6 Structural Flaws Only a Speculative Fiction Developmental Editor Can Fix
As a self-published author, you know that the greatest villain in your book isn’t the antagonist; it’s a structural flaw. A simple crack in your narrative can break the reader’s immersion, leaving them feeling disengaged in your story.
The risk is magnified for speculative fiction writers juggling complex worlds and intricate internal rules. Sometimes, authors are too close to their stories, and you can benefit from a fresh set of eyes.
That job belongs to a speculative fiction developmental editor who can stress-test the complex architecture of your novel.
This article covers essential ‘fixes’ for common structural missteps, including:
The Broken Rule Paradox
The Unearned Arc
The Pacing Drag
The Worldbuilding Contradiction
The Undercut Climax
The Trope Trap
Before we dive in, remember that there’s no such thing as a ‘mistake’ in creative writing. These so-called ‘flaws’ are simply common corrections our authors seek to make.
Let’s get into it.
Flaw 1: The Broken Rule Paradox
Readers might struggle to get over inconsistencies in your fictional/magical rules. The Broken Rule Paradox happens when a ‘rule’ (i.e., magical system limitations or sources of power) changes to conveniently save a character.
Example in Action
If a character runs out of a life-saving potion in chapter 5, they cannot suddenly have another bottle in chapter 20 without a clear explanation of how.
What’s the fix?
A speculative fiction editor rigorously tests the systems' integrity. For example, I provide feedback to ensure every action and consequence related to your magic or technology stays consistent to build reader trust.
Flaw 2: The Unearned Arc
A character's journey must feel earned in order for readers to feel invested. In high-stakes fantasy and sci-fi, characters often undergo massive transformations. However, the reader feels cheated if the emotional work doesn't match the external plot.
Example in Action
The main character changes their core belief system or overcomes a deep fear (e.g., sacrificing themselves for a random stranger) without sufficient internal struggle or external plot catalysts to justify the massive leap.
What’s the fix?
A developmental editor will dig deep into your characters’ psyches. I’ll analyse your character's internal logic to ensure their growth aligns perfectly with the trauma and decisions they make. The best editors verify that every decision (even irrational ones) is consistent with the established character traits for a believable transformation.
Flaw 3: The Pacing Drag
Some subgenres of speculative fiction, such as fantasy and sci-fi, require intricate worldbuilding. If this detailed information is delivered at the expense of tension, the narrative stalls, and the reader gets bored.
Example in Action
The pacing slows to a crawl in early chapters due to massive information downloads about history, family lineages, political structures, cultural norms, and characters’ personalities… all presented as monologues or yawn-inducing encyclopedia entries.
What’s the fix?
Great writers want to share what’s in their heads, but hiring a developmental editor helps you integrate worldbuilding organically. Valuable editor suggestions include tension breaks and how to move lore into action. The goal is to reveal the mysteries of your novel at a pace that keeps the reader turning pages.
Flaw 4: Internal Logic Collapse
Internal logic collapse (aka. The worldbuilding contraction) happens when two facts about our world logically contradict one another. This flaw goes beyond the magic system and examines the underlying structural rules of things like your society and economy.
Example in Action
Your society is described as being isolated and hostile to outsiders, yet every major character somehow knows multiple fluent languages. Readers might wonder how this makes sense.
What’s the fix?
You could think of a developmental editor as your book’s lawyer, meticulously cross-checking the internal rulebook of your world. Even the most subtle inconsistencies in factors like geography and technology don’t go unnoticed, as the smallest internal logic collapse can break readers’ immersion.
Flaw 5: The Undercut Climax
You can think of the climax as the architectural peak of your novel. If it doesn’t execute as planned, it’ll hit a dud note with disappointed readers.
Example in Action
After 80,000 words of rising stakes, the final conflict is resolved in a weak anticlimax. For example, the villain is easily defeated, or the answer to a huge mystery is trivial.
What’s the fix?
Stakes escalation is a focus area for a developmental editor. An editor’s job is to verify that the tension is structured evenly across plot points. Professional eyes can suggest where to add obstacles or deepen the consequences to ensure the final conflict is a well-earned payoff for the reader.
Fix 6: The Trope Trap
There’s nothing wrong with using a common trope; many speculative novels use well-worn patterns. While tropes are useful tools, readers can become too familiar with them, so adding a fresh structural spin is essential.
Example in Action
A core plot point is well-written and engaging. However, it follows the same three-act structure and character beats as dozens of other books, so the reader gets a predictable experience that doesn’t thrill them.
What’s the fix?
The key is for a developmental editor to identify where you can subvert the expected structure of a familiar trope. Sometimes, a collaborative suggestion towards new structural innovations is just what you need to deliver a truly original novel. For example, a dev editor might suggest a shift of perspective or breaking a familiar plot sequence with a twist.
Developmental Editing: The Next Logical Step in Your Publishing Journey
Readers of fantasy and sci-fi invest deeply in the worlds they explore. Their trust hinges on your ability to maintain internal logic and deliver a satisfying, earned character journey.
If you recognise any of these six common missteps in your work, it could mean that your story requires the focused expertise of a speculative fiction developmental editor.
By investing in a speculative fiction specialist, you move beyond fixing surface-level errors and secure the comprehensive analysis necessary for your complex project.
Book a free 15-minute consultation to see how EV Editing can help you identify areas of improvement threatening your novel’s success.
FAQs
Do I need a genre specialist for speculative fiction developmental editing?
Yes, absolutely. Complex genres like fantasy and sci-fi require an editor with genre fluency to stress-test your internal rules. A generalist editor may miss fatal flaws in your magic system logic or worldbuilding consistency simply because they lack the genre-specific knowledge required to identify those unique structural missteps.
How long does a structural or developmental edit typically take?
For a standard novel length (80,000–120,000 words), the editor's analysis generally takes between 6 and 12 weeks, depending on the manuscript's complexity and the editor's schedule. After receiving the report, you can allocate an additional 4 to 8 weeks for comprehensive revisions and rewrites.
What’s the difference between a developmental editor and a copy editor?
The difference lies in the focus: a developmental editor fixes the structural and creative foundation of your novel (e.g., plot holes, pacing, character arcs, magic systems). A copy editor fixes surface-level prose, such as grammar and syntax.
