura currently lives in Los Angeles and is a two-time Jeopardy! champion.