So you’ve finished your romance novel! (Or maybe you’re nowhere close, but like me, you enjoy being uber-prepared.) It’s time to research editing costs and how to budget for a book editor. This post is for you.
Hi, I’m Kaitlin. As a fiction editor for romance authors, I’ll be honest with you right from the start: There is no “standard rate” for editing services. So trying to budget for a book editor can be tricky if you don’t have the necessary information to make an informed decision.
But you’re in luck! Today’s post will cover the specific things you can do to gather that information and find an affordable editor who will do an amazing job with your story.
There are four types of editing—each priced differently—so your first step is to figure out which type(s) your book needs. This will help you get the most benefit from the money you spend. The most expensive editing service (typically) is developmental editing, followed by line editing, then copyediting, then proofreading.
How do you know which type you need?
Take a quick mental inventory: What do you feel needs the most work in your manuscript? If you know a specific area needs help (such as character development, timeline consistency, grammar & punctuation, etc.), that will help you know if you need a copyedit, a developmental edit, a line edit, or basic proofreading.
(Read here for a refresher on the four types!)
I recommend NOT skipping copyediting or proofreading—and that’s not just because those are the types I offer! It’s because these services fix inconsistencies and errors, which can pull readers out of your story and frustrate them, leading to poor sales and bad reviews (ouch).
The clearer your goals, the easier it will be to find the right editor—you’ll know more quickly when someone is a good fit!
First consider: When do you want to publish your book? This will tell you how much time you have to save up. Fortunately, many editors offer payment plans—or will if you ask. For example, I collect 20% at time of contract signing, 40% on the project start date, and 40% on the project end date.
Next consider how much you can comfortably spend on this book and decide on a tentative amount.
Keep in mind that both your timeline and your budget may need to be adjusted depending on how many kinds of editing you need and which editor you choose.
Since editing isn’t a universally regulated field, book editors can charge for their work in several different ways—usually per word or per hour.
An editor who charges by the hour can be a good option for smaller projects or documents where the number of hours needed can be easily estimated. Larger manuscripts can be hard to estimate, and if it takes longer than expected, you might be left with a larger invoice at the end of the project than you expected!
Many editors (including myself) charge per word. This gives you a better idea of how much you will be spending before you hire that editor. For example, if your manuscript is 100,000 words, then a quick calculation of 100,000 words times the rate per word immediately tells you how much you can expect to pay.
A third type of rate is the flat fee. This is usually based on a per-hour rate, where the editor spends an agreed-upon number of hours on your manuscript and no more. You’ll know your total cost upfront, but if the scope of work is greater than your editor anticipated, they may not have time to give your book the level of attention it deserves.
Repeat after me: self-editing cuts costs.
Those editors that charge per word? They will charge way more for a bloated 200,000-word manuscript than a tight romantasy sitting at 150,000 words. And editors who charge per hour . . . well, they’ll need to spend more hours on a messy manuscript than on a clean one.
Whichever way you look at it, self-editing will help reduce your word count and save money. Plan out enough time to go through your entire manuscript to combine things, cut portions that aren’t working, and fix obvious typos or inconsistency errors. It’s worth your time, I promise!
Whatever you do, please don’t hire someone with no experience or certification in the editing field. I know it’s tempting when you’re trying to save money, but it won’t bring the results you want, trust me.
How about your mom who was a high school English teacher? Or your friend who just published a book? Or your coworker who edits all the press releases for your company?
Nope, nope, and nope.
Being great at English, writing, or even general proofreading is NOT the same as being a trained professional editor. Editing is a highly specialized skillset. It’s a mentally demanding activity that requires time, incredible attention to detail, and very specific deliverables.
Would you get your hair cut and colored by someone whose only experience was cutting and dyeing their Barbie’s hair? Or have your brakes repaired by someone who just watched a couple Youtube videos? Nope. Those scenarios are disasters waiting to happen!
The same goes for editing. It’s an expert service provided by trained professionals. If your book is going to reach its potential and compete with the other professionally edited books on the market, make sure you invest in it by hiring an experienced book editor who will give you a great end result.
Hiring an editor at a reasonable price point starts with a realistic understanding of editing rates.
So how much does an editor cost?
As I mentioned above, editing rates vary widely, and many factors influence this. An editor’s experience level or amount of training, the type of service, the genre of your book, the cost of living in that editor’s state or country, and the freelance business expenses they need to cover, all contribute to what an editor chooses to charge for their services.
The EFA (Editorial Freelancers Association) has a helpful rate chart, based on a survey of about 1,000 editors, that can help you establish the approximate amount you’ll need to spend. It’s a few years old, so things have changed a bit, but it’s a good starting point.
If you also know other authors, ask them what they paid for PROFESSIONAL editing (not if they used an untrained editor!).
What if you come across an editor charging dirt-cheap rates? Hooray, you’ll save money! Right?
Careful!
A super low rate is a big red flag. It can mean a person who is incredibly inexperienced and won’t do a good job with your book, or even a scammer who will disappear with your money without finishing your project.
I’m not saying to spend more than you need to, but look for someone whose editing rates roughly line up with industry standards. And take the time to research their credentials, experience, reviews, and website so you make sure you’re dealing with a true professional.
A general rule of thumb is to start looking for an editor at least six months before you want to book their services. Understanding their rates and any payment plan options ahead of time will help you plan out your costs over the course of the project.
Once you’ve narrowed down your search to a few editors who seem like a good fit, reach out for more information. Find out whether they are available within your desired timeline, and be sure to request a sample edit (many editors offer this for free or for a small fee).
Moral of the story: The more data you have, the better prepared you’ll be to set a reasonable budget and find an editor at a price point that works for you!
Feel free to use my editorial rates as a starting point for your research. I also offer a free 1000-word sample edit to potential new clients, and you can reach me any time through my contact form. I’d love to hear from you!
If you’re an author looking to hire an editor, here are some author red flags that editors look for—check them out to see what worries book editors when talking to potential clients.
Here are answers to all of my most frequently asked questions as a professional freelance book editor. Some of these book editor faqs might surprise you!
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