I can understand why you're feeling overwhelmed. Going from an 8-chapter manuscript to a 23-chapter outline is a significant change. My suggestion would be not to focus on all 23 chapters at once. Instead, treat the editor's outline as a roadmap and work through it one section at a time. Structure revisions are often easier when you focus on the story's major plot points, character development, and pacing before worrying about individual scenes. Many authors go through substantial restructuring during the developmental editing stage, so you're definitely not alone. Out of curiosity, what kind of story are you writing? Is there a particular part of the new outline that's causing the most difficulty?

@Robbie Cayer I can definitely relate to that. As a romance author, currently I'm a bestselling author and you can check out my books on Amazon. I've found that story restructuring can sometimes feel more overwhelming than writing the first draft itself. From what you've described, it sounds like you're dealing with manuscript restructuring, chapter organization, and scene placement challenges while adapting to the developmental editor's new outline. If you'd like additional support, I know a developmental editing specialist who helps authors work through story structure, pacing, chapter organization, and overall manuscript flow. They've helped many authors turn overwhelming revisions into a clear step-by-step plan. No pressure at all, but if you'd like an introduction, I'd be happy to connect you with them.