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Have you ever completed a manuscript and, once the joy and sense of accomplishment faded, felt overwhelmed by the idea of actually editing the thing?
Maybe you've then been quoted thousands of dollars by professional editors, or perhaps you're facing weeks, even months, of waiting for feedback. This is a common struggle I hear from writers I work with.
For many authors, developmental editing is one of the most expensive and time-consuming phases of the publishing journey. You've poured your heart into completing a manuscript, but now comes the critical question: how do you efficiently transform that draft into a publish-ready book without breaking the bank or waiting endlessly for feedback?
That's where Twig's developmental editor comes in. Our new AI-powered dev edit tool promises professional-level manuscript feedback in minutes instead of months, at roughly one-tenth the cost of traditional developmental editing.
But can an AI truly deliver meaningful feedback that helps improve your book? Read on to see whether Twig.io could transform your revision process.
How I Personally Use Twig's Developmental Edit
I’m the author of over twenty books, mostly nonfiction but a few memoirs and a novel. I’m also an author coach and have trained both writers and dev editors in my community. So I know what makes a great developmental edit from both sides of the red pen.
So that’s why I was curious how Twig would perform with my own writing. Would it get it right? Or would it send me down false editing rabbit holes?
When I ran my novel manuscript through Twig.io, I was genuinely surprised by how good it was. Twig not only identified the main issues I was already grappling with (which was reassuring), but it pinpointed the exact locations in my manuscript where these problems needed addressing. What's more, it gave me actionable steps to fix those issues.
But what surprised me the most was not only how well Twig identified what I was doing in my book, but also why I was writing it, the deeper themes and vision for the book that I was trying to accomplish.
I didn't take all of its suggestions (because I’m a rebellious writer and I’ll do what I want, thank you), but it was helpful to have both the wide arching vision for what needed to change as well as some specific action points to go forward.
I also know that if I were to take all its feedback, it would reduce my editing time significantly.
What’s better is that I know once I make changes, I can quickly do another round of edits. So for writers who can't afford multiple rounds of professional developmental editing (which is most of us) or don’t want to wait, this gives you that crucial first round of substantive feedback without the wait or the high price tag.
And if you do want a more refined developmental edit with a human editor later, you can get the big things out of the way so you can concentrate on deeper, nuanced issues.
But how does Twig.io actually work, and will it help you with your specific manuscript? Let's talk about how this tool works.
What is Twig's Developmental Edit?
Twig's Developmental Edit is an AI-powered virtual developmental editor. It’s designed specifically for authors with completed manuscripts who want professional-level feedback on the content of their book without a long wait time or high cost.
The platform runs your entire manuscript through up to 27 different analyses (depending on your book type) that focus on everything from structure to genre to voice and much more. provide comprehensive, multi-layered feedback.
Each of these analyses was built by a team that includes published, bestselling authors (including me!), so Twig.io offers a specialized approach that goes far beyond what you'd get from a quick ChatGPT or Claude prompt.
Like all developmental editing, the focus of this feedback is on the content of your book, not on proofreading or grammar, and the goal is to get a clear idea of what's working in your manuscript, a few of the biggest things that aren't working, and specific steps to fix the problems.
Twig costs 0.3¢ per word (about $150 for a 50,000-word manuscript), about 1/10 of what you’d pay a professional developmental editor. And instead of waiting weeks for feedback, you'll receive your complete developmental edit within 30 minutes.
What makes Twig.io particularly valuable is its commitment to privacy and security. Your manuscript is never used to train AI models, addressing a major and understandable concern for many authors who might be open to trying AI but are worried about their rights and privacy.
Plus, the service comes with a 100% money-back guarantee, so if you don’t like your edit, you can get a full refund. Not bad!
Key Features of Twig.io
Just like a normal developmental edit, Twig.io offers a variety of ways to look at your manuscript, including a broad overview as well as chapter-by-chapter feedback, but the key element of each is actionability.
It’s hard to read the reports Twig shares without diving into your manuscript and getting editing. There’s a LOT there, but it’s all actionable.
Here are the main features:
Editorial Letter
The Editorial Letter is the cornerstone of Twig.io's feedback system, giving you a broad overview of your manuscript's strengths and areas for improvement. It looks a bit generic at first, but as you dive in, it becomes more and more thorough.
The constructive feedback is prioritized into three levels:
- Critical Areas: These are the most significant issues that could be holding your manuscript back. In my experience, Twig put words to what I was already struggling with, so it was very accurate. But then it gave some specific suggestions for handling them (that go even deeper in the later sections).
- Important Areas: The secondary issues may not be deal-breakers but addressing them might improve your manuscript. Some of these can be really useful, but I did find a few that I didn’t 100% agree with (and that’s ok and normal, even with human editors).
- Minor Areas: These fine-tuning suggestions add polish to your manuscript after addressing the bigger issues. I actually found these to be really sharp and some of my favorite suggestions.
There’s a lot here, but it’s important to not get bogged down in the editorial letter. There’s still so much useful information in the next reports.
Revision Plan
If the Editorial Letter tells you what needs fixing, the Revision Plan shows you exactly how to fix it. The goal is to give a step-by-step process for revising your manuscript.
What really makes Twig’s Revision Plan useful is how specific it is. For each issue identified in the Editorial Letter, the Revision Plan gives:
- How to address the problem
- Specific locations in your manuscript where changes should be made (this is KEY!)
- Concrete suggestions for how those changes might look
Honestly, even most human dev editors struggle to pinpoint exact chapters, events, and locations to make changes, so this is incredibly useful.
Instead of spending days figuring out how to address a character arc issue, for example, (and weeks stressing about it, if we’re being honest), the Revision Plan can point you to the exact chapters where character development was lacking and suggest specific scenes that could be added or modified (which you can accept or completely ignore, it’s up to you).
If you want to be more efficient in your editing, this feature alone can save you so many hours (not to mention so much sanity!).
Chapter-by-Chapter Notes
The third major component of Twig's developmental edit is its detailed Chapter-by-Chapter Notes. This feature dissects your manuscript and analyzes each chapter both individually and as part of a whole to provide specific, targeted feedback.
You might find some issues that didn’t show up in the editorial letter in this section, as well as find that one chapter that, if you revise it, will fix all your critical issues. It’s a really helpful report.
I will say, though, that this is where I noticed a few minor inaccuracies with the edit. Even though most of the core advice was still useful, there were times where the AI misidentified chapters or referenced characters that weren't present.
So this is where Twig still needs some improvement, and I’m sure we’ll figure them out. That being said, these errors were relatively minor and, for me at least, didn’t ruin the overall value.
As someone who has both given and received a lot of feedback from editors, I know that even human editors make mistakes. As always, we need to revise with discernment, taking what works and leaving behind what doesn’t.
The "Roast" Add On
One of Twig.io's more unique features is the optional "Roast," which gives you a slightly abbreviated version of the editorial letter and chapter notes (using 8 analyses instead of the full 27) but just done in a much funnier and also meaner tone.
Believe it or not, I loved the "mean" version of my edit. For me, it helped cut through the BS and give me the feedback in a different way that I could actually take a little more easily.
When I was thinking through a particularly difficult part of my book, I found the Roast's very direct approach helped me actually see the problem better, kind of like having that brutally honest writer friend who doesn't sugarcoat their feedback.
It’s also free, so you might as well try it. Just be careful if you’re particularly sensitive. It’s not called a roast for nothing!
Comprehensive Analysis System
What really sets Twig.io apart from just uploading your manuscript to a general AI tool is how deep the analysis framework is. The standard developmental edit runs your entire manuscript through up to 27 different analyses (varying based on genre and book type).
Here are just a few for each type of manuscript:
Novel Analyses
- Point of View and Narrative Voice Analysis
- Character Development and Arcs Analysis
- Emotional Resonance Analysis
- Genre Expectations and Conventions Analysis
- Prose Style and Technical Execution Analysis
- and more!
Memoir Analyses
- Pacing and Emotional Rhythm Analysis
- Stakes and Narrative Tension Analysis
- Theme and Meaning Analysis
- Truth and Memory Analysis
- Narrative Voice and Perspective Analysis
- and more!
Nonfiction Analyses
- Core Message and Structure Analysis
- Audience and Engagement Analysis
- Clarity and Accessibility Analysis
- Evidence and Research Analysis
- Originality, Contribution, and Market Positioning Analysis
- and more!
There are also analyses for short fiction too.
The result is a very thorough edit that rivals what you'd get from a professional developmental editor, delivered in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost.
Pros and Cons of Twig's Dev Edit
Twig isn’t perfect, of course, so let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of using Twig.
Pros
- Speed: Receiving comprehensive developmental feedback in 30 minutes versus weeks (or months) can completely change the revision process, keeping you from losing momentum while you wait for feedback, and letting you stay focused on your manuscript from beginning to end.
- Cost-Effectiveness: At about one-tenth the cost of normal developmental editing, Twig.io makes professional feedback accessible to more writers. For a standard 50,000-word novel, you're looking at about $150 versus $1,500+ for a human editor.
- Thoroughness: As my friend Sarah Gribble, an internationally bestselling author, told me, "It's way more thorough than I thought it would be." Twig’s approach is extremely detailed, and will give you plenty of useful suggestions to make your writing publish-ready.
Cons
- Occasional Inaccuracies: While the feedback is solid, Twig.io sometimes makes mistakes, like misidentifying chapters or referencing non-existent characters. As with any edit, you can’t blindly follow the feedback, especially with the chapter notes.
- Cost Relative to General AI: Though significantly cheaper than human editing, Twig.io is more expensive than general AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude. It’s much more thorough though.
Twig Developmental Edit Review: Is Twig Right for Me?
Twig.io is ideal for writers who:
- Have completed a full manuscript draft (the tool is not designed for works-in-progress)
- Want professional-level developmental feedback without waiting weeks
- Are working within a constrained editing budget (aren’t we all!)
- Need a structured, actionable revision plan
- Want to address fundamental issues before hiring a human editor for fine-tuning
This tool is particularly useful for:
Independent Authors: Self-published authors usually have tight budgets and often ambitious publication schedules. Twig.io can help you get the professional feedback you need without the expense or delay of traditional editing.
Authors Preparing for Human Editing: If you’ve finished a draft and know that you want to get a professional dev edit, but you want to make sure you and your human editor can focus on deeper, more nuanced aspects of the manuscript, using Twig first can help you get the most value out of the more expensive human edit.
Experienced Authors: If you’ve published multiple books and understand the developmental editing process, you might not need a human dev edit anymore. In that case, Twig.io might be just enough for a quick second draft before you move on to beta reading and publishing.
Publishers: If you’re a publisher who gives your authors developmental edits, Twig.io could be a way to efficiently evaluate manuscripts and give authors first pass feedback on submissions before (or in some cases instead) of developmental editors.
Freelance Editors: If you’ve a bit tired of explaining show don’t tell for the 15,000th time, you could consider using Twig as a client upgrade, giving authors a first-pass way to identify major structural issues before focusing your expertise on deeper issues and coaching.
Partner Program: if you’d like to partner with Twig, reach out to joseph.bunting@twig.io and we can find a way to work together, whether through our affiliate program or a white label option.
Who Should Avoid Twig
Twig makes less sense for:
- Writers still in the drafting phase (finish your book first!)
- Authors looking for line editing or copy editing (Twig focuses on developmental issues, not sentence-level corrections. Check out ProWritingAid for that!)
- Writers who strongly prefer human interaction and personalized guidance throughout the editing process (and have the budget to pay for it)
Final Verdict on Twig: Is This Developmental Editor Worth It?
After testing Twig with my own manuscript and considering both its strengths and limitations, here's my verdict:
Twig.io is absolutely worth it for authors with a completed manuscript, with the caveat that it's not designed for works-in-progress.
The combination of feedback, specific action steps, and quick turnaround at a relatively accessible price makes Twig extremely useful in the author's toolkit.
I don’t believe any AI tool will ever replace human developmental editors (nor does Twig want to), but Twig can be a great help as authors move their book toward publication.
The 100% money-back also makes it a pretty risk-free decision. At worst, you'll lose 30 minutes. At best, you'll transform your manuscript and your revision process.
So how does it sound? Have you tried Twig? Was it helpful?
