Conflict is crucial for any story because it drives the narrative forward. Without it, there will be no tension or problems to overcome, and your main characters will remain unchanged. Struggle helps build a character arc and keep things engaging for your audience. It is the foundation of any story. Why? Because life is filled with conflict, and that struggle makes your characters and story more relatable to your readers.

When I started offering professional book editing services, I had no idea there was more than one way to edit books. My entire thought process was, “Okay, let’s put those long-unused revision skills to work.” Later, I learned that at least four different editing styles are used during different stages of the book editing process: developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading (see the definitions below). Now, I understand that I can help my clients achieve their goals as a developmental editor.